Audemars Piguet Museum Collection Vintage Watches

quattro · 2025-05-01T14:12:14Z

Explore the mysterious Audemars Piguet Museum Collection with quattro's deep dive into three rare Regulator and Ref. 15008BC models. Uncover their history, references, and collector insights.

quattro

WPS member · Audemars Piguet forum

15 replies2223 views29 photos

Emmanuel, known as quattro on WatchProSite, delves into the enigmatic Audemars Piguet Museum Collection, a line intended to revive historical references. His detailed post focuses on three specific models — two Regulator variants and a Ref. 15008BC — that were sold together as a single lot at a Phillips Hong Kong auction. Emmanuel's meticulous research and high-quality imagery provide a rare glimpse into these elusive timepieces, prompting further community discussion on their precise identification and production nuances.

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The Audemars Piguet Museum Collection is quite a mystery: it is said to be "a line of watches intended to revive historical references of the glorious Audemars Piguet history", but I haven't been able to determine the precise list of models that belong to it.

Anyway, on 28 November 2017, at the Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction, three models from this collection were sold together as lot 952.

Two of them are variants of the Regulator ref. 25845 and which I like a lot and to which I have dedicated a previous thread centred exclusively on the rose gold variant (NB: this regulator seems to be referenced as 25849 when it doesn't have "Museum Collection" engraved on the back, but I can't be completely sure as online data is very confusing. And it is wrongly referenced as 25854 on the Phillips website in the link above).

Let's have a look at these three Museum Collection references.

Best, Emmanuel

THE THREE MUSEUM COLLECTION MODELS sold as lot 952 at the Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction on 28 November 2017

credit: phillips

A/ Régulateur ref. 25845BC powered by cal. 2085/2186 (white gold)

Case: 25,5 x 36,5 x 7 mm

credit: @highendtime & European Watch Company (two last photos)

B/ Régulateur ref. 25845OR (rose gold)

credit: @willionsltdlondon

C/ Ref. 15008BC powered by cal. 2085/2832 (white gold)

Case: 29 x 36,5 x 7,5 mm

credit: Kings Hill Jewellery & Watches

Key Points from the Discussion

The distinction between 'Museum Collection' pieces and 'regular production' pieces of the Regulator reference 25845/25849 is a source of confusion. Museum Collection pieces are believed to be numbered, engraved with 'Museum Collection' on the case back, and referenced as 25845 (BC, OR, BA for different gold variants). In contrast, 'regular production' pieces lack this engraving and are referenced as 25849.
Some Regulator models, including white gold and rose gold variants, are known to exist without limited numbering, further complicating the identification of 'Museum Collection' status.
A collector confirms owning a limited-numbered white gold Regulator, highlighting the need for official literature or definitive sources to clarify the various reference numbers and production details.
Despite their smaller size, the Audemars Piguet Regulator models from this era are highly appealing to collectors, even those not typically drawn to regulator displays.

The Discussion

quattro

May 1, 2025

My personal favorite is the rose gold regulator. I've been attracted to it for several years, but I've never seen it in real life unfortunately. Best, Emmanuel

mdg

May 1, 2025

...I am not a regulator guy, but if I was, I would have on of these. Yes they are small, but that's OK : )

quattro

May 1, 2025

The rose gold regulator is really tempting for me, but I keep thinking that I also have higher goals… Best, Emmanuel

KMII

May 2, 2025

The WG regulator probably being my favorite 😊👍🏻

quattro

May 2, 2025

but I must say that these photos show how beautiful the white gold variant also is! Best, Emmanuel

ANDYWANG666

May 3, 2025

I understand that this Regulateur is also available in gold and has no limited number. Some white gold and rose gold also have no limited number. I don't know the answer to this mystery. Does anyone have an answer? I have a white gold one myself.

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Audemars Piguet Museum Collection Vintage Watches

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