– By Logan Baker
Audemars Piguet was one of the first high-end Swiss watchmakers to leverage the world of pop culture in both its corporate and creative strategy. The company realized in the late 1990s and early 2000s that the best way to reach a broader demographic would be to build strong relationships in Hollywood, professional sports, and other high-profile fields that attract diverse aspirational audiences.
The Royal Oak Offshore collection was pivotal in helping Audemars Piguet make that jump.
The Offshore was an extra-large extension of the Royal Oak family that created a natural platform for certain partnerships to thrive. The Offshore collection was first introduced in 1993, and it celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. It was one of Audemars Piguet’s most popular watches throughout the '90s and into the new millenium, capturing attention for its bold design that was unlike anything else coming out of Switzerland at the time.
There was no better way of calling attention to your wrist in the ‘90s and 2000s – save for a Panerai, perhaps – than with an Offshore.
Perpetual, the retail division of Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, which offers a boutique experience to clients for both the sale and purchase of fine and rare watches, recently received an unexpected triptych of fascinating Royal Oak Offshore Chronographs that all date to the early 2000s era. We’ve shown you the entire early history of the Offshore in the past, but these three watches represent something else entirely.
And what better way to celebrate 30 years of the Offshore than with a look back to the early aughts?
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger T3’ Limited Edition
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s inventory of titles and accomplishments is nearly endless, and it turns out that the bodybuilder-turned-Terminator-turned-governor is also a prolific Swiss watch industry collaborator.
Best known for working with Audemars Piguet on a Royal Oak Offshore featured in the apocalyptic 1999 flick End Of Days, Schwarzenegger teamed up with the watchmaker for a spiritual sequel in 2003. This time it was a Royal Oak Offshore that would be featured in the third film in Arnold's star-making Terminator franchise, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
This 48mm titanium behemoth of an Offshore was produced in a run of 1,000 pieces, with 750 executed in the anthracite dial color pictured here (ref. 25863TI.OO.A001CU.01), and another 250 with a silver-white dial (ref. 25863TI.00.A080CU.01).
In addition to its substantial size, Arnold and AP added a unique set of guards surrounding the three o’clock crown and chronograph pushers. The non-screw-down crown can be adjusted in its place, but the guards surrounding the chronograph pushers must be physically lifted to actuate. Their design almost resembles the shape of the safety mechanism found on a hand grenade.
The caseback of the watch, naturally, highlights the partnership between the film and Audemars Piguet, with a deep relief engraving of the Terminator 3 “T3” logo.
Given the early 2000s production timeline, the movement inside the "T3" ROO is the modular, self-winding caliber 2226/2840, which is based on a Jaeger-LeCoultre 889 ébauche with a Dubois-Dépraz chronograph module. Hacking seconds, a quick-set date (with the classic magnifying lens on the crystal!), and a 42-hour power reserve are all included.
The Perpetual Team was able to source this Offshore from its original owner and it’s in excellent condition, 20 years after its big-screen premiere. It’s available right here, right now, for £18,900.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ‘Shaquille O’Neal’ Limited Edition
Arnold wasn’t the only big man that Audemars Piguet teamed up with in the 2000s.
Five years after Terminator 3, legendary NBA center Shaquille O’Neal worked with AP on his own Royal Oak Offshore (ref. 26133ST.OO.A101CR.01) that was limited to 960 total pieces and was delivered inside a special presentation box in the shape of a basketball.
Shaq decided to use the same 48mm-diameter Offshore case as Arnold's earlier “T3” release, but the NBA legend opted for a stainless steel construction rather than lightweight titanium. There’s absolutely no forgetting when you have this Offshore strapped to the wrist.
Shaq’s Royal Oak Offshore features one unexpected twist that you might not even notice at first.
The Arabic-numeral hour markers at two and three o’clock are actually swapped to reference one of the jersey numbers worn by Shaq during his career: 32. You read that right – the dial goes 12, 1, 3, 2, 4, before reverting to standard operating procedure the rest of the way. The unusual “three” and “two” are highlighted in bright red compared to white for the rest of the numerals, as is the tachymeter scale that runs along the periphery of the dial.
The use of black and red as primary color accents is attractive and dynamic, a perfect fit for a sizeable watch like the Royal Oak Offshore. The design also references the official colorway of the Miami Heat, the NBA team that O’Neal won a championship with in 2006.
The Offshore caseback is again home to a detailed engraving, featuring an individual dunking a basketball in relief as well as “SHAQ” spelled out in big, bold letters. There are no extra crown or pusher guards here, and the pushers themselves are textured for improved grip.
The movement inside Shaq’s Royal Oak Offshore is the updated self-winding caliber 3126/3840 that AP revealed in 2007. It features upgrades from the previous-gen caliber 2226/2840 (as seen on Arnold's "T3" collab) such as a dual-anchor balance bridge, a free-sprung balance wheel, and a longer total power reserve of 55 hours. It is still a modular construction, but the base movement is now Audemars Piguet’s in-house caliber 3120 with the addition of a Dubois-Depraz chronograph module.
The example available from Perpetual comes from the collection of the original owner and includes the very-cool basketball-shaped presentation box featuring Shaq's signature. The whole package can be yours today for £17,500.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ‘Porto Cervo’ Limited Edition
The final 2000s-era Royal Oak Offshore limited edition currently available from Perpetual isn’t based on any sort of media personality or athlete. There are no unexpected gimmicks in its appearance or execution. And there’s no immediate sign that it's special or unique in any way, shape, or form.
It’s also the rarest of the three Royal Oak Offshores featured in this edition of Perpetual Picks, and – although your mileage may vary – it’s also likely the most wearable.
A limited edition of just 75 pieces created in 2008 for the Audemars Piguet boutique in Porto Cervo, an Italian seaside resort town in northern Sardinia, the Royal Oak Offshore “Porto Cervo” (ref. 26188ST.OO.D305CR.01) has a 44mm stainless steel case and a beautiful blue dial inspired by the crystal-clear water of the Mediterranean Sea, an inescapable part of the Porto Cervo lifestyle.
The movement inside is once again the upgraded caliber 3126/3840, and the caseback features a simple and bold “Porto Cervo” engraving with no additional flourishes.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore “Porto Cervo” seen here is complete with its original wooden box, Certificate of Authenticity, instruction manual, and International Guarantee. It’s available from Perpetual for £19,500.
Phillips Perpetual
Phillips PERPETUAL offers a boutique experience to clients for both the sale and purchase of fine and rare watches, in London’s Berkeley Square and the Gstaad Palace, in Switzerland.
About Logan Baker
Logan has spent the past decade reporting on every aspect of the watch business. He joined Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the start of 2023 as the department's Senior Editorial Manager. He splits his time between New York and Geneva.
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Recommended Reading
A Guide: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, The Man Who Made It, And The Watch That Honours It
The “MVP” of the Audemars Piguet Family: The Royal Oak Offshore (Video)