At the 1972 edition of the Swiss Watch Fair in Basel, Audemars Piguet introduced the revolutionary Royak Oak in stainless steel armour protecting the thinnest self-winding mechanical movement of its era. Because of its hefty price tag, steel was ennobled with the same status as gold.
In the early years of the quartz crisis, Audemars Piguet stirred sensation along with criticism by introducing a stainless steel model, priced like a gold timepiece, at the 1972 edition of the Swiss Watch Fair in Basel.