BY JOVAN K
If you think five new Royal Oak Offshores all at once sound like a lot, well that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Audemars Piguet just decided to drop the equivalent of a horological tactical nuke to celebrate their 150th anniversary. We are looking at about 20 new releases hitting the scene all at once, and this is all happening before we even get to the big show at Watches and Wonders, as Harlan gleefully pointed out in his recent AP piece. This massive rollout is a serious statement of intent from Le Brassus and within that bigger picture, these five new Royal Oak Offshore models rightfully encapsulate what you’d expect them to: confidence and flamboyance while being unapologetically Offshore.
Offshore Diver Trio
The Offshore Diver has always been the rugged sibling in the family, and these three new 42mm x 14.2mm stainless steel models keep that reputation intact. Nothing here is trying to change the formula. Instead, AP is diving into color in a way that feels familiar if you remember those “Funky Color” Divers from earlier releases. The choice comes down to three directions, abyssal blue with pink gold, black with turquoise, or black paired with bold pink accents.
Each one sticks to the functional layout we expect. There are two ceramic crowns on the side; one handles the time while the other spins the internal diving scale. AP uses the Calibre 4308 here, a self-winding movement with a 60-hour reserve that sticks to the fundamentals and does them properly. The rubber straps swap easily and follow the colour cues of the dials, while water resistance sits at 300m on all three. If a standard black dial diver feels too predictable, this trio offers a more considered alternative. They are priced at CHF 26,000 and are available through AP boutiques.
Offshore Chronograph Duo
Moving up a notch, we have two new 43mm x 14.4mm Flyback Chronographs that show off what AP can do with materials. The first pairs a titanium case with a black ceramic bezel and a smoked green dial. It feels technical and looks like something meant for actual use rather than sitting in a safe. The second is the real talking point of the group, featuring a case made entirely of “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” ceramic. Maintaining an even blue tone in ceramic is famously challenging. It’s set against a beige dial, resulting in a visual shift that is noticeably different from the usual black and grey chronograph affair.
This Offshore Chronograph duo runs on Calibre 4401. This is an integrated flyback chronograph movement with a 70-hour power reserve. Unlike the Divers, these have a sapphire caseback so you can actually see the mechanics at work. You have 100m of water resistance to work with, which is plenty for a watch of this stature. Both of these boutique exclusive models are priced at CHF 36,800 for titanium and CHF 50,900 for the blue ceramic.
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