Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked Pocket Watch Ref. 5710BA

This timepiece is an ultra-rare Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked Pocket Watch Reference 5710BA, featuring a solid 18k yellow gold octagonal case and an incredibly thin, hand-engraved skeletonized movement. First introduced by Audemars Piguet in 1981, this avant-garde creation reimagined Gérald Genta's legendary Royal Oak geometry into a masterclass of haute horlogerie pocket watches, with only 20 pieces ever produced in this configuration.  The iconic silhouette measures  44mm in its  solid 18k yellow gold case featuring the distinctive Royal Oak octagonal bezel, punctuated by eight exposed, contrasting structural screws.  : The openworked display completely removes the dial to expose a breathtaking, intricately hand-engraved movement. The golden gear trains, the escapement, and the mainspring barrel are fully visible from both sides, interacting seamlessly with minimal, dark sword hands for clear legibility.  Housed within this bold geometric frame is the remarkably thin Calibre 5020SQ, measuring a mere 1.9 mm in thickness—a testament to Audemars Piguet’s historical mastery of ultra-thin, complicated calibres.  Every  piece of the yellow gold-toned bridge framework is painstakingly hand-engraved and chamfered with reflective, angled edges , offering a spectacular play of light. The gold bridges offer an artistic contrast against the dark, heat-treated steel components and the glowing magenta of the movement's structural ruby jewels. This pocket watch has a B serial number which dates  the production to the inaugural year of 1981 where only 16 units were produced in that year. This makes it an incredibly desirable "first-year" production example of this reference.  The condition of this rare pocket watch is incredible.  Looks like it sat in its original green suede pouch for years.  The piece has never been polished and the gold has patina throughout.  All the hallmarks are clearly visible and crisp and the crystal has no scratches on it.  While standard wrist-bound Royal Oaks dominate modern market trends, this reference represents a monumental, highly historic chapter where Audemars Piguet proudly showcased its high-complication lineage inside Genta's canvas.  Combining extreme rarity, perfect physical execution, and immense cross-generational appeal, the Ref. 5710BA is not just a mechanism of timekeeping—it is a piece of wearable sculptural art that guarantees absolute exclusivity.