Well worth a read is this interview from 2009 (in PDF format) with the late Gerald Genta, published by Veryimportantwatches. Mr Genta is one of the most prolific watch designers of all time – he says he penned over 100,000 watches. But more importantly a handful of his designs have gone on to become iconic watches of the 20th century. In the interview he covers his early history as well as some fascinating anecdotes, like how he designed the Patek Philippe Nautilus in a restaurant. He of course talks about the Royal Oak Jumbo of 1972, which is arguably his most famous work. In the interview Mr Genta also revealed his dislike of thick and chunky watches. Also notable are sketches for some of his work from the 70s and 80s, which illustrate his importance as a watch designer to the petrodollar rulers in the Middle East and Brunei in that era. – SJX

The original 1972 Royal Oak