Audemars Piguet presents a new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph as a tribute to the Royal Oak Offshore “End of Days” (ref. 25770SN) released in 1999 in collaboration with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Limited to 500 pieces, this black ceramic model also commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Royal Oak Offshore collection.
The Royal Oak Offshore was launched in 1993 at the Basel Fair. This masculine wristwatch made quite an impression with its massive proportions (42 mm in diameter and 14.04 mm thick) and bold design.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was entrusted with the first special edition of the collection which was released in 1999 for his film End of Days (ref. 25770SN). It was an immediate success.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the collection this year, Audemars Piguet is paying tribute to the key model with its new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph inspired by the 1999 model.
This new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph model has a 43 mm case, which is in line with the models introduced in 2020. This edition is made entirely of black ceramic with the addition of titanium details, such as the studs, push-pieces and case back. There are also eight steel screws that attach the octagonal bezel to the case. These materials give the watch a light and ergonomic feel despite its generous proportions.
Its lines, angles and bevels are painstakingly hand-finished to achieve the Manufacture’s signature alternating polished and satin surfaces.
As a nod to the black and yellow aesthetic of the original 1999 model, the new Offshore features a black dial decorated with the new-generation Mega Tapisserie pattern. The dial is further illuminated with touches of yellow on the tachymeter scale, as well as on the hour markers and the blackened white gold hands enhanced with yellow luminescent coating. The applied gold AP logo stands out at 12 o’clock, while black counters grace the dial at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock.
This new reference houses the Manufacture’s latest selfwinding chronograph movement, Calibre 4401 with fully integrated with a column wheel and flyback function. This function allows the chronograph to be reset and restarted with a single press of the push-piece – a patented process that allows the chronograph counter hands to instantaneously return to the vertical position.
The oscillating weight is visible through the sapphire crystal case back. Crafted in 22-carat pink gold, it has been coloured by NAC process to give it an anthracite grey hue. The sapphire case back also reveals the movement’s refined decorations, including Côtes de Genève, circular graining, sunray finishing, circular satin finishing and polished bevels. The titanium case back is engraved with the words “Limited Edition of 500 Pieces”.
This new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph model comes with a black calfskin strap featuring a textile effect and yellow stitching. Thanks to the watch’s integrated interchangeable system, the owner can easily change his or her strap for a yellow calfskin version with black stitching.
About Royal Oak Offshore End of Days (ref. 25770SN)
The Royal Oak Offshore End of Days (ref. 25770SN) was launched in 1999 and celebrated the release of the film of the same name. The watch had a masculine aesthetic with a steel case covered with a PVD treatment – the first in the brand’s history – and a Kevlar strap.
Several pieces of this limited edition of 500 pieces were sold to benefit Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Inner City Games Foundation, which provides sports and educational programmes for disadvantaged children.
The success of this first collaboration marked the beginning of many other limited editions with the American-Austrian actor – which total nine to date, including six Royal Oak Offshore models – but also with other celebrities such as Jay-Z or LeBron James.
Technical details
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 43 mm
Reference 26420CE.OO.A005VE.01
Case
Black ceramic case and bezel
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal and case back
Black ceramic push-pieces and screw-locked crown
Titanium crown protectors, studs and case back
Water resistant to 100 m
Case thickness: 14.4 mm
Case diameter: 43 mm
Dial
Black dial with Mega Tapisserie pattern, counters and exterior zones in black, white gold applied hour markers and Royal Oak hands coated in black nickel with yellow luminescence, black inner bezel.
Movement
Selfwinding Calibre 4401
Total diameter: 32 mm (14 lignes)
Movement thickness: 6.8 mm
Number of parts 381
Number of jewels: 40
Minimum guaranteed power reserve: 70 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Flyback chronograph, hours, minutes, small seconds and date
Bracelet
Black calfskin strap with textile effect and yellow stitching, titanium pin buckle
Additional interchangeable strap in yellow calfskin with black stitching
