[ON HOLD] A fine and rare transitional Audemars Piguet ref. 5072 in yellow gold, sold in 1951 to a retailer in New York. The 5072 was the first reference Audemars Piguet produced upon the company’s move to serialized production in 1951. This was a transitional period that saw designs popular in the 1940s begin an aesthetic modernization. The earliest groups of the reference were mostly standardized, but occasionally a serialized case would be fitted with an earlier dial and/or movement. There is evidence that only a handful of reference 5072s like this exist, all of which were produced very early and are among Audemars Piguet’s first watches known by a collective reference number. The early case series number, the “Explorer” style dial with applied darts and a VZASC movement produced in 1949 are all indicative of such a watch.
A contemporary sized 18kt yellow gold case measures 37mm and is one of the first Audemars Piguet regularly produced with a screw down back with the added protection of an inner dustcover. The case features a warm patina and is in excellent condition overall, retaining its original crown with tiny embossed star. Not a safe queen, but evidence of wear is minor. Case number punched into rear lug is indicative of a watch sold by one of the major New York retailers (Tiffany’s, Cartier, etc.) confirming New York as the initial destination from Audemars Piguet.
The silver dial exhibits the spartan, handmade utilitarianism typical of Audemars Piguet of the 1940s. The four cardinal hours are marked with small, handmade gold Arabic numerals, and the ancillary by small, beveled gold darts. The surface of the dial is vertically brushed silver. Original dial reprinted by Audemars Piguet. Signed, “AUDEMARS, PIGUET”, “GENÈVE”.
Powering the watch is a beautifully preserved example of the venerable VZ lineage which Audemars Piguet produced from the late 1930s until 1959. We know that the VZ came about as the result of a collaboration between Audemars Piguet and a number of highly specialized, independent shops. A glance into the loupe reveals the care and effort of the hands that made it. The generous use of black polished parts, chamfered jewel settings, anglage, and pronounced Geneva stripes should be noted. This particular variant, which we believe is specific to a 1949 date of production, is characterized by the lack of shock protection on the balance cap (which would soon after be added, as well as a change in the design of the regulator), and the more conservative format of the hand engraved nomenclature. This example shows only minor handling and is clean throughout. The watch is winding, setting and running well and keeping good vintage time.
Case:
- 18kt yellow gold
- 37mm (excluding crown) / 19mm between lugs
- Original star-embossed crown
- Plexi crystal
Movement:
- 18 jewel
- Hand winding
- Eight (8) adjustments
Dial:
- Brushed silver
- Handmade applied gold Arabic numerals, darts
- Black dashed outer minute track
- Gold baton hands, blued center sweep seconds
- Signed, “AUDEMARS, PIGUET”, “GENÈVE”.
