The stainless steel sports watch is one of the most desirable kinds of watches in the world of high-end luxury watches today. And right on top of this heap that includes Omega, Breitling, Chopard, and so on, are the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus.

The Royal Oak was born in 1972 on April 15, which makes it a shade over 50 years old now. Unusual in its time, it has retained its distinctive look over half a century, during which there have been over 500 variants of it in different sizes and materials, as well as with a wide variety of functions (complications in horological parlance).

Interestingly enough, both the Royal Oak and the Nautilus were designed by the man who was probably the most prolific watch designer ever, Gerald Genta, who left his mark on numerous watches made by various watchmakers including Audemars and Patek. The Royal Oak was one of the earliest stainless steel sports watches.

In 1982, Georges Golay, who was heading AP at that time and hired Genta to design the watch, said in an interview: “The Royal Oak was conceived in 1970, at the suggestion of general agents who had reservations about the marketing value of gold alone for the promotion of high-prestige timepieces — a view which I believe is no longer valid. They did ask us to design a stainless steel wristwatch more in tune with the way we live today. We had to invent a model both sporty and stylish in spirit, suitable for evening wear and for the daily activities of today’s man of taste.”

With a Genta design that, legend says, was inspired by the screwed-in porthole of diving helmet, the Royal Oak, with a 3.5mm thick movement, set the tone for top-end sports watches that even Patek followed. And 50 years on that trend is as strong as ever if the number of copycats by other makes is any indication. It’s the sign of a true pathbreaker.

Pictures courtesy Audemars Piguet