Audemars Piguet 5591: The Original Royal Oak Pocket Watch That Was Ahead of Its Time

Audemars Piguet is best known today for the Royal Oak, but its history also includes a far rarer and often overlooked variation that emerged in the late 1970s. Although the Royal Oak had already established itself as a wristwatch following its debut in 1972, its story took an unexpected turn a few years later with the introduction of a pocket watch version, opening a new chapter in the interpretation of this iconic design.

The standard Royal Oak, also known as the “Jumbo” 5402, was revolutionary for its time as the first luxury sports watch made in stainless steel, featuring an integrated bracelet and the now-iconic octagonal bezel. However, in 1979, Audemars Piguet introduced reference 5691, a pocket watch that essentially adopted the Royal Oak design language and adapted it to an entirely different format. The model was produced in extremely limited numbers, with total production remaining merely symbolic compared to its wristwatch counterparts.

While the 5402 was produced in the thousands, the 5691 pocket watch remained exceptionally rare, with only 126 examples ever made, most commonly in yellow gold.

Its creation represented an unusual direction in watchmaking history because, contrary to the typical historical progression, the design moved from a wristwatch back to a pocket watch format. In doing so, the Royal Oak received a highly unconventional interpretation at a time when pocket watches had already become far less relevant in everyday use.

The Royal Oak pocket watch used an ultra-thin manually wound movement developed specifically to suit the requirements of its remarkably slim case. Unlike the 5402 wristwatch, which relied on an automatic movement powered by wrist motion, the 5691 required manual winding. Additional differences could be seen in the dial and handset details: while the wristwatch models featured luminous elements, the pocket watch version used clean metallic markers and hands, including distinctive sword-shaped hands.

The materials used in its construction further emphasized the exclusivity of the model. While some early Royal Oak references combined steel and gold, the 5691 was often produced in combinations of white and yellow gold.

A special “CA” variant was even more limited, with only a few dozen examples produced, making it even rarer within an already highly limited series.

From a technical standpoint, the 5691 relied on an exceptionally thin movement designed to preserve the elegant proportions of the case. Its construction was essential in maintaining the balance of a design originally conceived for the wrist, yet adapted to function within an entirely different wearing format.

As such, the Royal Oak pocket watch represents a unique moment in Audemars Piguet’s history, where one of the brand’s most recognizable modern designs was reinterpreted in a format that was already considered almost historical at the time. It clearly demonstrates that the evolution of the Royal Oak included unexpected creative directions, rather than simply the continuous development of a conventional wristwatch.

Pictures: Audemars Piguet, SingaporeWatchClub