Audemars Piguet is privileged to announce the next generation of timepieces to their everexpanding catalogue of highly collectible watches with the creation of the Royal Oak Offshore Pride of Russia Limited Edition. In paying tribute to Russia, Audemars Piguet has recognized a country and its citizens for their remarkable contributions to the arts, culture and sciences with a commemorative timepiece that captures the country’s unique spirit and heritage.

For most westerners, Russia is a country filled with intrigue and mystery. Russia is the largest country on Earth, spanning eleven time zones and two continents, ending less than 50 miles from North America with a cultural heritage that is no less vast. One of the most notable features of present day Russia is a renewed celebration of the wealth of its past and its potential for the future. Throwing off the blanket of communist uniformity, Russia today is a nation of enormous diversity and tremendous vitality. It is as if the cultural traditions of a century ago have reawakened with a newfound strength - ancient cathedrals are being rebuilt and restored, colorful markets hum with activity once again and literature and the arts are quickly regaining the creative renown they enjoyed decades ago. A new Russia is now in full bloom and Audemars Piguet recognizes this potential in the Pride of Russia.

“Throughout its illustrious 130-year history, Audemars Piguet has proven to be the industry-leader in cutting-edge technologies. Thus, with the development of each new collection, the Manufacture continues to “raise the bar” with inventive spirit” says Georges-Henri Meylan, CEO of Audemars Piguet. “The introduction of the Pride of Russia is no exception. It takes a Company as bold as Audemars Piguet to find a way to recognize a nation as extraordinary as Russia.”

When discussing the Pride of Russia, Francois Henry Bennahmias, Audemars Piguet’s President of North America, has said that “the Russian people have developed a remarkable appreciation for luxury and quality. Their rich cultural heritage exemplifies Audemars Piguet’s core values of tradition, excellence, and creative daring. We are proud to recognize Russia with our most iconic design and expect collectors the world over regardless of nationality to embrace this remarkable timepiece.”

The Pride of Russia collection will be unveiled at a red carpet, invitation-only gala at Rasputin Nightclub in NY, on Friday, December 9th. In recognition of the occasion, there will be a live Russian “pop star group” performance entertaining the 200+ VIP’s in attendance. Food and drinks will be served in a setting created to resemble a traditional imperial banquet.

About the Russian Imperial emblem
The most prominent feature of the Pride of Russia will be visible on the watch case back where an engraving of the Imperial Russian emblem will appear, based on a version originally designed by a Swiss artist in the eighteenth century.

Russia’s national emblem came to exist in 1497 during the reign of Czar Ivan III, whom some have said was the brightest genius in Russian history prior to Peter the Great. The two-headed eagle came from Sophia Paleolog, whose uncle Constantine had been the last Byzantine emperor, as part of her dowry when she became Ivan III’s second wife. There are several interpretations of the symbolic twoheaded eagle. The most common version says that the two heads of the eagle symbolically facing east and west proclaimed Russia’s sovereignty over Europe and Asia.

The emblem went through transformations with each subsequent ruler, such as when Ivan IV (the Terrible) ordered the addition of St. George on horseback killing a serpent with his spear to the eagle’s chest. Peter the Great contributed to the emblem when he decided to the decorate the eagle’s chest with the golden chain as well as added the three crowns and join them by a ribbon. The latter addition signified the eagle a loyal soldier and embodied the unity of three nations – Russian, Ukrainian, and Belorussian.

Completing the overall case back design, each timepiece will be engraved with “Pride of Russia” around the top and “Limited Edition” around the bottom.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Pride of Russia Limited Edition features a completely new dial treatment, which gives this extreme-sports watch the look of classical refinement: the tapestry motif in the center is encircled by a polished ring with mirror like reflects; the hands in rose or white gold are skeletonized and the numerals, also in rose or white gold, applied.


Each piece will be contained in a black lacquered presentation box with dark red suede leather interior. The Russian Imperial emblem will also be emblazoned on the outside of the box.

The Pride of Russian collection will be sold exclusively at company-owned boutiques worldwide.

In the last few years, Audemars Piguet has created several limited edition timepieces with all becoming highly sought after by watch aficionados and collectors alike. The Company’s most recent collaborations include the Royal Oak Offshore Terminator 3 Chronograph co-designed by Arnold Schwarzenegger for the movie Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, the Royal Oak Offshore Juan Pablo Montoya with the famous Colombian Formula 1 racing driver as well as the Royal Oak Offshore Jay-Z 10th Anniversary Limited Edition introduced earlier this year.




Source : Audemars Piguet

www.audemarspiguet.com

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(credit europastar.com)