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Dr.kol offers a unique, personal perspective on the enduring value of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak "Jumbo" by comparing its price relative to a sailor's salary across 43 years. This insightful post intertwines personal history with economic analysis, challenging perceptions of watch pricing and market changes.
The Royal Oak reference 5402 is recognized as the original iteration of the model, introduced in 1972. This reference established the design language that would define the Royal Oak collection, characterized by its integrated bracelet and octagonal bezel secured by visible screws. It was initially presented as a luxury sport watch, distinguishing itself through its material and finishing in a period dominated by more traditional dress watch aesthetics. The 5402 was produced in various series, with the A-series being the earliest and most sought after by collectors.
The watch features a 39mm stainless steel case, often referred to as the "Jumbo" size, which was considered substantial for its era. It houses the self-winding Caliber 2121, a thin movement derived from Jaeger-LeCoultre's Caliber 920, known for its full-rotor design. The movement provides a power reserve of approximately 40 hours. The crystal protecting the dial is acrylic, and the watch offers a water resistance of 50 meters, suitable for general wear.
For collectors, the reference 5402 holds significance as the foundational model of a major watch series. Its various production series (A, B, C, D) present nuances in dial text and case back engravings that are closely examined. The integrated steel bracelet is an integral part of its design, contributing to its distinct profile. The blue dial, often with a "tapisserie" pattern, is a hallmark of this early reference, though other dial variations exist.
Unfortunately this is not the right forum to tell i.e. about love in La Spezia. Seaman's love that lasted less than 5 minutes... Lol! Best, Kari
I really enjoyed your history and analysis. I import containers of my custom stone products and have learned a little about the industry along the way. I find the vessels fascinating and enjoy tracking them across the ocean as they make there way to the US.
It's not often we read of how different things used to be, but when it relates directly to how much effort and waiting it took to get to where you are and what's on your wrist, the story makes it so much more real and personal, adding to the appreciation. It also signifies the real importance of hard work. As for insanity of prices, that's a rant for another time :-) Thanks for sharing this.
I do not have any kind of idea where the tankers of my company are. But I know that the ROI was 55.24% last year, I have exact January numbers, a good idea how February is going to end and what type of tankers I intend to add to the fleet list. It's funny how the perspective is changing over the years. However, the seaman times left something to me: even in the most civilised company in a serious environment, I can start using rude language. And I enjoy it! People expect that a Ph.D. would speak
For most of the people those are something distant and they also consider the prices insane. I like to remind myself that I'm in a very lucky position when I have been able to buy during the first six weeks of the year three new watches. And all of these three are such that most of the people should work many months to acquire even one. Best, Kari
I met on a trip from Hamburg to Aquaba (years ago) have been far away from dreaming about watches at all ;-) Cheers, Oliver
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