Marking a new era for the acclaimed Le Brassus based manufacturer Audemars Piguet, the Royal Oak was launched in 1972, being the very first luxury sports wristwatch with an integrated bracelet. Designed by industry genius Gerald Genta, the model was the first of its kind featuring a monobloc hexagonal case with naked screws securing the bezel. With an inspiration coming from the porthole of a ship, the Royal Oak was introduced as a new chapter with a modern, larger and masculine appeal in 1993 with the release of the Royal Oak Offshore, featuring a chronograph and date function with an enlarged 42mm diameter case, earning its nickname “The Beast”.

The present Royal Oak Offshore features more than just a chronograph but also a perpetual calendar function. Delivered with an Audemars Piguet Extract from the Archives confirming its date of register in 2003 with a case composed of grade 2 titanium, the present watch retains its strong masculine appeal with a significantly reduced weight on the wrist. Preserved in attractive overall condition and boasting an unpolished case with crisp case edges and bevels, the present example fitted with a white “tappiserie” dial is certainly a desirable iteration of the much loved and famed Royal Oak Offshore.