Watch Paparazzi

Watchmaker Gerald Genta spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Few photographs in watch collecting carry the weight of seeing Gerald Genta wearing his own most famous creation. The Royal Oak ref. 5402ST — the first generation of Audemars Piguet's groundbreaking sports-luxury watch — debuted at the Basel Fair in April 1972, priced provocatively higher than comparable gold watches of the era. Its octagonal bezel, exposed screws, integrated bracelet and Grande Tapisserie dial redefined what a stainless steel watch could be. On Genta's wrist, the story deepens considerably.

The ref. 5402ST was powered by the calibre 2121, a ultra-thin automatic movement just 3.05mm in height, developed jointly with Jaeger-LeCoultre as the base calibre 920. It beat at 19,800 vph and offered approximately 40 hours of power reserve. The case measured 39mm — large by the standards of 1972 — and the integrated Jubilee-style bracelet gave the watch its distinctively architectural silhouette. Production numbers for the 5402ST were limited across its run through the mid-1970s, making any surviving example a serious collector's object.

What elevates this particular piece beyond any standard 5402ST is the bezel: gold rather than the customary steel. This mixed-material configuration does not correspond to any documented series production variant, strongly suggesting this was a unique or prototype piece — possibly executed at Genta's own request or presented to him by Audemars Piguet in acknowledgment of his authorship. The fact that it was not among the earliest examples produced adds another layer of intrigue, hinting at a deliberate commission made after the model had already proven its commercial and cultural impact.

Gerald Genta's design portfolio reads like a syllabus of modern watchmaking: the Royal Oak, the IWC Ingenieur ref. 866, the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700, and his own eponymous brand's fantasy complications. That a man of such creative range chose to wear the Royal Oak — and a bespoke version of it — speaks to his own assessment of its place in the canon.

On the grey market, standard ref. 5402ST examples in good condition routinely command figures well into six digits, with exceptional or early examples achieving considerably more at auction. A unique piece with direct Genta provenance would exist in an entirely different category — effectively priceless in the sense that no comparable reference point exists. For collectors, this photograph is a document as much as a sighting.