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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 56175BA - 18K Yellow Gold Champagne Dial

Details

Solid Gold, Pure Form

The Royal Oak began as a statement in steel, but its translation into solid 18-karat yellow gold completes the story. This reference from the 1980s captures the original Genta design in a form showing high metal design paired with classic proportion. The quartz movement allowed Audemars Piguet to execute the case with a remarkable thinness, creating a profile that wears closer to the wrist than any modern equivalent. At 33mm, it's a masterclass in proportion, delivering all the visual power of the iconic octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet in a more refined and classic size.

Thin Profile, Heavy Gold

What makes this watch compelling is the contrast between its dimensions and its substance. While the case is exceptionally slender, the watch is a solid and significant piece of gold, weighing in at 130 grams. It feels dense and luxurious on the wrist, a sensation lost in many of the larger, contemporary versions. This example offers the best of both worlds: the elegance of a vintage dress piece and the undeniable presence of a heavy gold sports watch.

Impressively Well Preserved

This example is in excellent condition, especially considering its age. The sharp lines of the octagonal bezel and the distinct brushed and polished surfaces of the case and bracelet are well-defined. The integrated yellow gold bracelet is in fantastic shape, showing great integrity. The champagne dial is clean and presents beautifully. As with every watch we offer, this piece has been verified as mechanically sound and is ready to wear.

A Statement In Classic Proportions

This is the right Royal Oak for someone who finds the modern versions too large but still wants the impact of solid gold. The 33mm case is perfectly suited for a wide range of wrists and works as a confident, unisex piece. It sidesteps the current hype surrounding the steel models and instead offers a more sophisticated and timeless take on one of the most important watch designs of the 20th century.

Key Specs

Reference: 56175BA

Model: Royal Oak

Era: 1980s

Movement: Quartz

Case Size: 33mm

Bezel: 18K Yellow Gold

Bracelet: Integrated Bracelet

Dial: Champagne

Bracelet Length: 6.5in

Metal: 18K Yellow Gold

Weight: 130g

SKU: 695

History

The Royal Oak arrived in 1972 as one of the most deliberately confrontational designs in the history of Swiss watchmaking. Created by Gérald Genta in a single night for the Basel watch fair, it was the first luxury watch to be built in stainless steel and priced at a level that exceeded most gold watches on the market. The octagonal bezel secured by exposed hexagonal screws, the integrated bracelet that flowed directly from the case, and the "Grande Tapisserie" guilloché dial were all elements that broke with every accepted convention of what a luxury watch should look like in 1972. The industry dismissed it and the public eventually embraced it completely.

The Royal Oak's acceptance took time. In its first years the watch sold slowly outside of Italy, where it found an immediate audience among those who understood its radical proposition. As the 1970s progressed and the quartz crisis devastated traditional Swiss manufacturing, the Royal Oak's position as a high-end mechanical watch in steel became increasingly significant. It demonstrated that a correctly designed mechanical watch could command a premium over quartz technology on the basis of design and craftsmanship alone. This contribution to the survival of Swiss watchmaking is taken seriously within the industry to this day.

For collectors, the Royal Oak represents the apex of the integrated sports watch category — a category it created and has never relinquished. The earliest references with "Mark I" dials and thin cases command the highest premiums, while the expanded family of sizes and complications produced across five decades offers entry points at multiple levels of the market. The integrated bracelet in particular ages in ways that make vintage examples feel more personal and worn-in than new production, and the specific quality of the finishing — alternating brushed and polished surfaces — rewards close attention in a way that few watch designs can match.

What Our Clients Say About Us

Dan Young
4 months ago

I knew I was gonna like Danny, based on his name, but nothing could’ve prepared me for how great of an experience this was. He had the most beautiful 70s Seamaster Cosmic on his website and I was set to be married 2 days later - I arranged to buy it but before leaving we both realized it needed to be serviced. I panicked, because I was literally buying this for my wedding, and Danny being the legend he is, loaned me a nearly identical Seamaster to make sure I could get through the event Never have I had someone go so above and beyond for me, especially while purchasing one of the lesser priced items in their inventory. He serviced my watch and exchanged it with me after the wedding on a super fast turnaround timeline. I would sincerely recommend you visit this guy, you will not be disappointed Edit: adding a pic of the loaner (two tone) and the owner (crosshair)

Patrick Farella
5 months ago

Great service and shop. Danny and his team were incredibly accommodating, professional, and kind. Great selection of vintage watches. Their store is the hidden gem in the diamond district.

Zee06
2 months ago

This was my first real luxury watch purchase, a Rolex 15200 Date 34mm, I own Tissots and a Laco, but those are entry level luxury watches. I found Danny’s Vintage Watches online, and had great feedback both on Google, Chrono24 and the Reddit watch community. So decided to give him a shot as buying online can be a crap shoot. Ordered Monday night, was at my doorstep Friday morning. Despite the watch being over 30 years old, serial number says it’s from 91, the watch looked new. Didn’t come with box or papers, and was shipped in a plastic sleeve wrapped in bubble wrap. Danny was always available to answer questions. I’ll be buying from Danny again for the next purchase…saw a couple of Speedmasters on his site I liked….

Mohammed Islam
4 months ago

Can't recommend Danny's vintage watches enough!!! My first Omega ever and im in love have been wearing every day since I purchased it. Danny's shop is a must visit if you are in NYC looking for a watch!!!