2010-07-25

Diving Into AUDEMARS PIGUET (pt.2) Royal Oak Offshore DIVER

By TLex Could this be the ultimate luxury dive watch? The new Royal Oak Offshore DIVER is the latest dive watch born of the legendary Royal Oak blood line that itself dates back to 1972, when Audemars Piguet created the first high-end sports watch with its iconic octagonal case, and to 1992 when the Royal Oak Offshore line began.



The ROO DIVER is a watch with all the virtues of Royal Oak Offshore line: a fine Manufacture wristwatch, but with the functionality of a very capable 300 meter dive watch. It features the same internal divers bezel and rubberized crowns as the ROO Scuba. Most similar in appearance to the 2005 steel WEMPE edition of the ROO Scuba, it has a black hobnail dial and gray lumed hour markers.



The AP Manufacture have made a few improvements to their ROO dive watch, most noticeably its new wider handset, allowing for more lume and a surer reading at a glance; the hour hand now also with two additional bands of lume to further increase visibility in poor lighting conditions.

The stainless steel case has come down a little in size from 45mm to a more reasonable 42mm. And it has done away with the Cal. 2325 in favor of AP’s Cal.3120; a self-winding movement, which features a new user-friendly instant jump, fast adjustment date display and 60 hours, power reserve.




The movement has been decorated with circular graining on both sides, its bridges bare the Cotes de Geneve emblem and the monobloc has been constructed form 22-carat gold. This stunningly decorated movement is housed in a protective anti-magnetic case corresponding to ISO norms for a dive watch.

Please see below for the full press release, and click on the AP icon at the bottom of the post to visit Audemars Piguet's newly launched dedicated website showcasing the new ROO Diver.


ROO Diver 15703ST.00.A002CA.01 / Cal.3120 / (non-LE) / MSRP 15'200USD

From AUDEMARS PIGUET This model is water-resistant to 300 metres and thus well able to withstand the incredible pressure exercised in the depths of the ocean. It belongs to the prestigious category of diver's watches, the kind that have earned their pedigree on the wrists of combat divers and professional underwater explorers. It is sure to delight subaquatic enthusiasts,while also finding favour with non-divers well acquainted with fine technical and sporting watchmaking accomplishments.

They will see it as a sturdy, reliable timepiece that is resistant to strong pressures, shocks, as well as to magnetic phenomena, presented within a collection that has already proved its mettle in the world of sports watches: the Royal Oak Offshore collection.



GEARED FOR EXTREME CONDITIONS The Swiss watch industry norms (NIHS) that also comply with international standards lay down a certain number of specific criteria that must be met by a watch if it is to be termed a 'diver’s watch'. Time preselection device

The NIHS 92-11 norm (corresponding to ISO 6425) calls for a time preselection device. Moreover, in order to prevent any reading errors,the latter must be protected against any unintentional rotation. The Royal Oak Offshore Diver is equipped with a diving scale on an inner rotating dial ring that is activated via a unidirectional click mechanism linked to the 10 o’clock crown.

The wearer can only turn the device by deliberately unscrewing the crown. Since this is an inner dial ring rather than a rotating bezel , the case middle also serves as a rampart to protect the rotation mechanism. In compliance with the 92-11 norm, the device features a minutes scale on which five-minute periods are clearly highlighted.




VISIBILITY The time, the time measured on the inner dial ring and the movement operating indication must be readable in the dark from a distance of 25 cm. The dial of the Royal Oak Offshore Diver has been duly optimised to meet this requirement.The baton hour-markers along with the hour and minute hands are facetted and luminescent.

The hour hand is distinguished by two additional bands of luminescent coating on the side, while the movement of the equally luminescent seconds hand guarantees that the watch is operating as it should. All these indications are accentuated by the black 'Mega Tapisserie' motif characteristic of the Royal Oak Offshore collection. Finally, displaying the diving scale as close as possible to the dial minimises the risk of accidentally modifying the dive time, and also facilitates dive-time readings.



A PURE, UNCLUTTERED SELF-WINDING MODEL A diver’s watch in all its pristine simplicity. It is equipped with the stellar Manufacture Audemars Piguet selfwinding movement: Calibre 3120.

Constantly fine-tuned and perfected, the latter is distinguished by its impressive reliability. To ensure its precision, the heart of the movement is a variable-inertia balance with a flat balance spring oscillating at a rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour.The adjustment is performed by means of eight inertia-blocks that ensure excellent stability and appreciable long-term constancy of rate.

The cross-through balance-bridge guarantees enhanced shock-resistance in that it is secured not on just one side, but on both sides of the mainplate. The direct-drive central seconds hand avoids any backlash of the hand.


Calibre 3120 is also particularly user-friendly, particularly thanks to the instant-jump, fast-adjustment date display, as well as the 60-hour power reserve. Time-setting is also facilitated by the fact that pulling out the crown immediately activates the stop-seconds lever and accordingly brings the seconds hand to a halt .



Nonetheless, the crowning glory of Calibre 3120 is undoubtedly the care lavished on its craftsmanship. Hand-assembled in the work shops of Le Brassus, it boasts exceptional quality of execution and finishing. The bridges are meticulously chamfered and polished to ensure clear cut,shining edges. The jewel sinks are diamond-polished. The wheels feature chamfered spokes and diamond-polished jewel sinks.

Even the screw rims and slots are chamfered. The hand-crafted decoration includes a mainplate circular-grained on both sides and bridges adorned with a Cotes de Geneve motif. Finally, the monobloc 22-carat gold oscillating weight bears the Audemars and Piguet family crests and the AP monogram.



THE QUINTESSENTIAL SPORTS WATCH The sense of power and distinction exuded by the Royal Oak Offshore Diver stems both from its performances and its appearance.

The inimitable and legendary octagonal shape has become an emblem of sports watches. It appears here more forcefully than ever. Loyal to its origins, the case is of course in stainless steel. It is worth remember ing that Audemars Piguet actually invented the first high-end sports watch in 1972, which it named Royal Oak, and that it achieved the unprecedented feat of raising steel to the rank of a noble metal on a par with gold. In 1992, the octagon then took on its extreme sports appearance with the advent of the Royal Oak Offshore.



This collection makes ample use of rubber that is often associated with steel, and sometimes even with gold. Its dials feature a distinctive criss-cross or grid pattern named 'Mega Tapisserie'. The Royal Oak Offshore Diver picks up these codes and majestically reinterprets them.

The satin-brushed or polished finishes of the case enliven the steel and create a play on contrasts. The 10 o’clock crown accentuates the technical nature of this model with distinctive features including an octagonal bezel fitted with eight polished hexagonal screws, while the black rubber joint beneath the bezel echoes the rubber-moulded crowns and the strap.




Selfwinding ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE DIVER Reference15703ST.OO.A002CA.01


CASE
Stainless steel
Black rubber crowns
Back with medallion bear ing the legend Royal Oak Offshore

Diameter: 42mm
Thicknes: 13.75mm
Water-resistant : 300m

DIAL
Inner rotating ring with diving scale
Black with exclusive 'Mega Tapisserie' motif
Applied grey hour-markers with luminescent coating
Facetted white gold hour and minute hands with luminescent coating

STRAP
Black rubber with oversized stainless steel pin buckle

MOVEMENT Proprietary Calibre 3120, selfwinding
22-carat gold oscillating weight
Variable-inertia balance with eight inertia-blocks and flat balance-spring
Geneva-type mobile balance-spr ing stud holder
Three-position winding stem

Total diameter: 26.60mm
Casing diameter: 11.5 lignes (26mm)
Thicknes: 4.25mm
Parts: 278
Jewels: 40
Power reserve: Up to 60-hour
Cadence of the balance: 21,600 vibrations per hour

FINISHING
All parts finely decorated
Mainplate circular-grained
Bridges rhodium-plated, chamfered, snailed and adorned with Cotes De Geneve
Diamond-polished jewel sinks
Wheels with chamfered spokes and diamond-polished jewel sinks
Chamfered screw rims and slots
Oscillating weight engraved with the AP monogram and the Audemars and Piguet family crests

FUNCTIONS
Hours and minutes
Dive-time measurement
Date

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