The manly Royal Oak Offshore received a well-deserved day in the sun this year, when Audemars Piguet unveiled six new iterations with black ceramic push-pieces and crown in stainless steel or rose-gold. While the timepieces maintain the original 42 mm size of 1993, a size that appeared huge at the time, this noticeably streamlined collection is distinguished by a more technical, sculpted aesthetic, as evident in the pushpin guards, crown and push-pieces, resized to create a more contemporary look.

As per the signature of the Royal Oak Offshore collection, eight polished steel hexagonal screws secure the satin-brushed and polished bezel; while dials feature the trademark Mega Tapisserie pattern. Newly refined hour markers and facetted hands combined with polished decorative fillets surrounding the hour-markers and date windows get the benefit of a luminescent coating to enhance readability.

Fans of this beloved watch will be pleased to find enhancements from the original models and be mesmerised by the view of the self-winding manufacture Calibre 3126/3840 beating at 3Hz (21,600 vph) with its engraved 22-carat gold oscillating mass visible through its sapphire crystal case back.

The six pieces in the collection comprise of four in steel and two in rose gold. The steel case can be paired with a navy and white, black and red, grey-on-grey, or ‘Safari’ dials. The rose gold models both feature rose gold dials with black accents, but owners have the choice between a black alligator strap and a solid rose-gold bracelet (prices upon request). All straps feature tang buckles instead of the deployant clasps found on the previous Offshores to ensure greater comfort and ease of use. Savants might say that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, but the Royal Oak Offshore is not one to follow the rules.