Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Blue Dial Review

In September 2021, Audemars Piguet introduced two new models to its Imperial Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph line-up. Decked out in lite bluish or khaki, in that location are enough of novelties on the dial and in the strap section, but above all, the big news is the incorporation of Audemars Piguet'due south latest automated flyback chronograph movement, calibre 4404. Equally e'er, information technology's the characteristic mix of sporty toughness with refined details that has made the Royal Oak Offshore ane of the about coveted watches in the luxury sports watch marketplace.

With sizes ranging from 37mm all the way upwards to a whopping 45mm for the impressive ROO Tourbillon Chronograph, the Imperial Oak Offshore is a well-represented collection with everything from a Grande Complication to bejewelled chronographs and 300m h2o-resistant divers.

Regardless of size, the dynamic architecture of the ROO is what lends this watch its sporty, virile presence, a watch that received the nickname "The Animate being" when it was unveiled at Baselworld 1993. Similar the Royal Oak of 1972, the Royal Oak Offshore of 1993 (ref. 25721ST) was as daring and defiant a proposal as Gérald Genta's creation, the watch that launched the concept of the luxury sports watch. Measuring a jumbo 42mm, the ROO was an oversized, ripped lookout man bristling with textures and bold combinations of materials. As an offshoot of Genta's iconic Royal Oak, the ROO paid homage to the legend with hallmark pattern features like the raised octagonal bezel and exposed screws, the guilloché tapisserie dial, the integrated bracelet and the overall industrial design mood. Notwithstanding, the ROO was beefier and bolder than the RO and rigged with materials not associated with high-end watchmaking. Beyond its enormous proportions, what shocked many conservative sentry lovers was the daring "deconstructed" exposure of the black rubber gasket between the instance and the bezel and rubber capsule the chronograph pushers and crown. Revisited in 2018 for its 25^th anniversary and again in 2021, "The Beast" no longer provokes such radical reactions and has become a stable member of AP'due south portfolio.

authentication Royal Oak Offshore Example

Available in either stainless steel (blue dial) or ultra-resistant titanium (khaki), the case is hallmark ROO with a black rubber screw-down crown, gasket, and push-pieces. Similar to the original, the bore is 42mm, the height is 15.2mm, and the pushers are round and flanked past sturdy angular guards. The mighty raised octagonal bezel and example brandish a sporty satin-brushed finishing contrasting with the 8 polished and aligned 18k white gilt screws and the polished bevels. Fitted with a glare-proofed sapphire crystal over the punch and caseback, the water-resistance is 100m.

Spot the difference

Where we do brainstorm to notice subtle changes is on the punch. As a brand that does not shy away from colour – see this electric blueish ceramic ROO or this frosted gold RO model with a wild purple dial – the choice of khaki for the titanium is not radical, but the light blue model with orange and black sub-dials certainly stands out.

Both dials are decorated with AP's "Mega Tapisserie", the larger squared blueprint of the Regal Oak Offshore line, differing from the smaller and tighter "Petite Tapisserie" from vintage models and "Grande Tapisserie" that falls between the two. The khaki greenish Mega Tapisserie background hosts silver-toned counters with black printed markings, while the blue dial hosts black counters with orangish and white markings. The white golden Arabic numerals, hr markers and Regal Oak easily are all treated with luminescence. A  tachymeter calibration, in matching khaki color with white markings for the khaki model, and black with white and orange markings for the blueish model, is displayed on the internal flange. And then far, nothing exceptionally different.

Hang on; something has changed with the vertical counter display. Beady-eyed ROO fans volition immediately have noticed that the position of the 12-hour chronograph counter and the running seconds have switched places, significant the 12-hour counter is now at apex and the seconds are at 6 o'clock. A good decision that not merely enhances the legibility of the chronograph functions but likewise relocates the small seconds to its more traditional 6 o'clock position.

But there is more, and it will take a very trained eye to spot this difference. Compared to the previous 42mm Majestic Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph, the counters are now equidistant to the center, adding more balance to the dial. If you lot're non convinced, look at how the practical alphabetize at 12 o'clock is truncated, matching the size of the index at 6 o'clock. In the Bucherer model, the top alphabetize is larger than the bottom index.

Moving to the right side of the dial, you will notice that the practical AP logo is no longer accompanied by the brand proper noun spelt out in full and that the date window has been fitted with a magnifying glass straight integrated into the punch.

Calibre 4404

However, the biggest and evidently most of import novelty is the incorporation of Audemars Piguet's new automatic integrated chronograph calibre 4404. First introduced in Code 11.59, the calibre 44xx is a modern, technically advanced motility that initially came with a classic 3-six-9 layout. In gild to retain the signature six-ix-12 display, it had to exist adjusted. Other than that, the specifications are familiar. We're looking at a self-winding chronograph movement with a column cycle and vertical clutch, too as a flyback function that lets you stop, reset and starting time the chronograph in one simple action. The activation of the pushers is smoothen, and a patented nada resetting mechanism ensures that the hands of the chronograph counters instantaneously reset to zero.

This large 32mm diameter 433-function move is visible through the caseback, including the reset mechanism with three aligned hammers. The decoration features straight and circular satin brushing, Geneva stripes, perlage on both sides and large polished chamfers. Running at a 4Hz frequency, it packs 70 hours of power reserve and is wound by a 22k pinkish gold oscillating weight.

Interchangeable straps

Both models are fitted with Audemars Piguet'southward new interchangeable strap system. By only clicking the pushers on the contrary side of the example, the strap is released. The lite blueish and khaki models come with a textured rubber strap to match the dial color and are delivered with an boosted black calfskin leather strap. Information technology'due south clever how design touches like the indented channels on the safety strap that taper from the lugs produce an 'integrated' outcome that is even more marked with the bracelet pick that seems to menses seamlessly from the two lug attachments. The website has a configurator to view the lookout man with dissimilar strap options, including the titanium or steel bracelet with a folding clasp.

Price

The ii references of the Audemars Piguet Purple Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42mm (26238TI.OO.A056CA.01 khaki and 26238ST.OO.A340CA.01 blue) retail for EUR 33,000.

For more information, delight visit Audemars Piguet'sofficial website.

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