Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Joaillerie 14544BC

Launched in the late 1980s, the Royal Oak Joaillerie 14544 series represents one of the most elusive chapters in Audemars Piguet’s history of gem-set watchmaking.

As detailed by Audemars Piguet’s official Chronicles, the Royal Oak Joaillerie 14544 was a transformation of the earlier reference 14486, retaining its midsize case but evolving into a jewellery timepiece through the addition of gem-setting.

The watch emerged from Audemars Piguet’s traditional établissage network, bringing together the finest artisans of the era: Stern and Gay Frères of Geneva, responsible respectively for the exquisite gem-set dials and the signature Bracelet 477, and Lascor near Milan, who crafted the elegant 35 mm white-gold cases.

Rarity and Provenance
According to the Audemars Piguet archives, only 102 pieces were produced across all materials and configurations between 1987 and 1992, with just 42 in white gold, such as the present example from 1990. The white-gold version of Model 14544 was produced and sold between 1989 and 1992.

While the broader Royal Oak Joaillerie family included yellow-gold and two-tone yellow-gold and steel versions, the white-gold variant remains the rarest and most refined. Each piece was fitted with a white-gold dial fully paved with brilliant-cut diamonds, the hour markers replaced by rubies, sapphires, or emeralds. 

Only two examples of the emerald-set 14544BC are known today. One surfaced publicly at Phillips Geneva in 2022, achieving CHF 132,300 (approximately USD 164,000 today). The example offered here carries the consecutive serial number to that very watch. A detail that places it within an extraordinary micro-series of historically significant Royal Oaks.

Condition
This example remains in very good condition displaying the sharp edges and surface definition expected of well-preserved watch. The emerald baguette hour markers retain their sparkle while the factory diamond pavé dial radiates uniform brilliance across its surface. The watch is accompanied by the Audemars Piguet official service invoice and an Official Certificate of Gemstones.

In a world where rarity is often overstated, this Royal Oak Joaillerie 14544BC is a genuine anomaly. It embodies everything Collectors Gallery Dubai stands for: provenance, preservation, and passion.