Karl Lagerfeld's Audemars Piguet Royal Oak A-Series

HSTE highlights Karl Lagerfeld's iconic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo A-Series, a completely blacked-out timepiece he wore for decades. This post delves into the history and mystique of this unique watch, exploring its origins and Lagerfeld's personal connection to it, offering a rare glimpse into a fashion legend's horological choice.

I wonder that it has not been more widely discussed yet in specialist Forums or Blogs that Karl Lagerfeld is a very long time owner of an AP Royal Oak Jumbo A-Series.

First hand evidence is given by himself in an interview in the "AD - Architerctural Digest" Sept/Oct 2011, page 64-66. KL is asked, whether he has an obsession about particular design objects. His answer (losely translated from the original French interview): (...) "but yes, I have some fetish objects, for example my watch which I wear since 35 years, a Royal Oak"(...)

The special thing about his A-Series Royal Oak is that IT IS COMPLETELY BLACK. As we know, KL - for most of his life - only wore two colors in combination: black and white. The story that I found out is that he had - ordered or been given - several AP RO A-Series, 1973 and 1974 which he wore himself and some of them he gave to very close staff.

I did some research into publicly available material and will try to attach pictures as follows:

- An early Picture (April 2, 1979) total and detail where the black AP RO is very well visible 

- A still Picture from an October 23, 2003 interview on Television

- A still Picture from his documentary movie "Lagerfeld confidential" (2007) where he wears his black AP RO in the opening Scene (first few minutes of the movie)

I had a few years back the opportunity to get "the" / "one of the" KL black AP RO. It is an A-Series (A-12xx), delivered in 1973 to Italy. I assume that KL got it as a present as he gets so many things as a present like his cat, his Rolls Royce etc. I assume the watch has been blackened in Italy before being given to him. But this is speculation. The person however I bought the watch from knows that it comes from the KL "entourage".