14 ap royal oak offshore 25th anniversary

Introducing: Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph 25th Anniversary Edition

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic Royal Oak Offshore, Audemars Piguet has released a striking 25th Anniversary edition of their tourbillon chrono. In addition, the brand has unveiled a re-edition of the original Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph.

By Josh Shanks
Contributor

Since its launch in 1993, the Royal Oak Offshore has been a mainstay in AP’s collection. It’s an understatement to say these pieces have been extraordinary popular with collectors. However, that wasn’t always the case. 25 years ago, many thought the brand was crazy to release a 42mm version of the Royal Oak. Today, the brand can easily revel in the Offshore’s success.

The original Offshore models were met with skepticism by purists and connoisseurs. However, these sentiments quickly waned when collectors started buying the pieces in droves. Allowing AP to produce a wide variety of sub-variants and special editions.

A remarkable design departure

As you’ll notice on the Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chrono 25th Anniversary, the bezel has been completely re-designed. By removing the classic octagonal eight-screw bezel and replacing it with a thinner bezel, the dial and watch are completely opened. The newly redesigned bezel is only visible at the connection points of the screws. For some, seeing a Royal Oak without its signature octagonal bezel might be unexpected, however, perhaps these design changes may be exactly what the brand needs to keep pace with changing aesthetics and tastes

The specifics

The two new tourbillon models take inspiration from the previous Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronographs but feature a newly re-designed movement. The pieces are available in Stainless Steel and 18-carat pink gold. Continuing AP’s fusion of materials, the crown and pushers are forged from ceramic, while the pushpiece guards are crafted from titanium (on the Stainless-Steel piece) and pink gold (on the pink gold piece). Each metal is limited to 50 pieces worldwide.

The Calibre 2947 movement runs at 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour) and features a power reserve of 7 days. The chronograph features a countdown of hours, minutes, and seconds. You’ll notice a 30-minute counter at approx. three o’clock on the dial. Both watches come on a AP black rubber strap.

The re-edition of a watch that set the Le Brassus abuzz

Picture yourself in 1993, Nirvana on the radio, plaid shirt, and if you’re me, driving something with a Pontiac emblem. In this climate (well probably colder), Audemars Piguet made the bold move to launch the Offshore, providing a sportier take on the classic Royal Oak.

In re-visiting this past, the brand has announced a re-edition of the original Royal Oak Offshore Automatic Chronograph. Set in the same 42mm stainless steel case as the original. Featuring a stunning blue “Petite Tapisserie” dial. Powered by a calibre 3126/3840 movement, and featuring a power reserve of 50 hours. It comes on a steel bracelet with folding clasp.

Summary and pricing

If you’re like me, you’re surely still marveling at the new bezel design of the 25th Anniversary Tourbillon. While it’s visually shocking at first glance, it’s assuredly Audemars Piguet in its execution. The hallmarks are all there, you just need to have a mind to the future.

The 25th Anniversary Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph in stainless steel retails for CHF 285,000 for, and the pink gold is CHF 325,000. The re-edition Offshore Chronograph in stainless steel retails for CHF 25,000.

We expect to get full hands-on with these pieces at Dubai Watch Week and will update this article accordingly. 

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