Property from an Important Collector
‘Beta 21’, Reference 6001 | A stainless s♉teel wristwatch with date and bracelet | Circa 1976
Auction Closed
November 10, 01:01 PM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 40,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: grey tappisserie
Calibre: cal. 2510 quartz, 13 jewels
Movement number: 153’711
Case: stainless steel, case back secured by 4 screws
Case number: 100’129
Closure: stainless ⛄steel Aude🦩mars Piguet bracelet and folding clasp
Size: 35 x 42 mm (width x length), bracelet circumference approx🗹imately 185 mm (including a♑dditional links)
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: Audemars Piguet Extrac𒆙t form the Aℱrchive and two addiditonal links
Audemars Piguet Ref 6001 is also called 'a prototype production', the design is done in a very experimental way and the reference 6001 is definitely a unique line in the Audemars Piguet family. A very avantgarde, bold and geometrical design, obviously influenced by the Gerald Genta design and one can easily see the similarities with the classic Royal Oak design. T👍he shaped case and unique integrated bracelet is very impressive and the 'petit tapisserie' dial has a most delightful nuance of blue, it even features the AP at 6 o’clock like the original Ref 5402.
Audemars Piguet Ref 6001 represent an intriguing chapter of horological history, it was the first watch Audemars Piguet ever produced featuring a quartz movement and at the time the B🐼eta-21 caliber 2510 (based on the Omega Cal 1510) was the most accurate movement in production. The small pusher under the crown enables the wearer to correct the one second discrepancy.
This rare watch from 𒊎the 70s 'quartz revolutiꦏon' checks all boxes and is a rare opportunity for a true collector to add an early historical timepiece to their collection.
The Beta-༒21 electroquartz movement was developed by a consortium of twenty watch companies at the Swiss Electronic Research Centre or CEH (Centre El♌ectronique Horloger) in Neuchâtel.
It was tﷺhe first quartz movement for wristwatches with analogue display and introduced at the Basel Fair in ♈April 1970. The Beta-21 movement was accurate to 5 seconds per month, which was far superior to any automatic and manual-winding watch at the time.