Today's offering showcases this handsome and classic and Audemars Piguet mens watch in beautiful original condition. It was owned by Phyllis McGuire of the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame and Vocal Hall of Fame inducted singing group The McGuire Sisters. Their recordings of "Sincerely", "Picnic", and "Sugartime" all sold more than one million copies, and "Sincerely" and "Sugartime" were both number-one hits. They performed for five Presidents of the United States: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush, and for Queen Elizabeth II. In London they performed a set for the Royal Variety Performance of 1961.

Epitomizing in many ways the essence of "'the classic watch" remembered today, watches with this styling made by AP, Patek, and Vacheron feature a very high grade ultra thin manually wound movement, a thin gold case, understated dial, slender hands, and simple baton markers. As one writer aptly stated, "The extra-slim watch, whose style embraces only the strict essentials, has continued to seduce for its elegance and discretion."

Just as fine on the inside as it is on the outside, the watch is powered by Audemars Piguet's legendary extra-flat caliber 2003 movement, co-developed with Vacheron & Constantin.

Released in 1946 the minuscule movement was a true feat of technical engineering. It is the thinnest movement ever created for a normal size watch, measuring a mere 1.64mm!

To honor the achievement Vacheron & Constantin presented personalized examples to several key Heads of State including President Dwight Eisenhower. Only a few luxury watches in the following decades would lay claim to this movement earning them reputations as masterpieces of twentieth-century watchmaking.

Like many dress watches from the era, though it originally was a mens watch, it is a unisex size by today's standards. It measures 26mm in diameter without the crown.

We were fortunate to acquire it in very pleasing original condition. All parts are original and the 14K gold bracelet may be original and installed at the time of the purchase by the jeweler or period correct.

Presents as just short of mint with light signs of previous polishing. The hallmark and stamping remain very crisp. Its untouched original dial shows only slight natural aging.

Our Master Watchmaker, our highest level watchmaker, has fully serviced the watch which consists of fully disassembling the movement, carefully inspecting each part, replacing any overly worn components, installing a new AP mainspring and AP cannon pinion, reassembling and lubricating the movement, and extensive timing testing and regulation (a $695 value).

The movement is very clean; it is running strong and true, keeping time in our testing position on par with a brand new Audemars Piguet.

Included with the purchase is a one-year C.O.T. international warranty on the movement and its function, a full-page custom printed Connoisseur of Time Certificate of Authenticity, and a new timing certificate.

Audemars Piguet:
As one of the finest names in watchmaking, Audemars Piguet commitment to quality and technical superiority is legendary. Long known for their highly-complicated watches, Audemars Piguet stands alongside Patek Philippe on the top echelon of premier watchmakers in the world.

Our new Celebrity Collection:

I'm excited to have recently launched a new collection that is composed of 44 watches owned by 25 iconic celebrities. It may be the largest current collection of celebrity-owned watches in the world. It will be constantly changing and is currently headlined by watches and clocks owned by some of the most legendary Hollywood actors and actresses, musicians, comedians, and entertainers:

The King, Elvis Presley. (Just sold)

The King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

The King of Comedy, Jerry Lewis.

The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.

Hollywood icons Steve Martin, Burt Reynolds, Olivia Newton-John, Bob Hope, and Mickey Rooney.

Legendary musicians Johnny Cash, Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, and Hank Williams, Jr.

Further filling the current collection are watches from King Edward VIII and the Duchess of Windsor, beloved Hollywood host Ed Sullivan, heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, Academy award-winning actresses Loretta Young and Doris Day, Emmy award-winning actress Valerie Harper, Phyllis McGuire of the chart-topping McGuire sisters, Elvira Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson), fashion designer to the stars Nolan Miller, and Green Bay Packer Mike Bucchianeri.

It also includes rare watches given by heads of state: A prototype 18K gold Buren Microrotor gifted by His Royal Majesty Ibn Saud, former King of Saudi Arabia; a Felsa given by former Libyan Colonel and Head of State Muammar Al Qathafi; and a Longines given by Highness Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa former Prime Minister of the State of Bahrain. All three watches are new-old-stock in presentation shadow box frames with photos.

Recently sold was a watch given a handful of years after the Civil War concluded by the Vice President Elect to honor an Army commander who went on to receive the Medal of Honor.

This is a significant, exciting, and constantly changing new collection you won't want to miss! Stay tuned over the coming weeks for photos of other special pieces from the collection!

To view the first few already up for sale follow this link: https://shop.connoisseuroftime.com/collections/our-celebrity-owned-historical-event-watches?page=1&sort_by=created-descending

• Manufacturer: Audemars Piguet
• Country of origin: Switzerland
• Year built: 1957
• Functions: Hours, Minutes
• Designed for: Men
• Case material: 18K gold
• Case markings (inside): .750, Audemars Piguet, Swiss
• Case condition: Presents as just short of mint with light signs of previous polishing. The hallmark and stamping remain very crisp.
• Dimensions: 26mm diameter (excluding crown - 27.5mm including), 31mm long lug tip-to-tip
• Dial: Silver, signed Audemars Piguet, black thin painted indices, original and untouched, near mint with light aging around the periphery. Please inquire if you would like it refinished.
• Hands: Original, gold "batons"
• Movement markings: Audemars Piguet, 2003, Swiss, 18 Jewels, Adjusted to Four Positions and Temperatures
• Movement type: Very high quality, AP Caliber 2003, hand-built, manually wound, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to heat, cold, and 4 positions, self-compensating flat balance-spring
• Movement jewels: 17 rubies
• Band: Original or period correct, 14K gold, sized to fit a wrist up to approx. 7.7 inches, adjustable, just short of mint condition. We also stock lizard and a variety of others straps in various prints, skins, and colors. Please ask us if you're interested.
• Width between lugs: 16mm
• Crystal: Mineral glass, mint condition
• Serviced: Our Master Watchmaker, our highest level watchmaker, has fully serviced the watch which consists of fully disassembling the movement, carefully inspecting each part, replacing any overly worn components, installing a new AP mainspring and AP cannon pinion, reassembling and lubricating the movement, and extensive timing testing and regulation (a $695 value).
• Timing: Timed to precision on a state-of-the-art computerized system. It is running strong and true, keeping time in our testing position on par with a brand new Audemars Piguet. Your watch is important to us, and we will take care of it for its lifetime. We provide the best after sale care in the business with an experienced team of watchmakers both of whom each have over forty years of experience and a large number of parts.
• Warranty: 1-year international warranty. Please email concierge@cotwatches.com for details.
• Box/Papers: BOX - Connoisseur of Time watch presentation box; PAPERS - Custom printed Connoisseur of Time Certificate of Authenticity; New timing certificate
• Returns: 7 days full refund. 100% satisfaction guarantee

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee for all of our watches. If you are in any way unsatisfied with the watch we will fully refund the purchase price anytime within 7 days after the watch has been received. Our goal is to exceed our client's expectations throughout the buying experience.

All watches are packaged carefully and mailed double boxed in specially constructed, reinforced shipping boxes designed for high value items. All watches are sent fully insured with signature required. Most of our domestic shipping is done through FedEx. At times we will also use USPS Express Mail, and we can accommodate most requests for your preferred carrier. International shipments are sent USPS International Express Mail or FedEx.

The purchase price will be the declared value of the merchandise on any required customs forms. The payment of all customs duties, tariffs, and taxes are the responsibility of the buyer.

Also note that water resistance of vintage watches can no longer be guaranteed and is not covered under the watch's warranty. We do not recommend getting a vintage watch wet, even one that was originally designed to be waterproof.

To get an idea of how this watch will look on the wrist, please use the Watch Sizing Guide

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