Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Collection 42mm
Originally introduced in 1993, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch series is still innovative, forward-thinking and rebellious since its entry onto the traditionally conservative luxury-watch scene of that time.
For 2014, six new iterations of the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 42mm are being launched, boasting a more technical, sculpted aesthetic as well as black ceramic push pieces and crown.
For lifelong fans and newcomers alike, these novelties serve to highlight Audemars Piguet’s ongoing commitment to technical progress, and this family-owned company’s spirit of independence; the perfect embodiment of the Manufacture’s motto, “to break the rules, you must first master them.”
The Royal Oak Offshore design – so perfect it has barely changed in two decades – echoes that of the virile, iconic Royal Oak, whose octagonal, stainless-steel facets so shook up the peaceful scene of classic, round, gold watches.
However, the Royal Oak Offshore was even sturdier, sportier and more masculine. When it was first introduced in 1993, no one would have entertained the idea of a 42 mm watch in the early Nineties! But it proved to be a pioneer – it single handedly set the trend for uncompromising, oversized watches that has continued ever since.
While the first models were in stainless steel, gold and platinum, Audemars Piguet’s renowned, forward-thinking approach to high-tech materials was soon applied to the Royal Oak Offshore. Titanium appeared very early, and during the 2000s the Manufacture introduced carbon, ceramics, cermet and rubber.
Beneath that groundbreaking exterior, the Royal Oak Offshore has remained mechanically traditional, as one would expect from a ‘Maison’ with as many years of savoir-faire as Audemars Piguet.
Made in the Vallée de Joux by the last historical watchmaking house owned by the founding families, it respects all the criteria of Haute Horlogerie, its movements hand-decorated and hand assembled – even in the models without sapphire-crystal case backs.
Of the many limited editions among the Royal Oak Offshore models, nearly half have related to the car-racing and sports worlds while others have been linked to country commemorations and boutique series.
New for 2014, the ‘26470’ AP Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Collection maintains the original 42 mm ‘supersize’ of 1993, yet moves things on for the first time from its 26170 predecessors.
An evolution of these groundbreaking timepieces, the new references are available in stainless steel or 18-carat pink gold, and are distinguished by a more technical, sculpted aesthetic, as is notably visible in the design of the pushpiece guards, the crown and the pushpieces. Black ceramic replaces rubber on the crown and pushpieces, which have been resized to create a more contemporary look.
The bezel is in satin-brushed and polished stainless steel or 18-carat pink gold, secured by eight polished steel hexagonal screws – the bold, immutable signature of the Royal Oak Offshore collection.
Every dial is decorated with the AP Royal Oak Offshore’s distinctive, waffle-like ‘Méga Tapisserie’ pattern. The more sculpted and refined hour-markers lend an additional technical touch. Moreover, the new facetted hands with polished decorative fillets surrounding the hour markers, counters and date window, together with the use of a luminescent coating, make the dial more radiant and ensure enhanced readability of the time indications.
A polished white- or pink-gold appliqué presents our brand initials, along with the ‘Audemars Piguet’ logo transferred in white on a raised cartouche. The dial colour is echoed on the date disc in order to accentuate the overall uniformity.
Attached to the 26470 collection’s stainless-steel or gold case is either a rubber or alligator strap, featuring a broader taper and a new pin buckle, both of which ensure greater comfort and user-friendliness.
The 2014 Royal Oak Offshore Collection moves the game on once more. The engraved 22-carat gold oscillating mass is now visible through the sapphire caseback, a window onto 139 years of horological mastery.
Models
AP Royal Oak Offshore, Reference 26470ST.OO.A027CA.01
This ‘navy’ variant of the new ‘26470’ royal oak offshore collection is characterized by a royal-blue dial and rubber strap, with contrasting chronograph hands in orange– a colour combination that lends a fresh, sporty feel to Audemars Piguet’s 20-year-old iconic line.
Case
Stainless-steel case, glare proofed sapphire crystal and caseback, black ceramic screw-locked crown and push pieces, water-resistant to 100 m
Dial
Blue dial with ‘‘Méga Tapisserie’’ pattern, silver-toned counters, white
Arabic numerals with luminescent coating, white gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, blue inner bezel
Strap
Blue rubber strap with stainless steel pin buckle
Movement
Self-winding manufacture Calibre 3126/3840
Total diameter: 29.92 mm (13¼ lines)
Total Thickness: 7.16 mm
Number of jewels: 59
Number of parts: 365
Minimal guaranteed power reserve: >55 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Chronograph (60-second central hand, 30-minute and 12-hour subdials)
Hours
Minutes
Small seconds
Date
AP Royal Oak Offshore, Reference 26470ST.OO.A101CR.01
With a sober black dial and black leather ‘hornback’ alligator strap, the urgent-red stitching and chronograph hands of this bold timepiece nonetheless betray a sporty, dynamic personality. The black ceramic push pieces perfectly complement the monochrome tonality, lending an overall subtle but powerful visual effect.
Case
Stainless-steel case, glare proofed sapphire crystal and caseback, black ceramic screw-locked crown and push pieces, water-resistant to 100 m
Dial
Black dial with ‘‘Méga Tapisserie’’ pattern, black counters, white Arabic numerals with luminescent coating, white gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, black inner bezel
Strap
Hand-stitched ‘Hornback’’ black alligator strap with stainless steel pin buckle
Movement
Self-winding manufacture Calibre 3126/3840
Total diameter: 29.92 mm (13¼ lines)
Total Thickness: 7.16 mm
Number of jewels: 59
Number of parts: 365
Minimal guaranteed power reserve: >55 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Chronograph (60-second central hand, 30-minute and 12-hour subdials)
Hours
Minutes
Small seconds
Date
AP Royal Oak Offshore, Reference 26470ST.OO.A104CR.01
From dial to ‘hornback’ alligator strap, the crisp, slate-grey colour way of this timepiece lends a high tech designer aesthetic, as perfect with a white t-shirt as a suit. Set against the clean monochrome, the Royal Oak Offshore’s newly faceted hands and famous Méga Tapisserie dial have never seemed so bold and three-dimensional.
Case
Stainless-steel case, glare proofed sapphire crystal and caseback, black ceramic screw-locked crown and push pieces, water-resistant to 100 m
Dial
Slate grey dial with ‘‘Méga Tapisserie’’pattern, black counters, black Arabic numerals with luminescent coating, white gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, black inner bezel
Strap
Hand-stitched ‘Hornback’’ grey alligator strap with stainless steel pin buckle
Movement
Self-winding manufacture Calibre 3126/3840
Total diameter: 29.92 mm (13¼ lines)
Total Thickness: 7.16 mm
Number of jewels: 59
Number of parts: 365
Minimal guaranteed power reserve: >55 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Chronograph (60-second central hand, 30-minute and 12-hour sub dials)
Hours
Minutes
Small seconds
Date
AP Royal Oak Offshore, Reference 26470ST.OO.A801CR.01
Adventurous types will love this watch’s ‘vintage safari’ look, complete with brown-leather alligator strap, cream stitching and an ivory-toned dial. This is a royal oak offshore for men of action, its rugged stainless-steel case and khaki colourway all hankering for the great outdoors.
Case
Stainless-steel case, glare proofed sapphire crystal and case back, black ceramic screw-locked crown and push pieces, water-resistant to 100 m
Dial
Ivory-toned dial with ‘‘Méga Tapisserie’’pattern, brown counters, brown Arabic numerals with luminescent coating, white gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, brown inner bezel
Strap
Hand-stitched ‘Hornback’’ brown alligator strap with stainless steel pin buckle
Movement
Self-winding manufacture Calibre 3126/3840
Total diameter: 29.92 mm (13¼ lines)
Total Thickness: 7.16 mm
Number of jewels: 59
Number of parts: 365
Minimal guaranteed power reserve: >55 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Chronograph (60-second central hand, 30-minute and 12-hour sub dials)
Hours
Minutes
Small seconds
Date
AP Royal Oak Offshore, Reference 26470OR.OO.A002CR.01
A powerful timepiece, this chronograph’s sumptuous pink gold case and dial positively glow in contrast to the black alligator strap, ceramic push pieces and chronograph sub dials. its hand stitched ‘large square scale’ black alligator strap sits flatter on the wrist than the horn back strap, but the watch’s presence is still a mighty one.
Case
18-carat pink gold case, glare proofed sapphire crystal and case back, black ceramic screw-locked crown and push pieces, water-resistant to 100 m
Dial
Pink gold toned dial with ‘‘Méga Tapisserie’’pattern, black counters, black Arabic numerals with luminescent coating, pink gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, black inner bezel
Strap
Hand-stitched ‘large square scale’’ black alligator strap with 18-carat pink-gold pin buckle
Movement
Self-winding manufacture Calibre 3126/3840
Total diameter: 29.92 mm (13¼ lines)
Total Thickness: 7.16 mm
Number of jewels: 59
Number of parts: 365
Minimal guaranteed power reserve: >55 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Chronograph (60-second central hand, 30-minute and 12-hour subdials)
Hours
Minutes
Small seconds
Date
AP Royal Oak Offshore, Reference 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01
This is the ultimate expression of the Royal Oak Offshore’s uncompromising luxury, fitted with a beautifully crafted, silky smooth pink-gold bracelet.
Case
18-carat pink gold case, glare proofed sapphire crystal and case back, black ceramic screw-locked crown and push pieces, water-resistant to 100 m
Dial
Pink gold toned dial with ‘‘Méga Tapisserie’’pattern, black counters, black Arabic numerals with luminescent coating, pink gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, black inner bezel
Bracelet
18-carat pink gold bracelet with AP folding clasp
Movement
Self-winding manufacture Calibre 3126/3840
Total diameter: 29.92 mm (13¼ lines)
Total Thickness: 7.16 mm
Number of jewels: 59
Number of parts: 365
Minimal guaranteed power reserve: >55 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Chronograph (60-second central hand, 30-minute and 12-hour subdials)
Hours
Minutes
Small seconds
Date
