The history of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is widely known. Since its introduction in 1972, when Gerald Genta ‘s innovative design shocked the world of hands, the watch became an icon and a must-have in every collection for many enthusiasts.
Less well known, however, is the story of the Royal Oak’s “big brother,” the Offshore, which was first introduced in its chronograph version in 1993 and quickly became a fixture in AP collections, surpassing even the original models in popularity.
In this article we will trace the history of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, dwelling on the most interesting collaborations and references.
Launch and history of “The Beast,” the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
The first model in Audemars Piguet’s Offshore line was launched in 1993. The initial intentions were to offer a special watch to mark the anniversary of the Royal Oak and not to create an independent line. However, as the years passed, Audemars soon realized the model’s potential to satisfy increasingly varied tastes through small changes in color or material.
The task of rethinking an icon like the Royal Oak-which, at the time, was not yet appreciated as much as it is today-was given to Emmanuel Gueit. With the goal of maintaining the same proportions while including a chronograph caliber, Gueit had to redesign the watch to fit larger dimensions than the traditional Royak Oak.
As for the caliber, the first examples were equipped with a Dubois-Depraz chronograph module mounted on a JLC 888 automatic caliber, all protected by an iron shield against magnetic fields.
In the year of its launch, just as happened in 1972 for the Royal Oak, the Offshore was strongly criticized: its size, considered too large for the tastes of the time, and its design too different from what enthusiasts were used to, aroused quite a bit of controversy. In particular, Gerald Genta himself criticized the new model, claiming that the brand’s choice had distorted the essence of the original model, which was known for its incredibly low case profile, made possible by the world’s thinnest automatic date caliber, cal. 2121.
However, although the watch did not fully win over existing customers, it aroused great interest among potential new customers. In Italy, in particular, the model’s break with the past and ability to take on different looks was immediately appreciated.
The success of the watch was fueled by the testimonials and numerous collaborations made over the years. In Italy, it all began thanks to Alberto Tomba, one of the most famous skiers ever, who quickly became passionate about the model and became one of the most important ambassadors for several years. Further collaborations followed in the following years, both in the world of sports-with figures such as Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello-and in the world of entertainment, where Arnold Schwarzenegger wore versions created especially for him in his iconic films, such as Terminator.
Over time, having become a beloved watch among collectors, the Offshore began to be identified with a nickname: “The Beast,” in reference to its larger-than-average size of the watches in the collection.
The different configurations of Audemars Piguet Offshore over the years.
Over the years, the Offshore model has been a great success, prompting the brand to experiment with alternatives to chronograph models, thanks to a case construction that enabled solutions unthinkable with other watches.
One of the most popular models is undoubtedly the Diver, introduced in 2010, which represented, for the first time, a sports watch from the brand that was also perfect for diving. Compared to the classic Royal Oak 5402, which is water-resistant to 100 meters, this modern interpretation offers resistance up to 300 meters, making it definitely more suitable for sports use.
The collection also welcomed “time-only” Offshore models, initially designed for the female audience and, later, for the male audience as well. Although it is, in my opinion, the model I appreciate the least, it meets the tastes of those who want a watch with a strong visual impact, with a presence on the wrist considerably, superior to the Royal Oak family.
In my opinion, the most successful experiments are undoubtedly the Grand Complications, produced in very few examples over the years and often enriched by the use of unusual materials, such as ceramic. The configurations have varied greatly over time, but if we dwell on the one currently in the catalog – the Ref. – we notice how incredible these timepieces are.
In fact, they feature a perpetual calendar combined with a split-seconds chronograph and a minute repeater. The price of this extraordinary complication is naturally high; since it is intended for an elite clientele, each one sold on the market subsequently reaches significantly higher values.
Conclusion
Although the Offshore often does not enjoy the same prestige as the classic Royal Oak collection, I believe that the Offshore models have a truly out-of-the-ordinary appeal. They meet the tastes of a large segment of the market, looking for a watch with a marked presence and equipped with technical or movement features not found in its “little brother.”
In addition, it is possible to start collecting these Audemars Piguet models at prices that are, all in all, low, often lower than those of the “time-only” Royal Oak references. Added to this is the fact that since several limited editions have been produced, there is an opportunity to create a thematic yet rich and varied collection.
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