26231OR.ZZ.D010CA.01
Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
Lug width: Integrated bracelet
Source: Database- Attachment
- integrated
- Status
- Listed in our database, not yet verified
The story · Since 1989
The story of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
In 1993 a 25-year-old designer unveiled a Royal Oak blown up to 42 mm at Basel, and Gerald Genta, who had drawn the original, accused him of killing it. A journalist named it the Beast; in the 2000s its sales outnumbered those of the Royal Oak itself.
- 1989 to 1992 A name before a watch On February 2, 1989, co-CEO Steve Urquhart relayed a request from German distributor Dierk Wettengel for a leading piece inspired by offshore powerboat racing, and Audemars Piguet registered the name Offshore on February 22, before any drawing existed.
- 1993 to 1996 The Beast meets Basel Planned for the Royal Oak's 20th birthday in 1992, the watch slipped to the 1993 Basel Fair because its case took so long to develop.
- 1995 to 1998 Gold, colour, straps, titanium Precious metals arrived in 1995; in 1996 came 30 mm ladies' models, a 38 mm medium size and the first Offshore on a leather strap.
- 1999 to 2010 Hollywood and the special editions The End of Days edition of 1999, built with Arnold Schwarzenegger, opened an era of special editions tied to film, hip-hop, basketball and more.
- 2021 to today 43 mm and tool-free straps In 2021 the 43 mm 26420 brought the in-house integrated flyback Calibre 4401 and a strap system built into the buckle and the case studs.
42 mm
Diameter of the 1993 Offshore, when the largest men's Royal Oak measured 36 mm
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42 mmDiameter of the 1993 Offshore, when the largest men's Royal Oak measured 36 mm
10,896Model 25721 watches delivered between 1993 and 2016
61Offshores delivered in launch year 1993
14,011Offshores sold in 2010, against 1,339 in 2000
Chapters
- 1989 to 1992
A name before a watch
On February 2, 1989, co-CEO Steve Urquhart relayed a request from German distributor Dierk Wettengel for a leading piece inspired by offshore powerboat racing, and Audemars Piguet registered the name Offshore on February 22, before any drawing existed. Emmanuel Gueit drew the first studies on April 19, 1989: a 42 mm case, a thick visible gasket and rubber-clad crown. A compass dial was dropped that September when Jacques Piguet suggested a chronograph.
- 1993 to 1996
The Beast meets Basel
Planned for the Royal Oak's 20th birthday in 1992, the watch slipped to the 1993 Basel Fair because its case took so long to develop. At 42 mm by 14.05 mm and CHF 16,600, twice a classic Royal Oak, it was dubbed the Beast; only 61 were delivered in 1993. Italy adopted it first.
- 1995 to 1998
Gold, colour, straps, titanium
Precious metals arrived in 1995; in 1996 came 30 mm ladies' models, a 38 mm medium size and the first Offshore on a leather strap. Coloured dials marked the Royal Oak's 25th anniversary in 1997, the year annual sales first reached 1,000, and titanium followed in 1998.
- 1999 to 2010
Hollywood and the special editions
The End of Days edition of 1999, built with Arnold Schwarzenegger, opened an era of special editions tied to film, hip-hop, basketball and more. Audemars Piguet made more than 20 Royal Oak models in the 1990s and 135 between 2000 and 2010, and by 2010 Offshore sales reached 14,011 watches against 1,339 in 2000.
- 2021 to today
43 mm and tool-free straps
In 2021 the 43 mm 26420 brought the in-house integrated flyback Calibre 4401 and a strap system built into the buckle and the case studs. For the 30th anniversary in 2023, a black ceramic Offshore on a matching ceramic bracelet nodded to the 1999 End of Days.
Worn by
Arnold SchwarzeneggerScreen1999
Bought his first Offshore in Vienna around 1995, then co-created the End of Days edition (25770SN) and wore it in the film End of Days (1999), and wore the T3 edition in Terminator 3 (2003). Several later Offshore editions funded his charities.
Alberto TombaSport1997
The Italian Olympic ski champion began wearing an Offshore in 1997 and was one of the collection's first ambassadors, appearing in its 1997 advertising.
Michael SchumacherSport2012
Seven-time Formula 1 champion, announced as an ambassador in 2010; photographed wearing his own signature Royal Oak Offshore Michael Schumacher chronograph.
Rubens BarrichelloSport2005
Brazilian Formula 1 driver with three signature Offshore editions (2005, 2006, 2008); pictured with his Royal Oak Offshore Rubens Barrichello.
LeBron JamesSport
NBA player with his own 44 mm Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph LeBron James, whose start/stop pusher is diamond set; photographed wearing it.
Moments
2012. The Royal Oak Offshore Michael Schumacher, released in October 2012 in titanium (1,000), rose gold (500) and platinum (100), carries seven stars on the tachymeter for his world titles, two blue for Benetton and five red for Ferrari. Schumacher worked on it with Audemars Piguet's artistic director Octavio Garcia.
2008. The Royal Oak Offshore Rubens Barrichello III (26284RO) was shown at the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix, Barrichello's 257th Formula 1 start, which broke Riccardo Patrese's record of 256 races; the edition was limited to exactly 257 pieces.
2007. The Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O'Neal Chronograph swapped the 2 and 3 on the dial for his jersey number 32, in 960 steel and 96 white gold pieces.
2003. Schwarzenegger wore the titanium Royal Oak Offshore T3 in Terminator 3, a film role again; the 1,000-piece edition was developed with him and carries the T3 logo on its caseback.
1999. Arnold Schwarzenegger, as detective Jericho Cane, wore a black Royal Oak Offshore in Peter Hyams' End of Days, released November 24, 1999. It was a film role: the watch was sketched with Francois-Henry Bennahmias at Schwarzenegger's Santa Monica restaurant, four pieces were made for the shoot and the 500-piece 25770SN funded the Inner City Games Foundation.
1993. At the 1993 Basel Fair agents and retailers called the oversized watch a faux pas or sacrilege and politely dubbed it the Beast, a nickname that stuck to the 25721ST.
Designed by
Emmanuel Gueitdesigner1993
Working in Audemars Piguet's design department alongside Jacqueline Dimier, he answered Steve Urquhart's brief for a Royal Oak young men would want with a 42 mm case, exposed gaskets and a rubber-clad crown, first drawn in April 1989. He kept developing it through repeated attempts to stop the project until it launched in 1993.
Octavio Garciadesign director2005
As Audemars Piguet's artistic head he designed the Formula 1 Offshore editions, bringing the classic 1993 case to the first Rubens Barrichello edition of 2005 and working with Michael Schumacher on his 2012 chronograph.
Awards
- 2007Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve · Sports Watch Prize
A second Alinghi edition, the Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team chronograph, took the same GPHG sports prize four years later.
- 2003Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve · Sports Watch Prize
The Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Dual Time, an edition tied to the Alinghi sailing team, won the GPHG sports category.
Generations and strap changes
- 2023Ref. 26238CE
30th anniversary Selfwinding Chronograph in black ceramic, 42 mm by 15.3 mm, on flyback Calibre 4404, a reference to the 1999 End of Days.
First Offshore in black ceramic with a matching ceramic bracelet.
- 2021Ref. 26420
New 43 mm generation, the first redesign since the 44 mm case, with the in-house integrated flyback Calibre 4401 and 70 hours of reserve, in steel and ceramic, titanium or pink gold.
New interchangeable strap system built into the buckle and case studs; delivered with a second strap.
- 2018Ref. 26237ST
25th anniversary re-edition of the 1993 Beast in 42 mm steel on Calibre 3126/3840, non-limited, launched at CHF 25,000.
Same case and bracelet design as 1993; the blade clasp gave way to a butterfly clasp.
- 2010Ref. 15710ST Diver
First Offshore Diver, ISO 6425 compliant, 300 m water resistance and an inner rotating dive bezel; its 2021 successor 15720ST kept the 42 mm size.
The 2021 15720ST added tool-free strap changing.
- 2003Ref. 25863TI T3
Made with Schwarzenegger for Terminator 3, this titanium chronograph with guards over crown and pushers was the largest Offshore yet made at its 2003 launch; 1,000 pieces, 750 with anthracite dial and 250 silver.
Black or brown hand-stitched leather strap with titanium buckle.
- 1999Ref. 25770SN End of Days
The first Royal Oak Offshore limited edition and the first serially produced Audemars Piguet in black PVD, 500 pieces, made with Arnold Schwarzenegger for his film End of Days.
Black Kevlar (aramid) strap with Velcro closure.
- 1993Ref. 25721ST
The first Royal Oak Offshore: steel chronograph on Calibre 2126/2840, blue Petite Tapisserie dial, 100 m water resistance and a soft iron anti-magnetic cage. The first 100 casebacks read only Royal Oak; 10,896 examples of Model 25721 were delivered between 1993 and 2016.
42 mm case on the integrated Bracelet 1000; the first 500 pieces used a double folding blade clasp.