Audemars Piguet Vintage 5043BC

Audemars Piguet 5043BC Vintage Manual Wind 18k WG

Today famed for their octagonal design elements as best seen in the Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore, Royal Oak Concept, Code 11.59 and others, Audemars Piguet, like just about every other high-end watchmaker was best-known for their round dress watches. Designed with a minimalist aesthetic that epitomized the timepiece’s functional nature, these dress watches were round, thin and had elegantly legible dials – just as this vintage dress watch has. Hailing from the 1960s and said to be designed by none other than Gerald Genta himself, this ref. 5043BC is an 18kt white gold example that features a white laquer dial with carefully painted stick indices and simple white gold hands that feed into its design language all the more. Featuring a svelte 31.5mm case that stands just 5mm tall, this example is an extra-thin watch, as AP was known for at the time. Powered by the cal. 2003 that Jaeger LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin launched in 1953 following a joint effort to create an ultra-thin movement. A historically rich movement for a historically rich brand, the cal. 2003 fits perfectly inside of this timepiece and allows it to wear incredibly densely on the wrist as so many vintage watch collectors adore. THE DIAL Boasting a white lacquer dial with painted stick indices, the ref. 5043BC's display feeds into the Bauhaus-inspired design language that dominated dress watch design at the time. THE CONSTRUCTION Offered on a 14kt white gold bracelet that perfectly fits its 18kt white gold case, this ref. 5043BC features a heavier and more luxurious presence on the wrist than its leather-strapped counterparts. TIMING MACHINE READOUT This reading was taken (crown down) with a ONEOF Accuracy Boutique Edition timing machine at time of cataloging. It is provided as a courtesy only, and shall not be construed as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Please refer to our terms and conditions of sale for more information.