Audemars Piguet Solid Gold Octagonal Perpetual Calendar Moonphase

Complicated vintage dress pieces — particularly ones finished in precious metals and packing a lot of horological heat for their size — are often overlooked these days. But those in the know will recognize that the craftsmanship, materials, and complexity amount to worlds beyond their current market value, and will snatch them up in advance of an inevitable stylistic turn in their direction! And then, there are pieces like the Reference 5557CA that we have here, that take things to an entirely different level... Constructed out of solid white gold, this piece features a 36mm octagonal case with a yellow gold stepped bezel, a satin grey dial with applied yellow gold indices and gold-tone sub register rings, a matching 'pencil' handset with blued steel subsidiary hands, and last but certainly not least - AP's Calibre 2120/2800 perpetual calendar moonphase movement within. The stand-out feature of this piece though, is without a doubt the integrated yellow AND white gold 'basketweave' woven bracelet with a signed locking clasp, providing a perfectly suited cherry on top of this incredible package. This striking two-tone piece perfectly embodies the two main focus areas of Audemars Piguet in the mid 1970s-1980: experimentation with design-forward pieces, and mechanical complexity. Although surely not for everyone, this piece is wildly cool to behold, mechanically impressive, and from one of the best names in the biz. If that all sounds good to you, then this piece is going to be tough to top. *Due to the design of this bracelet, sizing alterations may require custom work. Lead time after measurements are established is 4-6 weeks.*