Audemars Piguet's flagship collection is the Royal Oak, a monument to sporty elegance, and the Royal Oak Offshore, which has a sportier and more muscular design. We will explain the appeal of the Royal Oak Offshore, which is a watch that business elites want to wear.
What is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore?
Audemars Piguet is one of the prestigious maisons that offers a lineup of luxury watches that make you think, "I want to own one someday." Let's start by explaining the origins and relationship of their flagship collections, the Royal Oak and the Royal Oak Offshore.
Royal Oak Variants
The first Royal Oak, which was introduced in 1972, featured a stainless steel case, octagonal bezel, tapestry dial, and integrated bracelet, and continues to maintain its unique design codes to this day.
At the time, luxury watches were dominated by round cases made of precious metals such as gold, but the Royal Oak breathed fresh air into the watch industry as a "luxury sports watch" and established itself as an icon of a new era.
The Royal Oak Offshore, which was introduced in 1993, features a large 42mm case, large push buttons and push guards, and is a collection that offers a powerful arrangement of the Royal Oak's design codes, more in line with extreme sports.
Designer: Emmanuel Guillet
The Royal Oak is one of the masterpieces of watch design master Gerald Genta, but the Royal Oak Offshore was designed by Emmanuel Guillet, a young designer who was only 22 years old at the time.
While the Royal Oak was designed as a "sports watch with the finish of a dress watch," the Royal Oak Offshore was so massive and wild that it earned the nickname "The Beast."
There is also an anecdote that Gerald Genta was furious at the design, which seemed to destroy the original concept behind the watch.
Gue is also known for his designs of the Rolex Cellini, released in 2014, and the IKEPOD, which was revived in 2019, and is now highly regarded as a renowned designer for his ability to skillfully refine existing models.
Differences from the Royal Oak
The Royal Oak Offshore is a derivative collection that emphasizes the toughness of the Royal Oak. I will explain the differences between it and the Royal Oak in three points.
Dynamic Case Size
In 1972, when gold cases of around 33mm in diameter were the norm for luxury watches, the Royal Oak was released with an unusually large case size of 39mm, but the first model of the Royal Oak Offshore was even larger, at 42mm.
This size was very large even in 1993, and the brand is considered one of the pioneers of the "large size" trend. In 2006, a 44mm case diameter model was added to the collection, and it is loved by those seeking a more massive Royal Oak.
Mega Tapestry Adoption
The Royal Oak Offshore features the tapestry dial established by the Royal Oak, but in a different size.
The tapestry is a design pattern exclusive to Audemars Piguet and is finished with extremely intricate guilloching.
Depending on the model, the Royal Oak is available in Petite Tapestry or Grand Tapestry, while the larger Royal Oak Offshore uses Mega Tapestry.
The large lattice mega-tapestry gives the dial a wild impression, but the technology used to create it is extremely advanced, demonstrating the skill of a top-class fashion house.
Rubber belts are mainstream
The first model of the Royal Oak Offshore, released in 1993, featured a bracelet similar to that of the Royal Oak, but the current collection primarily features rubber straps.
Although it is made of rubber, it is based on the Royal Oak design code and inherits the Royal Oak DNA while providing functionality suitable for sports scenes.
Some models come with matching straps in different colors, and there are also a wide range of rubber straps available exclusively for the Royal Oak Offshore, allowing you to enjoy changing the look to suit your mood or overall outfit.
The two main series of the Royal Oak Offshore
The Royal Oak Offshore is divided into collections based on function, with the two major series being the "Chronograph" and "Diver." We will explain the features and appeal of each.
The Offshore Chronograph: An appealing volume
The first model of the Royal Oak Offshore, released in 1993, was a chronograph with a case diameter of 42 mm. Over its nearly 30-year history, the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph has undergone many challenges and changes, and remains the core series of the collection.
The large push buttons and screw-fastened push guards create powerful lines, while the tachymeter scale on the inner bezel and three subdials assert its uniqueness.
The watches are water resistant to 100m and come in basic case diameters of 42mm, 43mm, and 44mm, with a 37mm model set with precious stones also included.
Highly waterproof offshore diver
The Royal Oak Offshore Diver is a professional-grade diver's watch that boasts a water resistance of 300m.
The dial, which has no sub-dial, highlights the Mega Tapisserie, and the diver's scale is placed on the rotating inner bezel rather than on the bezel.
This design alone sets it apart from other diver's watches, but another feature not to be missed is the use of a smooth crown guard instead of push buttons and push guards.
