Audemars Piguet

a 1987 Royal Oak back from spa

The 1987 Royal Oak Dual Tme in half-gold was a piece I fell in love with at 1st sight. Initially the owner allowed me to loan it from him, but after incessant bugging, the old gentlemen decided to sell this piece to his godson(myself) as a way of passing down a legacy, as he did not have a son. It was befitting under his ownership as he is a shipping industrialist, and the pot-holes of the bezel constantly reminded him of the many ships he must repair.

The history of this piece was that it was conceived on my birth year, and belonged to a cardiologist whom did not appreciate it much as he had too many pieces to juggle. My old friend saw it, took great interest and bought it over. Next, the watch went through some years of heavy use, and was sent for an unauthorized service. When I took over the piece, the 1st thing I noticed was that the crown was very slightly hard to turn, and the white gold bezel screws were not aligned. Being a fastidious WIS, I cannot accept less than the best, and immediately sent it to the AP service centre in Singapore.

The repair cost was quite astronomical(but if one wants the best then he has to pay). In all, it was a full rehaul, with the octagonal gold bezel re-brushed, and all the screws replaced. I had the hands replaced too. As for the dial, I like the yellow ivory patina on it, and decided to keep it. Naturally, I enquired about engraving my name on the back, and they did it for free! The service interval was long, but in the end I was happy, as they did it with great diligence according to my specifications and the watch looks brand new now(except that they don't produce half gold APs anymore- a pity).

The pics: