Audemars Piguet presents its new Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Michael Schumacher watch devoted to the motor racing legend. Michael Schumacher is rightfully considered to be the greatest race car driver of all time. The driver won a record seven world championship titles and achieved more race victories, more pole positions and scored more points than any other motor racing driver.
Michael is a long-time admirer of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore collection as he highly appreciates the watches’ unique and innovative design, exceptional craftsmanship and functionality. The motor racing legend personally participated in the creation of the new timepiece, having closely cooperated with the brand’s Chief Artistic Officer, Octavio Garcia.
The design codes of the novelty have been inspired by Schumacher’s high-speed world where timing is all-important. The case of the new Audemars Piguet watch measures 44 mm in diameter. It has been created in three versions:
1,000 pieces made from titanium;
500 pieces made from 18K pink gold;
100 pieces made from platinum 950.
The one-piece, octagonal bezel is crafted from ultra-resistant Cermet. This material is seven times more durable than steel. The bezel is fixed with eight automotive-style domed and inset nuts.
The case is teamed with a specially-designed rubber strap – grey on titanium and pink gold models, and blue on the platinum model. The strap is attached with help of microblasted, satin-brushed titanium studs looking like a racing car’s cooling scoops.
The microblasted crown is machined to make you think of a gear wheel. It bears a red anodised, aluminium plate with the brand’s logo. The case-construction also incorporates microblasted titanium guards protecting the polished black ceramic push-pieces, provided with caps of either titanium, white or pink gold.
The anthracite grey dial of the new Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Michael Schumacher watch is embellished with the Royal Oak Offshore’s signature “Mega Tapisserie” pattern. The circumference of the tachymeter scale bears two blue and five red stars that symbolize Schumacher’s record seven championship victories.
The minute track stands out due to a discreet, black and white pattern that reminds the design of a chequered flag. The galvanic chronograph counters are black on the titanium and pink gold versions, and blue on the platinum model. The counters have been designed with raised frames suggested by the dashboard instruments of a high-performance car.
The hour and minute hands are worth special attention due to their form. The hands are made from facetted gold and provided with a white luminescent coating. Their shape has been inspired by the silhouette of a racing car’s monocoque. The red-lacquered chronograph hands feature especially blackened heads to make their indications more readable.
The Michael Schumacher watch is the first in the Royal Oak Offshore collection to have the date display in red.
The case-back incorporates a sapphire crystal centre that reveals the inner life of the watch. The heart of the timepiece is a self-winding movement – Calibre 3126/3840. The 365-part, 59-jewel movement, operating at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, provides a 55-hour power-reserve.
The 22K gold oscillating weight has acquired anthracite, galvanic treatment and features both the brand’s logo and the driver’s famous “MS” signature presented in raised, three-dimensional form. The design of the oscillating weight has been suggested by the race track – its two cut-outs are based on the aerodynamic “NACA” ducts one will see on high performance automobiles.
The movement of the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Michael Schumacher watch demonstrates fine finishing Audemars Piguet has always been famous for: rhodiumed, hand-beveled, snailed and embellished with Cotes de Geneve bridges, a circular-grained mainplate and diamond-polished jewel-sinks.
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