Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph watch is a modern legend, epitomizing the popular genre of the luxury sports timepiece. First announced in 1993, the Offshore Chronograph watch represented a radical offshoot of the earlier Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch, which itself created a tremendous stir in 1972.

One of the most recognizable watch designs in the world, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph watch features a 42.5mm case which displays a complex mixture of brushed and polished surfaces, each requiring extensive hand finishing; the eight sided Royal Oak bezel calls to mind the porthole of a ship, and bears the striking detail of hexagonal screws whose slots align to form a circle around the dial. Therban gaskets and well-insulated chronograph pushpieces and a screw-in crown ensure that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph watches remain water-resistant to a depth of 100 meters. Of note, the crown and pushpieces are coated with rubber; Audemars Piguet's use of such rubber accents was an extremely daring design choice when this watch debuted, and significantly helped pave the way for rubber as an accepted material to be used in the design of high luxury watches.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph watch is animated by a highly respected selfwinding movement; based upon the Jaeger-LeCoultre 889 Caliber, the AP 2226/2840 boasts a chronograph complication with both a 30-minute and 12-hour totalizer, as well as a rapidly adjustable date display. This luxurious movement, whose balance wheel beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, displays a high degree of refinement. The plate displays circular-graining (perlage) while the bridges feature Cotes de Geneve striping, and carefully chamfered edges. The bi-directional central rotor also displays Cotes de Geneve decor, as well as a 21K gold peripheral mass. To ensure maximum protection for this refined mechanism, Audemars Piguet has placed it beneath a soft-iron shield that offers resistance to strong magnetic fields.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph watch is offered in a breathtaking array of models in stainless steel, and the various colors of 18K gold. The dials of the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph watches are as intricate as the rest of the design, and display the famous "grande tapisserie" hobnail pattern, in a broad selection of colors. For those who appreciate spectacular gem-set watches, the 18K gold Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph watch, pave-set with diamonds is a truly magnificent example.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch collection also includes "Rubberclad" models in steel or 18K rose gold, which feature a bezel covered with rubber, against which the polished hexagonal screws make a particularly striking contrast. Depending upon the model, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph watch can be obtained with either a strap in leather or rubber, complete with an elegant folding clasp, or the famed Royal Oak Offshore bracelet, whose massive solidity and flawless craftsmanship create an extraordinary impression of quality.