April release celebrates Schwarzenegger.
Audemars Piguet is a brand that lives by its own rules: first they churn out a whole array of novelties without tying them to any trade show, then they tell watch owners they've made an unprecedented move in the industry. April was no exception.
The company unexpectedly unveiled a watch for the 30th anniversary of Royal Oak Offshore. The decided to celebrate by releasing the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph: a black chronograph that uses a black and yellow colorway with echoes of the Royal Oak Offshore “End of Days” (ref. 25770SN) from 1999 — Audemars Piguet's first PVD-coated model.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore "End of Days" from 1999
Poster for the film "End of Days"
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph from 2023
The watch was created for Arnold Schwarzenegger to wear in the action horror movie "End of Days", so you can see the piece on the big screen. This model with a history has been revisited in 2023, which now comes in the shape of a chronograph that uses a similar palette but with completely different contents.
The new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph is presented in a black ceramic case measuring 43 mm in diameter. The dial sports AP's famous pyramidal square "Tapisserie" pattern, but now it's a "Méga Tapisserie" pattern.
The date aperture has shapeshifted from circle to square. The tachymeter scale has also been preserved, but now elevated slightly above the dial. The watch houses the latest automatic chronograph Caliber 4401.
The debut was accompanied by an important announcement. Audemars Piguet is one of the most popular brands on the pre-owned market, so it's no wonder these watches are the ones criminals are most eager to get their hands on.
In order to ensure watch owners aren't afraid to wear their favorite models, AP has introduced a service guarantee for watches purchased in 2022 and 2023. All the owner needs to do is prove they've filed a valid police report to receive the same watch or most similar model to the stolen one if that particular model is unavailable.
Alternatively, owners can receive a refund of up to USD 73,000. The new service will only apply to new models, and won't include vintage models or watches which have already been resold. The program will run until the end of 2024.