Audemars Piguet has given the Royal Oak Offshore the ceramic treatment for the first time in its new 42 mm Selfwinding Flyback Chronograph – Just in time for its 30th Birthday.
Black on black on black. This is how I describe the new Royal Oak Offshore Ceramic Flyback Chronograph – a first for its kind for the Offshore line and a great 30th Birthday present to its fans. The 42 mm case houses its Petite Tapisserie dial, and behind this, the Calibre 4404, Audemars Piguet’s integrated chronograph movement with a flyback function. Oh, and did I mention it’s all black?
This is the first time that ceramic has been used on the Offshore line, joining a great line-up of other materials the Maison has used in the past, such as gold, titanium, steel and forged carbon. Arguably a much harder material to craft differentiating surfaces across the case, the craftsmen of the Manufacture met a triple challenge. The first was to achieve the highest standards of quality and finishing demanded by Audemars Piguet. The second was to master ceramic perfectly, which is particularly challenging to work with due to its extreme hardness. And finally, to marry the complex lines of the Royal Oak Offshore case with alternating polished and satin finishing.
The exact composition of the material is a closely guarded secret, but what we do know is that it is partly made of zirconium oxide powder that is combined with a specific binder. Its homogeneous colour only appears once the material is sintered at temperatures in excess of 1,000C. I’m not a chemist or a scientist, so I’m going to have to take their word on this.
Each component is then pre-polished and pre-satin finished. Lines, angles and bezels are meticulously finished by hand to obtain the alternating polished and satin surfaces that are the Manufacture’s signature style. This demanding work reveals the uniqueness of the material and its colour, exploiting all the subtleties of the material. When working with a singular material in a monochromatic colour scheme, being able to tease out the different surfaces to give all the elements of the case differing looks and subtle nuances is important.
Ceramic is also used for the push-pieces at 2 and 4 o’clock that operate the chronograph, as well as for the screw-locked crown at 3 o’clock. Only the eight white gold screws attaching the bezel to the case stand out, along with the eight luminescent applied hour-markers that punctuate the hours and the titanium caseback.
Looking Under The Hood
This new black ceramic Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph is equipped with the latest integrated automatic chronograph, Calibre 4404, featuring a column wheel and flyback function that, unlike a traditional chronograph, allows it to be restarted without having to first stop and reset it. The column wheel has a vertical clutch designed to allow smooth pressure on each push-piece. When the chronograph is started or stopped, the hands immediately start moving without any delay or unexpected jumps. A patented reset mechanism also ensures that each chronograph hand instantly returns to its vertical starting position.
The sapphire and titanium caseback allows the wearer to admire the operation of the chronograph’s column wheel below. When the reset push-piece is pressed, the hammers, directed by a lever, strike the central cam to reset the chronograph wheels and set the hands to zero. The wearer can also admire the 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight that has been engraved with the initials AP, echoing the historical versions of the Royal Oak Offshore. The movement also features refined finishes such as Côtes de Genève, circular graining, circular satin finishing and polished bevels.
A Continuation Of A Legacy
This new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph is being released for the collection’s 30th anniversary, which saw its first model presented in 1993. Its various models have never ceased to evolve in terms of the movements, materials, finishings and dials used.
Extending the use of monochrome ceramic to the entirety of the case and reinforcing the presence of the Petite Tapisserie pattern that decorates only three of the current Royal Oak Offshore models, this new reference offers a contemporary and sober tribute to the collection.
Reference: 26238CE.OO.1300CE.01
Specification
- Case: 42 mm, 15.3 mm thick
- Material: push-pieces, push-piece guards and screw-locked crown in black ceramic
- Dial: Black dial with Petite Tapisserie pattern, black counters, applied hour-markers, white gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating and black inner bezel.
- Crystal: Glareproofed sapphire crystal
- Caseback: Titanium and sapphire crystal
- Water resistance: 100 metres with a screw-lock crown
- Movement: Self-winding Calibre 4404 with 40 Jewels & vibrating at 4Hz (28,800 VPH)
- Power reserve: 70 Hours
- Bracelet: Black ceramic bracelet with titanium AP folding clasp
