Only a few watches have the destiny to evolve, and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore is one of them. Audemars Piguet upgraded this collection’s design immediately within the first few years of its production time, making them remarkably marketable and versatile. Interestingly, the changes and upgrades have turned this initially underrated Audemars Piguet watch into an icon.
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The Inception of the Royal Oak Offshore – The Beast
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore has successfully made its own unique place in the brand’s catalogue. And it continues to hold its iconic position to date. Today, the collection consists of over forty variety Royal Oak Offshore models. In addition, it includes the revived version of the original 1933’s watch and high-end, avant-garde chronographs.
Moreover, the Royal Oak Offshore collection has also to pay a lot for recreational divers. The series has models with one screw-down crown. Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak Offshore in 1933 to celebrate the anniversary of the original Royal Oak. Soon after its launch, the Offshore occupied a dominant place in the brand’s catalogue.
The watchmaker upgraded this collection frequently, using new components and adding limited editions.
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The Defining Characteristics
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore collection has evolved over the years, achieving iconic status. However, the watchmaker seems like considering this collection as an experimental base to use different materials, complications and designs. And it is prevalent if you look at the cases, dials and bracelets.
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The Case
In the first hundred, Royal Oak Offshore watches, you will not find the word “Offshore” engraved on them. Instead, the two words “Royal” and “Oak” appear on these models. Philipps auction house has sold two of the famous first hundred Offshore watches.
The Royal Oak Offshore’s designer was the former owner of these two timepieces. However, they fetched CHF 102,500 at the Geneva Watch Auction: EIGHT.
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The Bracelet
Audemars Piguet equipped the first five hundred models with a stainless steel bracelet. It sported a double folded clasp with a slender central piece. However, for the later iterations, the watchmaker offered a stainless steel bracelet to the watches. But the central component featured two openings.
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D-E-F Serials
During the production years of the Reference 25721ST, Audemars Piguet equipped the watch with three different dial types. The versions produced between 1993 and 1999 features E and D series dials. Whereas AP offered an F series dial to the models made between 1999 and 2004.
The D dials feature a tighter “tapisserie” motif and more squares within the dial’s diameter. Moreover, occasionally, you can see an unstable blue hue that showcases the dial’s brass plate under the paint.
On the contrary, the blue tone appears slightly different on the E series dial. The colour looks more like a purple than the original blue shade and manifests over time. However, the F series dial comes with a more stable hue. The watches with the F series dial looks more contemporary in design.
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The Tropical Reference 25770ST
Audemars Piguet released the first novel Offshore watch at Baselworld in 1996. Although the timepiece had similar features beneath the surface, it looked like a new timepiece. However, the only significant difference between the latest models and the original one was in the bracelet.
The new Offshore models were available with new leather straps, and it is the first time for the Offshore collection. Interestingly, the straps matched with the new bright dial colours that entirely upgraded the watch’s glamour and look.
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The new dials colour options included yellow, red, orange, deep blue, maroon, turquoise, green and purple. Besides these models, “The Beast” may look pretty faded.
However, these changes paved the way for numerous other upgrades in the Royal Oak Offshore line. From being a simple oversized steel tool watch, the Offshore evolved into a trendy status symbol.
The Royal Oak Offshore 25770ST feels much lighter with the leather straps. Thus, it offers an entirely different experience while strapped on the wrist.
Today, Audemars Piguet equips most of the Offshore models with non-metallic bracelets. However, synthetic rubber straps are in vogue now. Leather straps are also a popular choice. Overall, the Royal Oak Offshore is one of the most colourful series in the horological world.
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The Handsome Yellow Gold Reference 25721BA
Audemars Piguet released the Offshore 25721BA in gold, representing a class of its own. The 42mm case, bracelet and even its links are made of 18ct yellow gold. However, this yellow gold edition repositioned the Offshore and exhibited the brand’s motive to go beyond the normal.
The Royal Oak Offshore Reference 25721BA is also referred to as “The Pounder”. This is because the watch weighs nearly 418grams that is rare in comparison to its steel siblings. However, the timepiece comes with D-series blue dial and the later editions with champagne E-series dials.
