A New Generation Of Royal Oak Offshore Premieres In 43mm Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is releasing a new Royal Oak Offshore line in 43 mm with 5 models honed from titanium, 18-carat pink gold or stainless steel.
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Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is releasing a new Royal Oak Offshore line in 43 mm with 5 models honed from titanium, 18-carat pink gold or stainless steel. The new launch represents the first redesign of the Royal Oak Offshore since the evolution of the 44 mm collection in the early 2000s. While keeping the essence of the Royal Oak Offshore's original characteristics, the case and dial has been tailored to offer aesthetics and ergonomics. These models also introduce the manufacture's latest integrated flyback chronograph, Calibre 4401, in the Royal Oak Offshore collection. Last but not least, the new Royal Oak Offshore 43 mm is fitted with the Manufacture's new interchangeable strap system that enables wearers to change straps easily.
NEW ERGONOMIC 43 MM CASE
The new 43 mm Royal Oak Offshore in titanium, 18-carat pink gold or stainless steel combines the collection's strong identity with a more ergonomically refined design. The case presents larger polished chamfers on the edges, while the bezel as well as the screw-locked crown and chronograph push-pieces follow a slight curvature for more visual appeal. To the exception of the all-titanium version, the other four timepieces in the collection feature a ceramic bezel for a powerful two-tone contrast. The glareproofed sapphire crystal curved from 6 to 12 o'clock seamlessly fits the curvature of the bezel and completes the overall design. The Manufacture's trademark alternation of hand-polished chamfers and satin-brushed finishing adorning the case and bezel furthers the watch's new aesthetic.
LATEST INTEGRATED FLYBACK CHRONOGRAPH
The new Royal Oak Offshore 43 mm line introduces the Manufacture's latest in-house integrated chronograph, Calibre 4401, in the Royal Oak Offshore collection. This selfwinding chronograph movement is equipped with a column wheel and the flyback function that enables to restart the chronograph without stopping or resetting it first.
Calibre 4401 also features a vertical clutch system that prevents hands from jumping when the chronograph is started or stopped, as well as a patented zero resetting mechanism ensuring that each one of the counter hands is seamlessly reset to zero.
The movement's dedicated blackened 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight and refined decorations, including "Côtes de Genève," "traits tirés" and circular graining can be admired through the sapphire caseback. The caseback also reveals components usually hidden from view such as the column wheel and the so-called "dance" of the chronograph hammers.*
With its selfwinding mechanism, 70 hours of power reserve and water resistance to 100 m, Calibre 4401 perfectly complements the Royal Oak Offshore.
SECURE AND EFFICIENT INTERCHANGEABLE STRAPS
The Royal Oak Offshore 43 mm line is fitted with the Manufacture's new interchangeable strap system. The interchangeability system has been directly integrated into the buckle and case's studs, in perfect harmony with the case's aesthetic codes.
The ease and efficiency of the new system will allow clients to change the straps and buckles of their new timepiece themselves with a quick click and release. The double-push system also grants optimum security when the watch is worn on the wrist.
In addition, the interchangeable rubber straps in black, blue, grey and brown hues adorning the different models, as well as the AP pin buckle, are endowed with a new design.
SPORTY DIAL WITH REFINED FINISHES
The Royal Oak Offshore's "Méga Tapisserie" pattern adorning the dial, available in shades of black, grey, light brown and blue, has been newly designed to offer enhanced contrast and high-end finishing. The pyramids composing the stamped Tapisserie have been sharpened and connected to one another with a raised criss-cross pattern that adds depth to the dial. The pyramids' finishing gives a satin effect in an echo to the case's bold yet refined aesthetic. Extensive programming and numerous prototypes were necessary to reach the perfect balance of sportiness and elegance.
The chronograph counters have also been rearranged to improve legibility: the minute counter now appears at 9 o'clock, while the hour counter is positioned at 3 o'clock. In addition, the date window has been moved closer to the inner bezel between 4 and 5 o'clock. The small seconds counter is, for its part, at 6 o'clock.
Furthermore, the watch presents the new Royal Oak Offshore logo adorning all new models across the collection. The applied gold AP initials appear without the long-form signature at 12 o'clock.
The dial also features more assertive gold Royal Oak hands adding to the watch's powerful identity.
Related: The Executive Selection: Audemars Piguet
THE MEGA TAPISSERIE: A ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE TRADEMARK
Since it hit the world of fine watches in 1993, the Royal Oak Offshore has offered a platform for innovation, seeing a raft of new materials, case sizes, complications, colours and dial designs.
In 1999, the Manufacture introduced a bolder guilloché pattern – the "Grande Tapisserie" – in the Royal Oak collection. Although produced with the same engine-turning process as for the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore's original "Petite Tapisserie" pattern, the base of the pyramids composing the "Grande Tapisserie" almost doubled in size, granting the watch a bolder look. The "Grande Tapisserie" soon followed in the Royal Oak Offshore 42 mm line.
In 2001, the Tapisserie pyramids saw yet another reinterpretation within the Royal Oak Offshore collection with the birth of the "Extra-Grande Tapisserie," later renamed "Méga Tapisserie." This time, the more massive pattern is no longer engine-turned, but stamped with powerful presses. This dial design was quickly adopted throughout the collection and became a key feature of the more muscular Royal Oak Offshore in 44 mm, which started to appear in 2010 and has evolved in parallel of the 42 mm line ever since.
Today, the "Méga Tapisserie" undergoes a new evolution with the release of the 43 mm size. Its criss-cross Tapisserie pattern nods to the powerful yet sophisticated aesthetic of the newly designed case.
ENDLESS VARIETY
STRONGLY OFFSHORE
The new 43 mm Royal Oak Offshore collection presents two models combining a stainless steel case with a bezel, push-pieces and a screw-locked crown, all crafted in black ceramics. To reinforce the two-tone aesthetic, the push-piece guards have been crafted in sandblasted stainless steel.
The first model plays with the case's two-tone contrast. It is adorned with a black "Méga Tapisserie" dial enriched with rhodium-toned counters and comes with a black interchangeable rubber strap, as well as a second brown interchangeable calfskin strap.
The second stainless steel model presents a smoked light brown "Méga Tapisserie" dial with black chronograph counters and inner bezel, matched with a light brown interchangeable rubber strap. The watch is complemented with a second black interchangeable rubber strap.
Both models are enhanced by white gold hour-markers, Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating and applied gold AP initials.
LIGHT AND STURDY
The Manufacture introduces two titanium models hand-finished with satin-brushing and polished chamfered. They are offered with dials in shade of blue or grey, both complemented with white gold hour-markers, Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating and applied gold AP initials.
The first model features an all-titanium case with black ceramic push-pieces and screw-locked crown. The blue "Méga Tapisserie" dial and inner bezel are illuminated by rhodium-toned chronograph counters and matched with a blue interchangeable rubber strap. A second black interchangeable rubber strap is included.
The other titanium variant is enriched with a bezel, push-pieces and screw-locked crown in grey ceramics. The grey "Méga Tapisserie" dial is enhanced by blue chronograph counters and a blue inner bezel. The watch is complemented with a grey interchangeable rubber strap and a second blue interchangeable rubber strap.
POWERFUL CONTRASTS
The last model of the collection brings together an 18-carat pink gold case with a black ceramic bezel, both decorated with satin-brushing and polished chamfers. The contrast extends to the push-pieces and crown. The push-pieces and screw-locked crown are crafted in black ceramics and finished with satin-brushing, while the push-piece guards are in sandblasted 18-carat pink gold.
The bezel is matched with a black "Méga Tapisserie" dial adorned with rhodium-toned chronograph counters, whereas the pink gold hour-markers, Royal Oak hands and applied gold AP initials highlight the case's two-tone design. The watch comes with a black interchangeable rubber strap as well as a black interchangeable alligator strap.
Running on a selfwinding Calibre 4401, the Royal Oak Offshore is available with an 18-carat pink gold case, titanium grey case, as well as with a blue, light brown or black dial. Whether you're headed to the board room or to your next adventure, you'll certainly find something in this new collection that's worth taking.
