Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Ceramic – 24601PO.OO.A018CR.02

The most desirable chronograph in the world? Probably. Rolex aside, Audemars Piguet are kings when it comes to status symbols. Take the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Ceramic – 24601PO.OO.A018CR.02. At 44 m it has serious wrist presence. It's a very good-looking, classy timepiece, immaculately crafted by one of the finest watchmakers in the world. When originally introduced in 1992 to mark the 20th anniversary of its predecessor the Royal Oak, it was a game changer for Audemars Piguet. The idea of such a large, luxury sports watch was anathema to most back then, least one that featured irregular materials such as rubber and carbon.
There's the Royal Oak and there's the Royal Oak Offshore. They're very different beasts. The former is favoured by watch geeks, masters of the universe, and avid collectors. The latter was designed after then CEO Stephen Urquhart expressed a strong desire for a Royal Oak that appealed to a younger audience. Its development was fraught with drama and a lack of confidence. It became known as 'The Beast' before it was even launched. Urquhart's instinct proved to be spot on. That much is evident when you consider its popularity amongst the jet set. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Thierry Henry, basketball legend James LeBron, Michael Schumacher and Ed Sheeran have all been photographed sporting various Royal Oak Offshore limited edition models. In a way, the Offshore lived up to its moniker. Audemars Piguet literally created a monster, a very popular one.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Ceramic 24601PO.OO.A018CR.02 stands out. It's probably the combination of petrol blue dial and platinum case with matching hand-stitched alligator bracelet secured with a folding clasp. A colour you don't often see. The whiteness of the subdials is particularly dazzling against such a dark background. The platinum case with display back instantly elevates it to the upper echelons of desirability. The instantly recognisable Audemars Piguet lettering is engraved on the caseback.
A closer look at the 'Mega Tapisserie' dial reveals a date window at 3, gold applied hour markers, and Royal Oak hour and minute hands with lume. The central seconds hand is white gold with a bold red tip. A glareproof sapphire crystal ensures visibility in all conditions. A small seconds subdial is located at 12 o'clock. There's a 12-hour dial at 6 and a 30-minute dial at 9 o'clock. Eyes to the right and you'll notice a screw-down crown and pushpieces at 2 and 4 o'clock. These are protected by platinum push guards.
The black ceramic bezel is punctuated by 8 hexagonal screws, a signature Audemars Piguet feature. The bezel flange is blue and bears the watch's tachymetric scale.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Ceramic 24601PO.OO.A018CR.02 is powered by Calibre 3126. It's made up of 365 parts, boasts 59 jewels, diamond-graved bevel bridges, beats at 3,00 Hz and has a power reserve of 50 hours. Variable inertia blocks ensure accuracy notwithstanding the activity level of the wearer. As this particular model has a display caseback you can see the magic in motion.
Like the Rolex Yacht-Master II , the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Ceramic 24601PO.OO.A018CR.02 is water resistant to 100 m. Although it's worth noting here that this is a high-end sports watch, not a regatta chronograph.
Often associated with hip hop royalty, athletes and film stars, the Royal Oak Offshore is a legend in its own right. It's a large, masculine sports watch that manages to be both rugged and beautiful, a rare combination.
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Images Credit – Officialwatches.com vedere di piu rolex fake e Breitling Super Ocean