Credits: Article and images by Alexey Kutkovoy @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/12/15/30th-anniversary-of-the-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-offshore-complications-from-start-to-finish-well-almost/
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2013: Royal Oak Offshore Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 26209PT.OO.D305CR.01, platinum, limited edition of 10 pieces
2013: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in platinum
The lack of a newer caliber was hardly noticeable, however, as the watch was given a solid, second-generation ROO caseback with a medallion in the center embossed with the Royal Oak Offshore logo.
Unlike the original, non-limited versions of reference 25854, the 26209 edition was limited. This applies to all three versions: Ref. 26209PT.OO.D305CR.01 in platinum with a blue dial (10 pieces), Ref. 26209OR.OO.D101CR.01 in rose gold with a black dial (25 pieces) and Ref. 26209TI.OO.D101CR.01 in titanium with a black dial (35 pieces).
As we can see, this triple edition is even rarer than the 25854, and this watch is almost impossible to find on the market.
It is also known that in 2013, the Ref. 26214ST.OO.1150ST.01 ‘Pour Rocco’ was produced as a one-off in stainless steel with a black dial.
2003: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Commemorative Edition
2005: Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Polaris Limited Edition Ref. 26040ST.OO.D002CA.01, steel, diameter 42 mm, platinum bezel, automatic movement, limited edition of 2000 pieces
2005: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore-Alinghi Polaris Ref 26040ST (photo courtesy Sotheby’s)
After gaining experience with calendar and GMT complications in the early 2000s, the company’s management apparently decided that the chronograph function was still the most important for ROO. Perhaps this is why, in addition to the standard self-winding 2126/2840 chronograph movement and its clones, two special versions of chronograph movements were developed at the time, which appeared in special editions launched in collaboration with the Alinghi yacht team.
The focus was on the function of a regatta chronograph enabling timekeeping during a regatta and especially at the start. The first version, the automatic caliber 2326/2847 (based on the Jaeger-LeCoultre 896), had a flyback chronograph function that could be used to quickly restart timekeeping.
The movement also had an additional central 10-minute counter, which was intended for timekeeping at the pre-start of a regatta.
The ROO Alinghi Polaris watches equipped with this caliber were fitted with an inner dial bezel. This technical development, which was carried out at the time, was most likely also intended for the ROO Scuba (later ROO Diver) line, the first examples of which also appeared in 2005.
In the ROO Alinghi Polaris, which was also launched in 2005, this scale served a dual purpose: together with a dive timer, it could be used as a solar compass – that is why the cardinal points were marked on the scale.
As with the ROO Scuba/Diver, this scale was also turned with the crown at the 10 o’clock position. The ROO Alinghi Polaris was produced in a limited edition of 2000 pieces (Ref. 26040ST), and in 2007 a special Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Polaris ‘Team Watch’ Ref. 26074ST.OO.D002CA.01 was produced in an edition of 40 pieces for the members of the Alinghi team who were defending the America’s Cup that year.
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Credits: Article and images by Alexey Kutkovoy @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/12/15/30th-anniversary-of-the-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-offshore-complications-from-start-to-finish-well-almost/
