MichaelC
[AP Moderator]
18826
Initial thoughts on the AP Royal Oak Offshore QEII
One new Audemars Piguet watch has been on my radar since it was shown earlier in the year - the QEII Cup 2014 Limited Edition Offshore. I took delivery of it yesterday, somewhat of a surprise, as I had recently been told it would be pushed out a bit further. Nonetheless, wonderful timing to be thankful for.
Starting with a topic we touched on previously, what does a "dive" watch have to do with a horse race? Frankly, nothing. But created as a luxury timepiece by the brand that sponsors the race, I understand the brilliance of this design. I have no personal affiliation or primary interest in horse racing, and my desire to own this watch is simply for the unique appearance and materials it offers.
Tantalum. A chemical element founded in 1802 in Sweden. It has an extremely high melting point and is mostly corrosion resistant. Its unique grey-blue color makes it an interesting choice as a material for a watch case. Used here by AP in conjunction with 18-carat pink gold and grey colors, it makes for an extremely luscious and rich look.
The metal is noticeably darker than titanium. AP's typical brushstrokes in the metal come across a bit subdued with this material. We have seen steel come alive with this high end finish, but the tantalum translates much darker. It is a very unique look and makes it different than other AP watches. The slight tinge of blue is quite complimentary of the pink gold.
Black rubber surrounds the gold crowns at 3 and 10 (the crown at 10 of course serves as the operating mechanism for the inner rotating bezel). We also see black on the inner bezel's minute track between 0 and 15 and as the color of the date disc. Lastly, in another very unique application, the minute hand is coated in black, contrasting with the pink gold hour hand and indices marking each hour.
On the wrist, you understand how heavy tantalum is. In 2007, I held the Royal Oak Offshore Orchard Road and was astounded with its heft. It was a feeling I really enjoyed and one I hoped to someday experience on a regular basis. This QEII watch is fitted with an open caseback, and given the thickness of the Diver's caseback in general, there is definitely a weight savings here in comparison to the Orchard Road Offshore. But this is still a very heavy watch. Some won't like that sensation, but it is safe to say that most will agree you are handling a watch of utter quality with this QEII.
I consider this palette more of a tradition 2-tone scheme, and I have never owned such a watch. We see the paring of other modern materials like ceramic and steel, rubber and titanium, etc. But gold atop of metal can feel somewhat dated. I do not find that the case with this Offshore Diver. It is utterly exciting to wear.
I will surely come back to this watch and offer better photos. A point to capture is the finely finished grey alligator strap. Matt sheen with white stitching; it is the perfect match for the watch.
The one negative to this piece is the supplied buckle. It is brushed titanium. The perfect choice would be 18-carat pink gold. Given the investment one makes when purchasing an Audemars Piguet watch, I would personally prefer to pay a little more up front and have this detail correctly executed. Gold would complete the package which otherwise is superbly executed.
I made a nice discovery to temporarily solve this problem. I have a sand blasted titanium buckle I had purchased and worn when I owned the Jarno Trulli Offshore. It is a much darker tone than the brushed titanium, and closely matches the dial color. It will also allow me to place the brushed buckle on my RB2 Offshore, and that will be a nice detail to complete that piece.
More to follow on this special AP Royal Oak Offshore QEII. For now, a time to be thankful and grateful. I have worked more hours in 2014 than any other year in my life - a certain aspect of developing your own business as I suspect many fellow PuristS know well. I'm not sure I have ever seen a watch as a reward so to speak, but this particular AP does give a great feeling to me.
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Initial thoughts on the AP Royal Oak Offshore QEII
One new Audemars Piguet watch has been on my radar since it was shown earlier in the year - the QEII Cup 2014 Limited Edition Offshore. I took delivery of it yesterday, somewhat of a surprise, as I had recently been told it would be pushed out a bit furth...
Congrats...
Hi Michael, Congratulations on your new pick up. I received my delivery of this same piece a couple of weeks ago after eyeing it up for quite a while. Its a beautiful watch in the flesh for sure and I totally agree regarding the buckle. Unfortunately the ...
Glad you got to try it Jav
The weight is very substantial as you know. I do not have a huge wrist but it is rather flat and holds this monster OK.
An attractive watch, no doubt.
The only issue I do not fully understand is the RG bezel. I have noticed with RO that the bezel is a real scratch magnet and gold is a very soft material. But it looks good. Best and happy Thanksgiving, Kari
Thanks Kari. The gold is what makes it look so special.
We have seen many APs with gold cases and other materials for bezels (rubber, titanium, ceramic, etc.). This QEII reverses that typical scheme and looks very different. I find it utterly striking. No denying the gold will be more scratch prone though. I a...
Big time congratulations!
That's a gorgeous piece MichaelC. I love the tantulum. Lugging that around on your wrist will be a first rate workout and have you ready for advanced training on your next visit! M4
She is a real arm stretcher M4.
Looking forward to that workout. After lugging this around for a while, it should make things easier ;-)
Congratulations Michael!!
The pictures are amazing!! Fits great on your wrist! Hope you post more pictures in the future!
Thanks good buddy!
It has proved quite enjoyable and I expect it to be an enthusiastic photo subject :-)
Coming from our resident AP gold expert...
That really means a lot. Hope all is well your way Jerry.
Diver...
Wow! When working hard – I guess you kind of "expecting" being rewarded in some way. WHAT to be rewarded with would be highly individual to each of us, but as we are here discussing in a watch forum – I think a watch is very appropriate :-) This is a supe...
Thanks a lot Bent.
It is a new sensation for me, even as a seasoned AP enthusiast, to wear a non-chrono Royal Oak Offshore. I was seriously considering the steel model before this one was released. I expect we will see more dial and materials variations for the Diver in the...
Hey, congratulations, Michael, for this watch.
And for your very well written article. This is typically the Watch you have to see in the flesh before any final comment. I am a big fan of tantalum, so each time I read this word, it strikes some chords to me. ;) Bravo, bravo for all, my friend. Nicolas...
Thanks Nicolas. We say it frequently...
But yes, this one should be seen in person. I would say it has a darker appearance in the flesh than the photos capture. I'll work on that with some BPP. Many years ago I owned the PAM172. It was beautiful and sometimes I wish I kept it. I have always ado...
Congratulations
What a great looking piece. The contrasting colors really work. interesting to read about the titanium buckle. Gold buckle would have visually competed the look. Tantalum buckle would have been a good choice too? Thanks for sharing your new purchase with ...
A tantalum buckle would be my second choice
Behind the gold option. I think my blasted titanium buckle will suit me fine and I'll add some photos as soon as I make the swap. Thanks for your kind remarks :-)
Already Christmas?
congrats Michael, this is for sure a great watch!! I also like very much the combination of materials!! It reminds me this LeBron of a friend!!! [URL=] [/URL] ...
Thanks Duf.
Indeed, Christmas came early for me! That LBJ is so striking in person, I was really taken with it. And a similar scheme to this one but in reverse. Perhaps it was inspiration for this QEII Diver. Love that photo of Mr. Westwood. I hope 2015 is the year h...
Congrats on this AP ROO QEII
Stunning with the tantalum. And definitely well deserved on your wrist. Regards, ED-209
Thanks ED-209.
"Stunning" is a solid description. As some have pointed out, gold won't make for the most durable bezel, but it offers a unique look I have yet to experience on an AP. And I really dig that!
Congratulations, Michael!
A beautiful watch by which I have been taken aback ever since I saw the press release featuring it! I am very happy for you! Looking forward to more of your impressions down the road. Cheers, Alex
Thank you Alex!
I appreciate your sincere words. It is such an interesting piece. Truthfully, this watch has no clear identity - a dive watch with a gold bezel made to commemorate a horse race. That is odd. BUT... it is so stunning and fun to wear! Very unique combinatio...
Amazing looking watch Michael
It is a striking combination of materials. It looks amazing in your pics. Would you say it is about the same weight on the wrist as a RG n ROO? I may have an opportunity to try it on a QEII next week. I think that if I do, I may be tempted to trade my RG ...
Thanks Colin.
As best I can remember from trying on a RG Rubberclad, I would say the weights are about the same. The rubberclad has a solid caseback, whereas the QEII is open. Still, the tantalum case and thick caseback ring are quite heavy, so that must be close to a ...
Sounds perfect Michael
Do you know whether it was originally Boutique only? With only 150 made I suspect you will never come across one is n the wild? I have the Ceramic Diver which I love, however the QEII is different enough to warrant having 2 divers, I think!
Based upon how limited this run is...
I believe all sold orders would be distributed through AP Boutiques. I think the all ceramic Diver is completely different than this one and you could very happily own one of each :-)
I know you love grey, Michael...
and I had a feeling that you might own this watch one day when it was launched… CONGRATULATIONS !!! I've handled and reported about this reference before, I must say that this is one of the nicest ROO around IMO. I love its weight, and how the rose gold b...
You know me well Wayne
And as soon as I saw the photo of this one earlier in the year, I hoped it could be my return to a grey AP. I'm thrilled I was able to work it out. If I could really choose, I would love a solid tantalum caseback for this watch. As we have discussed, this...
