Audemars Piguet Royal Oak City of Sails 25979PT Limited Series of 50 Examples in Platinum

In 2003, two anniversaries converged at Audemars Piguet: the 30th anniversary of the Royal Oak, the watch that had redefined luxury watchmaking in 1972, and the victory of team Alinghi at the America's Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, the city known worldwide as the "City of Sails." To mark both occasions simultaneously, AP produced the Reference 25979 in a series of limited editions across different metals. The platinum variant, Reference 25979PT, was restricted to just 50 examples worldwide, making it the rarest configuration of the entire City of Sails family, which also included steel (1,250 pieces) and rose gold (200 pieces).

Key Specifications

Reference	25979PT.OO.D002CA.01
Year	2003
Case	950 Platinum, 39 mm, satin-finished
Dial	Grey with "City of Sails" Alinghi motif, Grande Tapisserie pattern
Movement	Automatic, Cal. 2385, chronograph, 37 jewels, 40-hour power reserve
Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph
Strap	Original rubber strap
Total production	50 examples in platinum (rarest variant of the City of Sails family)
Accessories	Original certificate of limited production series

Collector's Note

The City of Sails is one of the most narratively rich limited editions in the Royal Oak's history. The Alinghi partnership, which began in 2001 and produced multiple dedicated references, represented AP's most sustained commitment to a single sporting event, and the 2003 America's Cup victory gave the collaboration its defining moment. The watch commemorates not just a race but a historic Swiss triumph in a competition that had been dominated by American and Australian teams for over a century.

Within the City of Sails family, the platinum variant occupies a category of its own. With only 50 examples produced, it is 25 times rarer than the rose gold version and over 25 times rarer than the steel version. The original certificate of limited production series accompanying this example confirms its numbered position within the 50-piece edition and constitutes the primary document of provenance for a watch of this significance.

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