Designed in 1972, at a time when a luxury watch made of steel was still a radical concept, Audemars Piguet’s nautical-inspired Royal Oak captured the “stealth wealth” style of the moment, mirroring the cutting-edge ethos of the French fashion scene (think: Hubert de Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro, Pierre Cardin), as well as the era’s groundbreaking architecture, such as Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano’s inside-out postmodernist Pompidou Centre in Paris, completed in 1977. “To me, the Royal Oak is a work of art that happens to be a watch,” says British 

editor Bill Prince, author of the new book 

 (Assouline), coming out October 12. “It’s one of those works of culture that has managed to cut through time, in the sense that it was born of an era, but it already had the criteria to be 

“The Royal Oak,” he continues, “simply redrew the horological map. It placed Audemars Piguet’s 

, in the Vallée de Joux, at the heart of a new era of haute horology.”

the book serves as a weighty, glossy, in-depth look at the watch that, since its 1972 debut—and now celebrating its 50th anniversary—has maintained its longstanding distinction as one of the world’s most highly desired and sought-after timepieces. Luxuriously printed and bound, the oversized, slipcased book is a must-have for any Audemars Piguet collector, or simply the watch-curious—or, for that matter, anyone remotely interested in how a design masterpiece can succeed through a disruptive leap of faith. The book isn’t just about a masterfully crafted watch; it also offers a broad cultural perspective, smartly contextualizing its subject matter through art, architecture, and pop culture—from music to fashion to global politics.

Available in three different formats—a standard edition; a version with an exclusive metal plaque, made for top clients; and a mind-boggling, oversized XXL format with an easel and a wood box on wheels—

 explores how a meticulously made timepiece continues to capture the imagination of watch obsessives and collectors today. (The extraordinary XXL version is currently on view at the AP House in New York’s Meatpacking District and is worth seeking out.)

When [battery-powered] quartz watches came into the Swiss watch industry

, Audemars Piguet challenging this notion with the world’s most expensive stainless-steel watch may not have looked like the greatest idea at the time,’ Prince says. “But as we see, all these disruptive elements gave the company extraordinary longevity and success. That’s why the Royal Oak is still here today.”

Why Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Remains One of the Most Enduring Watches Ever

Taking on the finest Swiss watchmakers, Japan’s Grand Seiko has risen to the top of the industry with its mix of beautiful design, impeccable craft, intelligent (and refreshingly subtle) marketing, and groundbreaking technology. Over the past few decades, the company has built watches time and again with innovative mechanical prowess, implementing meticulous self-winding automatics and its legendary combination Spring Drive movements, a hyper-accurate in-house technology introduced in 1999.

, from the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection—featuring a manually wound Hi-Beat Caliber 9S86 GMT movement as its beating heart—Grand Seiko turned to the Kengo Kuma–designed Nezu Museum, located in Tokyo’s Omotesando district, for inspiration. A Zen-like garden within a bustling neighborhood and city, the bamboo-surrounded space serves as a calming oasis; the watch’s bold, bright green striated dial reflects a similarly soothing aura. Arriving in September and available at Grand Seiko boutiques and authorized retailers in the United States, the SBGJ259 is made exclusively as a U.S. special edition.

Assembled in Grand Seiko’s Shizukuishi studio, near the northern city of Morioka in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture, a region known for its awe-inspiring landscapes, the watch befits the home of its manufacture, too. And it blends in, naturally, with many other of Grand Seiko’s timepieces: The colors and textures of Japan animate a slew of the watchmaker’s dials, including that of the Omiwitari, part of the Elegance Collection, which mimics the undulations of the frozen Lake Suwa, and the 

, from the Heritage Collection, which takes cues from the birch trees of Shizukuishi. Elements such as changing seasons, mountainous terrain, or cherry blossoms have become highly discernable Grand Seiko trademarks. Now, this quiet bamboo garden nestled in the heart of Tokyo has joined the family.

The Bamboo Garden of a Tokyo Museum Becomes a Watch Dial

Stephen serves as an authority within the U.S. watch industry. He is currently the editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury’s Watches International following his posts as the editor-in-chief of 

magazine. Stephen is a GPHG Academy member.

Stephen Watson

Stephen Watson’s Articles

Why Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Remains One of the Most Enduring Watches Ever

The Bamboo Garden of a Tokyo Museum Becomes a Watch Dial