Audemars Piguet Cobra 5587BC 'Khanjar'

What does it take to kill a snake? Perhaps 2 daggers will take care of this 'Cobra'.

Audemars Piguet is a company of extremes: the producer of ultra classic dress watches as well as bombastic luxury sports models like the Royal Oak. This ref. 5587 was certainly intended as part of the former category with its classic size (34 mm), fine material (18k white gold), and dressy complication (a day and date function displayed on two subdials). Yet, the execution is uncharacteristically flashy and sporty.

We’ve seen watches with integrated bracelets before. Hell, Audemars Piguet is practically synonymous with integrated bracelets due to its association with the Royal Oak. But this baby takes the term ‘integrated’ one step further. The watch is, in fact, produced from one long piece of chunky woven 18k white gold. As a result, it’s unclear where the bracelet ends and the watch begins. It’s truly a beautiful example of organic design.

The ostentatious look of this construction is carefully balanced by the classic and understated dial. The beautiful deep blue background accentuates the white printing in the two sub-dials at the 3 and 9 o’clock position; that display the day and date functions. Long and thin applied 18k white gold markers and matching thin 18k white gold sword hands further underscore the dressy nature of the watch.

So, who ordered this flashy dress watch? The answer can be found on the caseback, which reveals a red stamped Khanjar crest, the emblem of the sultanate of Oman. Only very few 5587's are in existence -but to the best of our knowledge- there is only one with this Royal emblem.

It comes with the original Audemars Piguet papers and instruction booklet.