In 1993, the Offshore was first introduced by Audemars Piguet on the market as a sportier and more massive declination of the Royal Oak. Designed by Emmanuel Gueit, it incorporated a number of innovations: the dimensions were large, the lugs were curved, an imposing black gasket was revealed under the bezel, and the crown and pushers were rubber-coated. It was a chronograph. Nicknamed 'The Beast' at its launch, the Royal Oak 'Offshore became a collection in its own right with its bold aesthetic codes.
"The scandal it caused at the time of its launch was equal to its magnitude. But if the watchmaking world was outraged, young people adopted it with ease. Despite its difficult start, the Offshore was a huge success and was extremely popular in the 2000s," said Raphaël Balestra, Heritage and Archives Director at Audemars Piguet.
In 30 years, the Offshore has evolved and linked its name to celebrities with strong personalities in the worlds of sport, music and film, in keeping with its bold design. Starting with Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose collaboration in 1999 gave rise to the Royal Oak Offshore End of Days Ref. 25770SN, to celebrate the release of the film of the same name. The success of this first collaboration marked the beginning of many other limited editions with the actor, but also with other celebrities, such as Jay-Z or LeBron James.
And it is on the occasion of its 30th anniversary that the House is launching a new Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Automatic, a direct homage to the 1999 Offshore 'End of Days'. A 43 mm case in black ceramic with titanium details (lugs, pushers and case back), weighing a total of 103 grams.
Taking the black and yellow colour code from the original model, the dark background of the Mega Tapisserie dial features touches of yellow on the tachymeter scale, hour markers and white gold hands burnished with a yellow luminescent coating.
The movement is the automatic Calibre 4401, the brand's first in-house integrated chronograph that debuted in 2020 on the Code 11.59 (column wheel, vertical coupling, flyback function, minimum 70-hour power reserve). The 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight, coloured using an NAC process that gives it a charcoal grey hue, is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback.
The strap is made of black textile-effect calfskin with yellow stitching (additional interchangeable strap in yellow calfskin with black stitching). Limited edition of 500 pieces.
Priceon request.
