1990s Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Skeleton 18ct White Gold 36mm 15058BC
Ref: 15058BC.OO.A001CR.01
Specification
Lugs : 18mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : None
Case Material : 18ct White Gold
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold as "Watch Only” and, therefore, comes without an AP box or paperwork. It is paired with its 18mm blue leather strap and 18ct white gold AP buckle, plus its original 18mm AP black leather strap. The watch is from Circa. 1990s and is sold in worn condition; however, it is in very fair condition for its age, with incredible finishing, and unpolished as you can see. The watch can be polished on request. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZpjyjtcWw_OeOEnZXNV3BPZ7Ij6BuPg-?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 2:50 - https://youtu.be/VzcyolJp4uQ
The Watch
Here is an exquisite 1990s Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Skeleton E Serial, with its round 36mm 18ct White Gold case and straight lugs. The curved brushed flanks lead to a comfortable lug-to-lug length of 39mm and a case thickness of just 7.5mm. On the right side, there is a signed coin-edged crown sitting slightly recessed. The stepped smooth bezel holds a sapphire crystal and sits above the stunning skeletonised dial. A wave pattern outer minute chapter ring has Roman numeral and baton indexes marking the hours, and elegant slender leaf hands sit majestically in the centre of the beautifully decorated skeletonised movement, intricately decorated. On the reverse, a screwed-down exhibition case back engraved with the details of the watch around its edge, inside a manually wound Skeleton AP Cal. 3091, 21 jewels, beating at 21,600 beats per hour, made up of 148 parts and expertly decorated with incredible engraving. It is paired with its 18mm blue leather strap and 18ct white gold AP buckle, plus its original 18mm AP black leather strap.
Personal Note
When 99% of collectors think of Audemars Piguet, they ultimately think of the Royal Oak, and that is completely understandable, but watches like this Jules Audemars Skeleton, reference 15058BC, in a 36mm 18ct white gold case show that the brand has always been capable of so much more and today they go mostly underappreciated. Powered by the manually wound Sekelton AP Calibre 3091, this work of art is incredible on and off the wrist and begs to be seen up close. All of this can be had for less than almost all Royal Oak models in the market today, and that blows my mind. Add this gem to your collection today while you can!
The Brand
Audemars Piguet was established in Le Brassus, a quaint village nestled within the Vallée de Joux. The company was founded in 1875 by two independent watchmakers, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, who collaborated to create the brand. A hallmark of their innovation, they launched the first-minute repeater wristwatch in 1892 and followed it with the release of the first Grand Complication pocket watch in 1899, which included features such as a minute repeater, alarm, perpetual calendar, deadbeat seconds, chronograph, and split-seconds hand. In 1925, they introduced the thinnest pocket watch calibre, and in 1934, they released the first skeletonised pocket watch. By 1946, they had created the world’s thinnest wristwatch, and in 1955, they unveiled the first wristwatch equipped with a perpetual calendar that included a leap-year indicator. A pivotal moment for the brand occurred in 1972 at the Swiss Watch Show Baselworld, where they collaborated with designer Gerald Genta to conceptualise a luxury sports watch. This partnership led to the birth of the Royal Oak, which became known as the world’s most expensive steel watch. In 1975, Jacqueline Dimier designed the first ladies' Royal Oak. Despite the challenges posed by the quartz crisis in the 1980s and 1990s, Audemars Piguet continued to innovate, introducing the world’s first automatic Tourbillon in 1986. In 1992, a collaboration with Renaud et Papi resulted in the creation of the Manufacture Les Saignoles, a dedicated research centre for horology located in Le Locle, Switzerland. The Royal Oak Offshore collection was launched in 1993 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak. Stephen Urquhart, then CEO of Audemars Piguet, tasked Emmanuel Gueit, a young Swiss designer, with creating a watch tailored for youthful sports enthusiasts. The Royal Oak Offshore was unveiled at Baselworld in 1993, although Genta disapproved, feeling it strayed too far from his original design. The all-black Royal Oak Offshore gained additional visibility when it was featured in Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1999 film, "End of Days." In 2020, the Audemars Piguet Museum was inaugurated in the Vallée de Joux, showcasing over 300 pieces that celebrate the brand’s extensive history. The impressive Arc building, housing all of the production facilities under one roof, was completed in 2025. Today, Audemars Piguet remains a family-owned business, represented by the fourth generation, Olivier Audemars, who serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors.