1970s Audemars Piguet Automatic 18K WG (Ref. 5369BC) "Turler" Dial

Although Audemars Piguet may be best known for their Royal Oak series, notably designed by Gerald Genta, AP had a long lineage of interesting timepieces both before the conceptualization of the Royal Oak and after. Primarily consisting of precious metals, Audemar Piguet produced some highly collectible chronographs and dress models that were stylistically, in many cases, very ahead of their time.

The Audemars Piguet ref. 5369BC is an exceptionally handsome dress watch that is a not so distant relative to the aforementioned and famous Royal Oak. Both watches were designed by Gerald Genta in the early 70s and both feature ultra-thin movements, the movement in the ref. 5369 being the rare ultra-thin Audemars Piguet Cal. K2002.

This particualr piece is co-signed by Turler, a Zurich-based jeweler. The brand was established in 1883 by brothers Jean Henri and César Alexander Turler, who made a name for themselves by offering their customers the newest and most exclusive Swiss watch brands at the time, including, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Longines, Vacheron Constantin and Blancpain. After establishing themselves as one of the top retailers in Zurich, Switzerland, and with the prestige the Turler name carried, they started to co-sign the dials of some of the watches they offered, similar to the other well-respected retailers at the time. These Turler co-signed watches produced throughout the 20th century are now desired by collectors alike for their rarity and the provenance they carry.