Manufacturer: Audemars Piguet Year: 1999 Reference No: 25721SA Movement No: 449'876 Case No: D91741 caseback further engraved 064 Model Name: Royal Oak Offshore Material: Stainless steel/18k yellow gold Calibre: Automatic, cal 2226/2840, 54 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet bracelet measuring 200mm max Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet deployant clasp Dimensions: 42mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by Audemars Piguet fitted box, Extract from the Archives, instructions manual and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
With its steel case and yellow gold bezel the present Royal Oak Offshore is one of the rarest variants ever produced.
In the early 1990s, Audemars Piguet tasked its in-house designer Emmanuel Gueit to reinvent the classic Royal Oak model and infuse it with new life and power. For years, Gueit and his team worked on a prototype and subsequently presented the final product, reference 25721, in 1993 in Basel. The result was astonishing and something completely different from what the public had ever seen before. It was shortly nicknamed “The Beast” due to what was, at the time, its astonishing 42mm case size. The launch of reference 25721 marked the beginning of the Offshore lineage. In fact, it arguably established the trend for large-size watches, which today is the complete norm.
The present example in steel with yellow gold bezel is truly a rare Beast (pun intended), the oxidation on the bezel gives an impression of a tortoise shell for a most unusual and pleasing effect.
In overall excellent condition the present Offshore is a must have due to its ultimate rarity and unusual looks.
A specialist in the manufacture of complications since it was established in 1881, Audemars Piguet never ceases to impress with a rich history of creating bold, even audacious, timepieces underpinned by traditional watchmaking at its finest. This Le Brassus-based Swiss manufacturer is one of only two major manufacturers still owned by the founding family. Since its earliest days, AP is considered a leader in the field of minute repeaters and grande complication pocket and wristwatches. The brand is devoted to preserving the history of watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux, showcased at their superb museum in Le Brassus.
Today, the brand is best known for its Royal Oak models, a revolutionary luxury sports watch launched in 1972. Other key models include early minute repeating wristwatches, vintage chronograph wristwatches, such as the oversized reference 5020, perpetual calendar watches and the Royal Oak Offshore, first introduced in 1993.