Swiss haute horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet isn’t retiring the Royal Oak Offshore anytime soon. The revered watchmaker has dropped three new iterations of the classic traveller’s timepiece, each with a starkly different aesthetic than the one before it. Glitzy and glamorous, the bold new trio arrives in a decidedly dazzling array of materials, complete with 18-carat pink gold highlights and black ceramic features. Talk about a status symbol.
According to Audemars Piguet, all three models embody the “rebellious and daring spirit” of the Royal Oak Offshore collection. A range first launched in 1993 but with ties that date back to the 1970s, the Offshore is essentially a bolder and more robust version of the brand’s iconic Royal Oak. With larger case sizes and a far chunkier silhouette, it garnered criticism in the early stages but found strong patronage amongst younger collectors. With the latest versions, Audemars Piguet is again looking to tap an affluent young market, banking on contrast as the core design language.
The 37mm Royal Oak Offshore is perhaps the most striking of the trio, arriving in 18-carat pink gold complete with a gold bezel coated with grey rubber – a play on the range’s sporty heritage. The case’s rhodium and ivory-toned hues are referenced on the guilloché Grande Tapisserie dial, which helps to add a sense of uniformity to the otherwise avant-garde design. Admittedly, this piece won’t be for everyone, but that’s not what AP is going for.
The 37mm model is clearly targeted at a female audience – a category that Audemars Piguet has steadily built up over the past few years. The emphasis on classy and sophisticated releases adorned with precious metals has been an important element in refining the brand’s image amid sweeping changes in the global watch market. Perhaps more impressively, Audemars Piguet has done this without compromising on performance. The 37 mm Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding reference is equipped with Calibre 5900, the manufacturer’s latest automatic movement which, at only 3.9 mm thick, operates at a high frequency of 4 Hz and has a 60-hour power reserve.
At the other end of the scale, you’ll also find the 43mm Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph. The new timepiece, which boasts a stainless steel bezel with a crown and push-pieces in black ceramic, is powered by the Calibre 4401 movement. The manufacture’s latest integrated chronograph movement, the 4401 features a column wheel with a vertical clutch system to activate, stop and reset the chronograph, alongside a jumping hour complication. As Audemars Piguet explained, “the flyback system enables the wearer to take several new measurements in a row, swiftly and easily, by restarting the chronograph without interrupting or resetting it first”.
Similar to the 37mm model, the Méga Tapisserie dial again makes an appearance on the 43mm Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph, this time in bronze. The dial’s darkened edges extend to the black inner bezel, where the tachymeter is printed in white, increasing legibility for the wearer.
Finally, the 43mm Selfwinding model arrives with a two-tone design crafted from stainless steel and contrasted by a blue rubber-coated bezel. Its three-hands and date format dial is highlighted by a smoked blue Méga Tapisserie aesthetic complete with trapezoidal hour markers and Royal Oak hands in rhodium-toned gold. Make no mistake, this piece, along with its two siblings, is well worth a look.
For Audemars Piguet, the new Royal Oak Offshore collection speaks to the brand’s renewed focus on diverse offerings. With more case sizes, complications and colours than ever before, the iconic watchmaker is doubling down on what collectors love – choice. Or should we say, in light of this new trio, tripling down?
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding 37mm
- Band: Audemars Piguet
- Model: Royal Oak Offshore
- Reference: Ref. 77605OK.OO.A101CA.01
- Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 5900
- Diameter: 37mm
- Power Reserve: 60 hours
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding 43mm
- Band: Audemars Piguet
- Model: Royal Oak Offshore
- Reference: Ref. 15605SK.OO.A350CA.01
- Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 4302
- Diameter: 43mm
- Power Reserve: 70 hours
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 43mm
- Band: Audemars Piguet
- Model: Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
- Reference: Ref. 26420ST.OO.A828CR.01
- Movement: Selfwinding Calibre 4401
- Diameter: 43mm
- Power Reserve: 70 hours
