Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak in 1972 as a luxury steel sports watch with an octagonal bezel.
Designed by Gérald Genta, the Royal Oak was unusual for its time because it used stainless steel but was priced like a precious-metal luxury watch. Its design included eight visible bezel screws, an integrated bracelet and a textured “Tapisserie” dial.
The watch was presented at the 1972 Basel Fair and helped establish the luxury sports-watch category. It was initially powered by the ultra-thin Jaeger-LeCoultre-based calibre 2121.
A common mix-up is confusing the Royal Oak with the Patek Philippe Nautilus, another Genta-designed sports watch introduced in 1976. The Royal Oak belongs to Audemars Piguet and predates the Nautilus by four years.