AuctionsMay 12, 2022
‘The Rock,’ the Biggest White Diamond Ever Put Up for Auction, Sells for $22M AuctionsMay 13, 2022
Famed Watch Designer Gerald Genta’s Royal Oak Sells for $2.1M
It became the most valuable vintage Audemars Piguet watch ever sold at auction, according to Sotheby’s.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak once owned by watch designer Gerald Genta, featuring an 18-karat yellow gold bezel Genta produced and added himself, sold for $2.1 million at Sotheby’s Geneva this week.
Geneva—Sotheby’s put the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch once owned by famed designer Gerald Genta on the auction block, and it was a hit.
The watch went up for auction in the “Important Watches: Part I” sale in Geneva on May 10, where it sold for approximately $2.1 million at current exchange rates, making it the most valuable vintage Audemars Piguet ever sold at auction, according to Sotheby’s.
Eight bidders competed for almost six minutes before a Swiss collector made the winning bid.
Audemars Piguet first launched the Royal Oak in 1972, revolutionizing the industry as the first luxury sports watch to be made of steel.
The wristwatch features a date component and an octagonal bezel with eight screws.
Genta designed the Royal Oak overnight, drawing his inspiration from a childhood memory of seeing a man being sealed into an old-fashioned diving suit near the Mont Blanc bridge in Geneva.
The circa 1978 Royal Oak watch that went to auction was unique, because it not only marked the first time a Genta-owned watch went to auction, but also because it had the unique specification of an 18-karat yellow gold bezel Genta produced and added himself at his Swiss workshop.
Its sale came as part of a series bringing to market 100 original watch designs from Genta’s personal archives, each paired with an NFT.
The first auction in the “Icon of Time” series was held in Geneva in February, followed by the second auction in Hong Kong in April.
See: More Highlights from “Important Watches: Part I”
This Patek Philippe Ref. 5207P circa 2013 with a platinum minute repeating perpetual calendar tourbillon and moon phases, leap year, and day/night indication sold for about $815,400.
This Rolex “Paul Newman” Ref. 6239 yellow gold chronograph wristwatch circa 1969 went for approximately $614,700.
The Rolex “FIFA World Cup 2010—Netherlands Edition” Daytona Ref. 116509H, a limited-edition white gold chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, which sold for approximately $439,200
A circa 2016 Patek Philippe “40th Anniversary” Nautilus Ref. 5976/1G-001, a white gold flyback chronograph wristwatch with date and bracelet, went for about $627,200.
This Rolex “Tutti Frutti” Yacht-Master Ref. 116695SATS in pink gold with diamond, tsavorite, and sapphire garnered approximately $125,400 at auction.
In the May 10 auction in which Genta’s Royal Oak appeared, there were also four rare oil paintings from the watch designer, which achieved $2.3 million total.
This brings the running total of works from Genta’s personal archive to $4.3 million, Sotheby’s said.
Outside of Genta’s personal Royal Oak, collectors still wanted to be a part of the watch designer’s history, with 55 Genta-designed models selling to realize a combined total of $10.7 million.
Leading this group was a Patek Phillipe Nautilus Ref. 5976 commemorating the model’s 40th anniversary, which sold for approximately $627,400, and a stainless steel Patek Phillipe Nautilus Ref. 5711 with a rare olive-green dial, which sold for about $526,800.
Sotheby’s noted perpetual calendar Royal Oaks were also in high demand, including a Ref. 25554 in yellow gold with a black dial circa 1986 that sold for about $376,500, and a platinum skeletonized perpetual calendar Ref. 25636, which also went for approximately $376,500.
Meanwhile, a Rolex Daytona commemorating the achievements of the Dutch football team in the World Cup—one of only 30—went for more than four times its pre-sale high estimate and set an auction record for the reference when it sold for about $439,200.
And a rare Rolex Daytona “Paul Newman” in yellow gold circa 1969 sold for approximately $614,700 after almost three minutes of bidding competition among three bidders.
Sotheby’s “Important Watches: Part I” sale totaled $19.3 million and was 86 percent sold by volume.
It was followed closely by Part II of Important Watches in Geneva on May 11, which totaled $3.8 million.
The final sequence of “Icons of Time” offering designs from Genta’s archives will take place in New York from June 8-22, led by the most valuable Disney watches he ever made.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
IndependentsAug 20, 2025
Bellman’s Jewelers Opens Second Store After COO's TikTok Takes OffThe New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”
CrimeAug 20, 2025
Another CA Jewelry Store Rammed With Car, RobbedThe latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.
WatchesAug 20, 2025
Oris Launches Watch Benefiting NYC Harbor Oyster RestorationThe new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2025
Take the Jewelers for Children ‘Trinity of Purpose’ ChallengeParticipants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.
Weekly QuizAug 15, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 19, 2025
Dubai’s Jemora Group Buys Diamond Miner LucapaThe investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.
ColumnistsAug 19, 2025
Peter Smith: The Arrival Fallacy and Jewelry RetailSmith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
CrimeAug 19, 2025
Customs Seizes 7,300 Pairs of Fake ‘Alhambra’ EarringsThe counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.
MajorsAug 19, 2025
MJSA Apprenticeship Program Is Nationally RecognizedThe MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
WatchesAug 19, 2025
Casio America Names New Timepiece Division ManagerCasio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.
MajorsAug 18, 2025
Verragio’s Michael Barabash, a ‘Kind Soul,’ Dies at 58Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.
CollectionsAug 18, 2025
John Hardy’s New ‘Dot’ Collection Is on PointOriginally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.
Events & AwardsAug 18, 2025
IJO Announces 2025 Vendor of the YearAllison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.
FinancialsAug 15, 2025
In Q2 Results, Pandora Talks Tariffs, Q4 Plans The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.
EditorsAug 15, 2025
Piece of the Week: Etho Maria’s Showgirl-Approved Ruby Drop Earrings Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in ManufacturerIts investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.
MajorsAug 15, 2025
Rio Grande Names New Marketing DirectorNicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.
CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes With Gigantic Oval-Cut DiamondModel Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
ICA Names 2025 Board of DirectorsThe board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Colorado Jeweler, Whiskey Maker Collab on Ring GiveawayThree winners will receive a custom ring from Honest Hands Ring Co. inlaid with a piece of history from Denver-based distillery Stranahan’s.
SurveysAug 13, 2025
These Are The 25 Hottest Retailers, Says NRFJD Sports and Wawa were among the fastest-growing retail companies in the U.S. last year.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
Columbia Gem House Launches Winza Sapphires, RubiesThe new inventory, all untreated, features vibrant hues and unique bicolor combinations.
SourcingAug 12, 2025
Gemfields Sells Fabergé for $50MAcquired by a tech investor, the historic brand will continue to focus on jewelry, accessories, and timepieces.
