Diving Into AUDEMARS PIGUET (pt.1) Royal Oak Offshore SCUBA

By TLex AUDEMARS PIGUET are a Manufacture at the top end of the luxury watch market; the Royal Oak Offshore is the affluent gents sports watch of choice, or for those who aspire to a luxury lifestyle that includes yacht racing and big name celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shaquille O'Neal and more recently Argentinean and FC Barcelona star-striker Lionel Messie. (pt.2)

The legendary Royal Oak Offshore line of watches are essentially luxury mechanical sports watches, albeit exquisitely executed and housing elaborately decorated in-house movements, which typically feature chronograph complications. Their rich sporting heritage lies predominantly in offshore racing, not scuba diving. However . . .

ROO SCUBA Three different models of the ROO Scuba were produced; all three models of the ROO Scuba were based around the same 300m water-resistant case design. They house the same AP Cal. 2325 automatic movement. The WEMPE Scuba has a 45mm case whereas the Boutique and Bartorelli editions have 44mm cases. They all feature internal unidirectional divers timing bezels and rubberized crowns.



WEMPE In 2005 AP produced the inaugural ROO Scuba for WEMPE. The WEMPE Limited Edition's 45mm case was made in both stainless steel and 18kt rose gold. Made to celebrate 100 years of WEMPE chronometers, this was AP's first model that was intended for use below the waves, rather than above them.

The commemorative WEMPE Scuba has a professional dial with lumed hour-markers; it also features a full hobnail dial. Only 175 pieces of the WEMPE steel were produced, and an even fewer 30 pieces in rose gold.



ROO Scuba Wempe (steel) 15340ST.00.D002CA.01 / 175 pieces / Cal.2325 / MSRP 12’300USD



ROO Scuba Wempe (rose gold) 15340OR.00.D002CA.01 / 35 pieces / Cal.2325 / MSRP 31’000USD

BOUTIQUE The Scuba 'Boutique' was released in 3 series, with a limited production of 300 pieces of each. In 2006 the ROO Scuba ‘Boutique’ was released. It featured enlarged orange Arabic numerals and an orange and black internal bezel. The Boutique Scuba series 2 and 3 were then respectively released a year apart; both have white Arabic numerals and contrasting internal bezels in blue (series 2) and red (series 3). The Boutique editions only had partly hobnailed dials.



ROO Scuba Boutique (orange) 15701ST.00.D002CA.01 / 300 pieces / Cal.2325 / MSRP 13’700USD



ROO Scuba Boutique (blue) 15701ST.00.D002CA.02 / 300 pieces / Cal.2325 / MSRP 13'700USD



ROO Scuba Boutique (red) 15701ST.00.D002CA.03 / 300 pieces / Cal.2325 / MSRP 13'700USD



BARTORELLI This stunning edition was produced to mark Bartoreloli's 125th year. The special 'Bartorelli' edition of the ROO Scuba features a bronze fixed bezel with an internal rotatable divers bezel also in bronze. Its 44mm case is constructed from black PVD coated stainless steel. Only 50 pieces were produced. Its MSRP was 28’500USD, but expect to pay upwards of 35K for a mint condition Bartorelli Scuba.









ROO Scuba Bartorelli (bronze / ss) 15702AU.00.D002CR.01 / 50 pieces / Cal.2325 / MSRP 28’500USD