Audemars Piguet Launches Five New Designs To Celebrate 20 Years Of The Royal Oak Chronograph
It’s been an exciting year for one of the world’s most prosperous and much loved watch manufacturers. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak Chronographs first release back in 1997. Audemars Piguet has experienced phenomenal success with the popular Royal Oak collection, and in honor of the collections anniversary, they have released a variety of new designs.
The new designs are not only aesthetically pleasing, but prove that Audemars Piguets’ attempts to challenge watch-making traditions have been a success. Our favourite is the elegant and dazzling take on the classic Royal Oak design, the frosted gold Royal Oak. Audemars Piguet partnered with Carolina Bucci, a renowned Italian jewellery designer, to re-create a beautiful shimmering frost effect on the surface of the Royal Oak dial and bracelet, by following an ancient gold hammering process known as the ‘Florentine’ technique. The irresistibly graceful design is available in both 18-carat rose and white gold.
The Swiss company, which remains the oldest private fine watchmaking manufacturer never to have left the hands of its founding families, obtains an extremely large and loyal following including well-known actors, musicians and sports men and women like Patrick Dempsey, Jay-Z, Frank Lampard and Usher. But without further ado, here are the new spectacular 2017 designs.
Royal Oak Frosted White Gold 37 (Ref. #15454BC.GG.1259BC.01)
(Versions: 18-carat rose gold 33mm and 37mm, 18-carat white gold 33mm and 37mm)
Credit: Audemars Piguet
- Mechanism: Self-winding
- Case width: 37mm Case thickness: 9.8mm
- Power reserve of 60 hours
- Calibre 3120
- Waterproof up to 50m
- Rhodium-toned dial with the iconic AP “Grande Tapisserie” pattern, white gold applied hour-markers and hands with luminescent coating
- Hammered 18-carat white gold case, glare proof sapphire crystal and case back and screw-locked crown
- Hammered 18-carat white gold bracelet with AP folding clasp
- Date indicator at 3 o’clock
Millenary Hand-wound White Gold (Ref. 77248BC.ZZ.A111CR.01)
(Versions: 18-carat rose gold with shimmering brown strap, 18-carat white gold with shimmering beige or shimmering dark grey strap)
Credit: Audemars Piguet
- Mechanism: Hand-wound
- Case width: 39.5mm Case thickness: 9.8mm
- Power reserve of 49 hours
- Calibre 5201
- Waterproof up to 20m
- 18-carat white gold case, set entirely with diamonds, glare proof sapphire crystal and case back, crown set with a blue cabochon sapphire
- Diamond-paved white gold off-centred disc, anthracite Roman numerals, white mother-of-pearl small seconds counter with diamond-set ring, and blue coloured gold hands
- Large pearly dark grey alligator strap with diamond-set 18-carat white gold pin buckle (also comes with a spare black alligator strap)
- 438 brilliant-cut diamonds; 1.93 carats (case and buckle) 0.26 carats (dial)
Royal Oak Chronograph with leather strap in Rose Gold (Ref. #26331OR.OO.D315CR.01)
(Versions: 18-carat rose gold chocolate dial and chocolate strap, blue dial and blue strap)
Credit: Audemars Piguet
- Mechanism: Self-winding
- Case width: 41mm Case thickness: 11mm
- Power Reserve of 40 hours
- Calibre 2385
- Waterproof up to 50m
- 18-carat rose gold case, glare proofed sapphire crystal and screw-locked crown
- Sharper take on the two-tone “Grande Tapisserie” patterned dial
- Larger rose gold chronograph counters and hour markers for better readability and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating
- Blue hand-stitched alligator strap with 18-carat rose gold AP folding clasp
Royal Oak Offshore Diver (Ref. #15710ST.OO.A051CA.01)
(Versions: White, blue, green, yellow, orange colour)
Credit: Audemars Piguet
- Mechanism: Self-winding
- Non-chronograph
- Case width: 42mm Case thickness: 14.1mm
- Power Reserve of 60 hours
- Calibre 3120
- Waterproof up to 300m
- Stainless steel case, glare proof sapphire crystal and case back, blue rubber-clad screw-locked crowns
- Features the iconic “Mega Tapisserie” checkerboard patterned dial in a striking acid yellow, and a contrasting blue rotating inner bezel
- White gold applied hour-markers and hands with luminescent coating, blue rotating inner bezel with diving scale and zone from 60 to 15 minutes in yellow
- Perfect-fit diving rubber yellow strap with stainless steel pin buckle (and a spare blue rubber diving strap)
Did the new unique designs entice you? If so, why not browse through Luxe Watches selection of Audemars Piguet here.