Gérald Genta and the birth of the Royal Oak

Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet

The Royal Oak would not exist without the genius of Gérald Genta. In 1971, Audemars Piguet approached him the night before the Basel fair with an urgent challenge: design a completely new luxury sports watch — in steel.

Genta delivered the design in less than 24 hours: inspired by a deep-sea diver's helmet, the octagonal bezel with exposed screws became the hallmark of the Royal Oak. It was revolutionary — bold, industrial, and luxurious.

The Royal Oak debuted in 1972 and slowly redefined what a high-end watch could look like. Genta would later go on to design other icons like the Patek Philippe Nautilus and IWC Ingenieur.

His vision laid the foundation for modern watch design, and his Royal Oak remains one of the most celebrated and emulated watches in history.