Introducing: Audemars Piguet Announces Three Colorful New Royal Oak Offshores
What We Know
“Audemars Piguet releases new Royal Oaks” is a headline that we could write at least a few times a year, and there seems to be a general sense of exhaustion for all things Royal Oak, classic though they might be. But also – and at the same time – is a pink gold Royal Oak Offshore in 37mm kind of hot?
I can’t even describe my own feelings but I think I kinda like the grey bezel?
Just in time for the last month or so of summer proper, Audemars Piguet, the Royal Oak Company, has introduced three new Royal Oak Offshores. The first Offshore uses a 37mm pink gold case (12.1mm thick) and a grey rubber bezel. It’s paired with an ivory grande tapisserie dial with pink-gold hour markers and delivered on a grey rubber strap with a mosaic pattern that, to me, looks a bit like sharkskin (similar to what they used on the Offshore Music Edition). Inside is AP’s self-winding caliber 5900 with a 60-hour power reserve that beats at 4 Hz. I get that the Offshore is supposed to be big and beastly, and one must have the wrist size of Sylvester Stallone to ride this ride, but… it looks pretty nice. Retail price: $47,200.
Mark photographed the 43mm Offshore when he saw all of AP’s new releases in Milan earlier this year.
Next, the 43mm (and 14.4mm thick) Offshore Selfwinding features a stainless steel case with a blue rubber bezel and matching blue rubber strap. New generation smoked blue mega tapisserie (this just means the grid is bigger than, e.g., that seen on the 37mm), and an automatic caliber 4302 with a 70-hour power reserve – there’s not much else to say about this one. It’s a handsome, if slightly predictable, addition to the Offshore lineup. Mark saw and photographed this new Offshore a few months ago and basically said that, while he’s not an Offshore guy, he’s gotta admit it’s “kind of cool.” I concur, and there’s not much else to say here. Milan earlier Retail price: $27,400.
Finally, there’s a new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph with a 43mm stainless steel case and ceramic pusher and crown. Its 100 meters of water resistance should be enough for most offshore excursions. It has a smoked bronze mega tapisserie pattern with white gold applied hour markers. Inside is AP’s automatic caliber 4401, a column wheel flyback chronograph caliber. The chronograph felt fancy compared to the others, so it comes with a brown alligator strap. But if you’re feeling frisky (or sweaty), all of these new Offshores also come with an additional black rubber strap. Retail price: $41,600.
What We Think
This trio of new Royal Oak Offshores isn’t going to get the world talking like those tiny mini Royal Oaks introduced back in May. But if you’re the type of person who tends to use “summer” as a verb this time of year, these feel like the perfect watches to wear while you’re summering somewhere off the French Riviera. Splash around in the water or play in the sand – no, not that deep! – if you’re wearing the 37mm pink gold with its 50m of water resistance.
I was surprised to be reminded that this is the only 37mm Offshore without any diamonds or that doesn’t have a dial like a music board. Finally, a wearable Offshore for the rest of us. With the traditional Royal Oak, AP has done as good a job as any at offering it in all sizes, no matter your taste. Now, it seems to be extending that philosophy to the Offshore. Small doesn’t have to mean diamonds, too.
And yes, I get it: How can a watch that was originally christened “The Beast” be delivered at a relatively dainty 37mm? To which I say: Don’t worry, there are still watches like this in the Offshore lineup.
The Basics
Brand: Audemars Piguet
Model: Royal Oak Offshore
Reference Number: 77605OK.OO.A101CA.01; 15605SK.OO.A350CA.01; 26420ST.OO.A828CR.01
Diameter: 37mm; 43mm
Thickness: 12.1mm; 14.4mm
Case Material: Pink gold (37mm); stainless steel (43mm and chronograph)
Dial Color: Ivory polished dial with Grande Tapisserie pattern (37mm); smoked blue or bronze dial Mega Tapisserie pattern (43mm and chronograph)
Indexes: Applied gold
Water Resistance: 50 meters (37mm); 100 meters (43mm and chronograph)
Strap/Bracelet: Grey interchangeable rubber strap with mosaic effect, 18-ct pink gold pin buckle (37mm); blue interchangeable rubber strap with AP pin buckle (43mm); brown interchangeable alligator with Oxfrod hand-finished patina and steel pink buckle (chronograph), all with an additional black rubber strap
The Movement
Caliber: Caliber 5900 (37mm); caliber 4302 (43mm); caliber 4401 (chronograph)
Caliber 5900
Functions: Time and date
Diameter: 26.2mm
Thickness: 3.9mm
Power Reserve: 60 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 4 Hz
Jewels: 29
Caliber 4302
Functions: Time and date
Diameter: 32mm
Thickness: 4.9mm
Power Reserve: 70 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 4 Hz
Jewels: 32
Caliber 4401
Functions: Flyback chronograph
Diameter: 32mm
Thickness: 6.8mm
Power Reserve: 70 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 4 Hz
Jewels: 40
Pricing & Availability
Price: $47,200 (37mm); $27,400 (43mm); $41,600 (chronograph)
For more, visit Audemars Piguet.
Hodinkee
