While still four years away from celebrating 50 years of its iconic Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet can celebrate other milestones related to the game-changing watch housed in a 39mm stainless steel case with an outsized octagonal bezel.
Its bigger and more rugged steel sibling, the 42mm Royal Oak Offshore, debuted in 1993 and has become another platform for innovation and reinterpretation.
Over the years, more than 120 references have been launched in different forms, functions, and materials including titanium, forged carbon, gold and platinum.
Marking Royal Oak Offshore's 25th anniversary, Audemars Piguet revisits the past with a stainless steel re-edition inspired by the original, and also shares a vision of the future with Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph.
While incorporating today's watchmaking knowledge and techniques, the 2018 re-edition Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph remains true to the timeless design with the hallmark blue rubber crown and pushpieces as well as blue dial with a "Petite Tapisserie" pattern.
Additionally, the Swiss maison's inexhaustible creativity delivers chronographs in different colours, patterns, contrasts and materials, as well as sizes, for a kaleidoscopic collection.
Royal Oak Offshore Grande Complication 44mm in black ceramic.
For instance, 37mm steel variations with a diamond-set bezel are designed with blue counters contrasting silver-toned, green, pink, orange or purple dials adorned with a Lady Tapisserie pattern.
A rubber strap in the same colour of the dial further enhances the play of colours and contrasts.
New colour combinations extend the line of 42mm steel chronographs, such as the Havana-style model with a cigar-brown dial featuring a Méga Tapisserie pattern and Caribbean-blue counters.
The platinum version's smoked blue dial and black counters lend a moody look, while the titanium model's monochromatic design is based on grey, including the colour of the ceramic bezel.
The use of ceramic has also expanded in colours, such as the khaki green bezel of a 44mm stainless steel timepiece, whose beige dial has a Grande Tapisserie pattern, contrasting brown counters and the external zone.
More complicated ceramic work is required for the 44mm Royal Oak Offshore Grande Complication, available in white or black models, with a high-tech metal look.
Black ceramic is reinforced with yttrium oxide, making it seven times harder than steel. White ceramic on the other hand is reinforced with aluminium oxide which gives it a high gloss finish and makes it even harder than black ceramic and nine times harder than steel.
The Grande Complication features a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, chronograph and split-second chronograph, showing the watchmaker's prowess in crafting complications that dates back to 1875. Based in Le Brassus, Audemars Piguet is the oldest haute horlogerie manufacturer still in the hands of founding families.
In 2018, a futuristic tourbillon chronograph shows how the Royal Oak Offshore has evolved from the original, as well as the brand's creative watchmaking.
Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph has a totally different, more robust look, with the enlarged 45mm case featuring stretched curved lines. The movement has been reimagined for the new dimensions, with a new architectural construction featuring sandblasted titanium bridges and satin-brushed chamfered edges. It appears to be suspended due to optical illusion from an innovative open-worked bezel.
The limited-edition is housed in a stainless steel or pink gold case, and only 50 pieces each are available to mark Royal Oak Offshore's 25th anniversary.
