Audemars Piguet Cobra

Before the Royal Oak redefined what a luxury sports watch could be, Audemars Piguet had already let Gerald Genta off the leash with something far more decadent: the Cobra. Launched in 1971, this line was AP’s foray into full-on jewelry watchmaking, pairing avant-garde design with unapologetic gold.

This mid-size example measures 27 x 30mm, but the fully integrated bracelet gives it presence well beyond the numbers. The links are shaped like oversized scales — a design flourish that continues into the case itself — before tapering down to a signed AP clasp. It’s a piece that wears as a single, continuous object, perfectly balanced on the wrist.

Inside beats the hand-wound caliber 2003, one of AP’s ultra-thin movements, letting the profile stay impossibly slim while still delivering that satisfying wind each morning.

But let’s be honest — the real head-turner here is the dial. Factory-set with rows of micro pavé diamonds running diagonally, each perfectly seated between gold ridges, it’s a miniature masterpiece. There are no hour markers, just faceted sword hands and the discreet AP emblem at 12 o’clock anchoring the composition. The effect is magnetic — the kind of dial that pulls you closer without shouting for attention.

At over 91 grams in weight, the watch has the kind of reassuring heft collectors quietly crave. The “B” serial dates it to the late ’70s, a golden age (literally) for AP’s experimental design. And in today’s sea of steel sports watches, the Cobra has become something of a cult favorite, a joyful counterpoint that collectors are finally rediscovering.

In today’s world of sports-watch saturation, a watch like this feels refreshingly rebellious. It’s the anti-steel, the ultimate conversation starter, the “geezer watch” reborn as the coolest thing in the room. Whether you pair it with black tie, a white T-shirt, or something in between, it’s pure gold in every sense.