Introducing: Three New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Models
Audemars Piguet is back with three new Royal Oak Offshore models. All three bring differences including size, materials, and complications. The sporty, brash line within the Royal Oak family usually boasts outlandish design and bright coloring. If neither of those features is your bag, today’s releases may tempt you.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in any guise is a curious beast. These incredibly popular watches appeal to those who enjoy wearing high-end luxury goods along with those who appreciate watchmaking. I’ll be honest, my tastes typically run toward the normal Royal Oak. However, there’s no denying the appeal of the Offshore for those who seek a more modern and casual alternative. Today’s trio of new releases won’t be mistaken for anything but the more sporty models. Yet, I think they’re quite refined and, dare I say, elegant.
The Royal Oak Offshore 37mm
A new 37mm Offshore joins the lineup and is crafted from 18-carat pink gold. Curiously, Audemars has decided to coat the gold bezel in gray rubber to provide a sportier appearance. The watch has an angled gray internal minutes bezel that surrounds a rhodium and ivory Grand Tapisserie dial. Note the case-matching pink gold indices and hands. A gray rubber mosaic strap with a quick-change system and pin buckle allows the owner to easily switch with the supplied black rubber strap.
Audemars does a nice job of explaining that this 37mm watch is for those with smaller wrists. Therefore, don’t think of it as a watch marketed toward women or men. With a 50m water resistance/depth rating, and an overall thickness of just 12.1mm, this should wear nicely in any situation. Credit goes to the in-house automatic caliber 5900. It’s only 3.9mm thick and contains a quick set date function and 60 hours of power reserve. The price for this piece, due to the gold content, is the healthiest of the trio at $47,200.
Another three-hander, but in 43mm
For the next release, we have my favorite of the bunch. This Royal Oak Offshore is a 43mm model made from stainless steel. Once again, the brand has chosen to coat the bezel in blue rubber. This surrounds a matching blue minutes bezel with high-contrast white writing. Unlike the smaller model, this piece has a smoky Méga Tapisserie dial that changes to dark blue towards the edges. Rhodium-plated gold hands and indices make for a clean, bold look against the blue.
The 43mm watch comes with blue and black rubber straps and a stainless pin buckle. Underneath the display case back, you’ll find the automatic caliber 4302 with 70 hours of power reserve and a quick set date. While this watch is certainly larger, the 14.4mm thickness isn’t overly blocky. It is water resistant to 100 meters and has a screw-down crown. Affordability-wise, this is the least expensive of the lot at $27,400. 
The Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
The final new Royal Oak Offshore is a 43mm stainless steel chronograph with a black ceramic crown and matching pushers. Audemars skips the use of rubber on this watch and opts for a bare stainless case and bezel. The dial is a mix of brown and black with the latter comprising the chapter ring, three sub-registers, hands, and indices. Here again, the brand employs a smoky Méga Tapisserie dial in a shade of brown reminiscent of cigars. A matching, hand-finished alligator strap with a pin buckle makes this a more dressy-looking watch. However, a black rubber strap is included for more casual affairs.
The Offshore chronograph, like the three-hand 43mm model, is also 14.4mm thick with a screw-down crown and water resistant to 100 meters. It uses the automatic caliber 4401 with 60 hours of power reserve. The column wheel-equipped movement powers the time, running seconds, a 30-minute counter, and a 12-hour counter. This level of complication brings the price tag to $41,600.
Final thoughts
I mentioned that I typically tend toward the normal Royal Oak models because I often find the Offshore models too bold or large for my wrists. These three watches, however, signal a change in thinking. They’re more subtle and present more humble tones. That’s a good thing in my view and should make them more pleasing to an even wider group of potential buyers.
For more information on the latest Royal Offshore models, visit the official Audemars Piguet website.
