If you’re an Audemars Piguet fan, the Royal Oak offshore must hold a special place in your heart. Ceramic watches are known for being tough, scratch-resistant, durable, and heat-resistant. All who recognize this will probably be reaching for their wallets with the introduction of two new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph timepieces with ceramic finishes.
The new watches highlight the brand’s fusion of industrial innovation with artisanal finishing, offering an avant-garde aesthetic that is bold and refined. While you could take a casual look at these watches and say they’re just regular Royal Oak models, the resilience of ceramic makes a significant enough difference.
The first has a striking contrast with black ceramic and green ceramic accents, while the other is an all-black monochromatic display of elegance with an integrated ceramic bracelet.
The first model is 43 mm in diameter. Its bold three-tone design includes a dial finished in a dark green PVD-treated Méga Tapisserie pattern, silver-toned luminescent 18-carat white gold hands and hour markers, and a black ceramic case. It comes with a dark green textured leather strap and an interchangeable black rubber strap that ensures versatility between a bold statement and a more understated look.
The second measures 42 mm, with an all-black case and bracelet (except for the steel hexagonal screws on the bezel and the subtle AP monogram offering a subtle contrast).
The black Méga Tapisserie dial, inner bezel, and snailed chronograph counters create a uniform, stealth-like aesthetic, while blackened 18-carat white gold hands and baton hour markers - filled with grey luminescence - maintain legibility.
Both watches are powered by Audemars Piguet’s latest-generation self-winding chronograph movements. The 43 mm model houses the Calibre 4401, while the 42 mm model features the Calibre 4404. Both movements have a flyback chronograph function that allows instantaneous resetting and restarting without a need to stop the chronograph.
The column wheel and vertical clutch system ensure seamless operation with no hand jumping, while the patented zero-reset mechanism guarantees perfect precision when returning the chronograph hands to zero.
Viewed through the sapphire caseback, the movements display exquisite finishing, including the always alluring Côtes de Genève, circular and sunray brushing, polished chamfers, and a 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight (rendered in dark grey in the 43 mm model).
Building ceramic components is a demanding process in watchmaking and requires high-precision machining and specialized techniques to achieve the perfect hue and finish. Audemars Piguet draws similarities between this process and that used by a skilled chef to control the proportions of ingredients for a perfect dish.
Putting it in simple terms, Audemars Piguet carefully controls the blending of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) with color pigments and binder content before subjecting it to sintering at over 1,400°C to achieve a rich, even coloration.
The material then undergoes a labor-intensive hand-finishing process. The process mirrors the techniques used for precious metals, where artisans apply alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces to emphasize the signature Royal Oak Offshore look.
Die-hard Royal Oak Offshore fans may not need much convincing to make a purchase. It’s more of a question of how many AP pieces they want to own. More neutral watch fans should consider making room in their watch winders for one of these beautiful timepieces.
