
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Audemars Piguet Tank Museum Regulator (Ref. 25849BA), 1990s
- Maker / attribution
- Audemars Piguet (maker)
- Date
- 1990s
- Historical period
- Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 25 mm
- Stock no.
- Product 8449463353527
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Huntington Company (product 8449463353527)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1990s Audemars Piguet Tank Museum Regulator - Box and Papers (Ref. 25849BA) (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Huntington Company (dealer) (stock number Product 8449463353527), this is a wristwatch by Audemars Piguet, made in Switzerland, dated 1990s. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 25 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Huntington Company
History and Significance The Audemars Piguet Museum Regulator ref. 25849BA is one of the more distinctive pieces to leave Le Brassus in the 1990s. Inspired by traditional regulator clocks used by watchmakers for precision time-setting, the layout separates the indications: hours displayed in a subdial, central minutes taking priority, and a subsidiary seconds register. This reference was produced in yellow gold and often sold through the brand’s boutique and museum channels, making it a piece that feels slightly removed from mainstream production. The rectangular case, stepped bezel, and regulator display combine classical watchmaking roots with late-20th-century design language. The dial is restrained but thoughtful. Applied markers, a framed minute track, and the regulator architecture create visual interest without clutter. It is unmistakably Audemars Piguet, but in a way that stands apart from the Royal Oak narrative. Writer’s Thoughts This is the kind of watch that changes how you read the time. Your eye naturally goes to the long central minute hand first, then you check the hour subdial. After a few days, it becomes intuitive, and that small shift makes the experience feel more deliberate. In yellow gold, the case has warmth without feeling flashy. On a simple strap, it sits quietly on the wrist, but anyone who knows regulators will immediately recognize what it is. It feels thoughtful rather than loud. The proportions work well, and the rectangular shape gives it presence without bulk. For someone who appreciates Audemars Piguet beyond the obvious models, this is the type of piece that feels personal and considered. It does not try to compete for attention. It rewards you the longer you wear it. Our Promise Every watch is thoroughly vetted, carefully described with complete transparency, and guaranteed authentic. Each piece is offered in honest condition, ensuring collectors receive a timepiece that reflects both originality and integrity. Specifications Brand: Audemars Piguet Model: Museum Regulator (Ref. 25849BA) Year: 1990s Case: 18k yellow gold Case Size: 37 x 25mm Dial: White regulator layout with Breguet numerals Crystal: Mineral Movement: Manual regulator movement Strap/Bracelet: Generic leather strap Buckle/Clasp: Audemars Piguet 18k yellow gold buckle Contents: Box, booklets, papers Condition Case: Case shows light surface wear consistent with age, with visible hairlines in the gold. Overall shape remains strong. Crystal: Crystal appears clean with no obvious scratches. Dial: Sharp with no fading or stains to the stark white color. Hands: Correct, with minimal signs of aging. Strap/Bracelet: Strap is a later generic replacement and shows light wear. Buckle/Clasp: Factory yellow gold buckle shows light surface wear and functions properly.
Historical context
Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.
Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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