ffshore” was a name and a concept before it was a watch. Dierk Wettengel, who ran the German market for Audemars Piguet, is credited by the company for suggesting a watch tie-in to the exciting world of powerboat racing. A trend-spotter like his Italian counterpart Carlo de Marchi, who had urged the company to create the original Royal Oak in 1972, Wettengel saw the opportunity for a “leading piece for the 1990s” inspired by the large and bold boats from brands like Cigarette. Audemars Piguet had been involved in the sport since the mid-1980s, sponsoring racing boats alongside brands like Corum and Paul Picot. Co-CEO Steve Urquhart agreed to register the Offshore brand in February 1989, before any design work had started.

The new 42 mm Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph, Ref. 26238CE, is the true successor to the 1993 original, updated with the new Cal. 4404 flyback movement. But this new reference also includes details drawn from the 30-year history of the model, with a blacked-out look like the End of Days limited edition and ceramic case. This model will certainly appeal to collectors thanks to its classic Royal Oak Offshore case and button pushers.

This 1986 article shows the inspiration for the Offshore brand: Audemars Piguet sponsored this Di Luca-Zocchi craft in the World Off-shore Racing Championships. These racing boats were big, bold, and vivid, just like the eventual Royal Oak Offshore line!

©Europa Star Archives 1986

Urquhart assigned the project to Emmanuel Gueit, a young designer full of fresh ideas. On the last day of the 1989 Basel Fair, joint CEOs Georges-Henri Meylan and Urquhart showed a set of concept paintings by Emmanuel Gueit of a truly outrageous watch: Massively over-sized at 42 mm across and 16 mm thick, it looked like a Royal Oak on steroids. This very first concept included signature Offshore elements: Exposed gaskets and colorful rubber-coated crowns. Although the magnetic compass subdial did not make production, it is clear that sports-watch complications were part of the formula from the very beginning. Acceptance of this audacious design took a while, and development of the production watch even longer, but the Royal Oak Offshore was ultimately launched in 1993.

The first glimpse of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in the Europa Star archives is an understated mention as part of our coverage of Basel 93. This was the first chronograph to wear the Royal Oak name, and this was the focus rather than the size or styling.

©Europa Star Archives 1993

A follow-on report in the next issue calls attention to “this most masculine of watches” while noting the unmistakable elegance and hand finishing worthy of an Audemars Piguet. The anti-magnetic inner case was overlooked in the initial press release and thus was not mentioned here.

©Europa Star Archives 1993

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak pioneered the use of stainless steel in fine luxury watches, and this 1995 article astutely makes the connection between that original watch and the new Royal Oak Offshore.

©Europa Star Archives 1995

The bold Royal Oak Offshore was soon found on the wrist of leading athletes like bold skier Alberto Tomba and single-minded golfer Nick Faldo, while brilliant and provocative chess grandmaster Gary Kasparov would take off his Royal Oak Chronograph when he knew he had his opponent cornered.

©Europa Star Archives 1997

Legendary designer Gérald Genta, creator of the original Royal Oak, called it a “sea elephant” and exclaimed "You have spoilt my watch, you’re a murderer!” But younger buyers, particularly in Italy, instantly took to the Royal Oak Offshore, proving that it was exactly the new design trend Urquhart sought. Despite the initial controversy, the Offshore gradually gained commercial traction as buyers in the United States and Germany caught on.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak started the luxury steel sports watch trend, but it was not until the launch of the Royal Oak Offshore line that the lineup included a chronograph. Although designed with the Frédéric Piguet Cal. FP 1185 in mind, the 42 mm Offshore was launched with a large Dubois Dépraz chronograph module that better fit the large case. This left the smaller movement to be used in the standard Royal Oak Chronograph, launched in 1997 alongside a tourbillon and Grande Complication to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that model.

After three years as a single model, the Royal Oak Offshore became a true product line in 1996 with six new references announced. Given that the Offshore was intended to be a large, complicated watch for men, it is surprising that the collection expanded so quickly to cater to a wider audience. References 79290 and 77151 were designed specifically for women, with smaller 30 mm cases and the simple time-and-date Cal. 2140. The mid-size 38 mm models used Cal. 2127/2827, which included a complete calendar with day and month aperture displays and a peripheral date indication. And the 42 mm model was now offered with a leather strap. All three watches seemingly contradicted the mission of the Royal Oak Offshore due to their size, classic complication, and lack of a bracelet, yet they retained the bold sports styling and appealed to the same audience.

Although it represented a small proportion of Audemars Piguet’s production, it was obvious that the Royal Oak Offshore was a trend-setter. 1996 saw the launch of a 30 mm model for women and a 38 mm complete calendar model that quickly became the sales leader.

©Europa Star Archives 1997

Sales of the Royal Oak Offshore surpassed the 1,000 mark in 1997 as the line continued to expand. This year saw the introduction of new complications, including a perpetual calendar and world time, as well as gemsetting and vibrant color variations designed by Emmanuel Gueit to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Royal Oak. This expansion and diversification of models played a pivotal role in propelling the Royal Oak Offshore to new heights, especially with the introduction of titanium models the following year.

In 1997, Audemars Piguet celebrated the 25th anniversary of the groundbreaking Royal Oak with a cornucopia of colorful Offshore models. The eye-catching colored dials and straps were an immediate hit, complementing the bold styling of the watch. Colorful dials and straps became a signature of the Offshore line and set another trend for the rest of the industry to follow.

©Europa Star Archives 1997

The new 43 mm Royal Oak Offshore line features an ergonomic ceramic case and pushers reminiscent of the crown protectors on the original. This black ceramic Selfwinding Chronograph with blue highlights (Ref. 26420CE) is a perfect example of the modern line, remixing and highlighting the classic Offshore elements in a modern way.

The Royal Oak Offshore has long been a platform for collaboration with stars of film, music, and sports. This began in the autumn of 1997, when actor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the Audemars Piguet museum in Le Brassus alongside young salesman François-Henry Bennahmias. This would prove a pivotal movement for the Offshore line, as it initiated a series of limited edition charitable collaborations between Schwarzenegger and Audemars Piguet. The actor connected with the spirit of the Offshore collection, having acquired his first example two years prior. This visit resulted in the creation of the iconic Royal Oak Offshore End of Days (Ref. 25770SN), with a striking blacked-out design and a Kevlar and Velcro strap. The watch, combining ruggedness and technology, appeared on Schwarzenegger’s wrist in his 1999 film “End of Days.” Bennahmias’ connections and creativity were rewarded when he was named CEO in 2012, a position he held until this year.

Inspired by actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, the End of Days special edition was a hyper-masculine counterpoint to the bold and colorful Royal Oak Offshore lineup. The black PVD case and textile strap and bright yellow hands and numerals told the world it was ready for anything.

©Europa Star Archives 2000

The new Ref. 26420CE pays homage to the groundbreaking End of Days model with yellow-on-black details and a textile strap. But the new model features the in-house Cal. 4401 with a balanced three-register dial and flyback function.

A decade after the introduction of the End of Days edition, Audemars Piguet was committed to the idea of collaboration with famous athletes and entertainers. This 2007 collaboration with basketball star Shaquille O’Neal is typical of these collaborations as well as the look of the Royal Oak Offshore line 15 years in. It features the “Méga Tapisserie” dial, a coordinated strap and dial, and rectangular pushers similar to the newest references.

©Europa Star Archives 2007

In 2022, Audemars Piguet introduced the “Royal Oak Offshore Music Edition,” with styling references to the world of music production, including a VU meter design on the dial and slider-style crown guards. The line now includes a 37 mm reference in black ceramic, accentuating these features.

Audemars Piguet’s combination of materials began with the steel and rubber original but quickly expanded to include titanium, ceramic, as well as precious metals and gemstones. Regardless of the material, buyers can count on boldness and contrast in any Royal Oak Offshore model, not to mention a commitment to ruggedness and complications.

This 2003 feature shows the Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi model, appropriately named for the groundbreaking sailing team, the first to win the America’s Cup on its debut in the sport that year. The coverage also features competing sports watches from Bulgari and Panerai that reflect the trends that inspired the original 20 years earlier.

©Europa Star Archives 2003

The 2003 rubber-clad Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph exemplifies the model line’s contrasting materials. The rubber bezel and matching strap contrast with the pink gold case, combining sports and style.

©Europa Star Archives 2003

In 2007, Dona Bertarelli Späth took part in her first Decision 35 Trophy championship with an all-female team. Her boat was called Ladycat, and Audemars Piguet commemorated the success of these inspiring athletes with a Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in her distinctive fuchsia and black livery. The diamond-set bezel and rubber strap proclaim the model’s heritage.

©Europa Star Archives 2008

Today’s 37 mm Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph line continues Audemars Piguet’s commitment to offering dazzling Royal Oak Offshore models for those with smaller wrists. The yellow gold and blue theme is reflected in the diamond bezel.

Audemars Piguet has historically specialized in complications of the highest order. The Royal Oak Offshore line was conceived as a complicated watch, and the Le Brassus watchmakers have produced a dizzying assortment of functions over the last three decades. As the signature sports complication, many Royal Oak Offshore models feature a chronograph, but date and time displays are just as common. At the highest level, Audemars Piguet has equipped Offshore watches with nearly every technical feature, including a tourbillon and a Grande Complication.

The Royal Oak Offshore Grande Complication is a remarkable achievement. The 44 mm titanium and ceramic case is mounted on a rubber strap in true Offshore style, but this watch features an automatic minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph, and perpetual calendar.

©Europa Star Archives 2012

Audemars Piguet celebrated a quarter century of the model with the remarkable Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph Special Edition 25th Anniversary in 2017. It was an evolution of the previous Tourbillon Chronograph model with an entirely new structure displaying the entire movement, including the fine tourbillon at 9.

©Europa Star Archives 2017

Today’s Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph model moves the tourbillon to 6 inside a sturdy semi-openworked frame. The latest example of Ref. 26622CE boasts a striking olive green and black combination.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore has always been big, bold, and complicated. For three decades the original Offshore concept has shown that it is possible to combine exotic and familiar materials and features in an eye-catching way while still remaining true to Swiss watchmaking traditions. The original watch became a full range of diverse models for anyone wanting to stand out from the crowd, and this has attracted both celebrities and connoisseurs around the world. As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Royal Oak Offshore, we see how Audemars Piguet has woven this rich history into a range of watches that continue to explore new design ideas.