The Royal Oak was already disruptive in 1972 when it was launched but in the early 1990s, Audemars Piguet tasked its in-house designer Emmanuel Gueit to push the boundaries and reinvent the classic Royal Oak and infuse it with new life and power. By keeping the signature case/bezel shape and tapisserie dial, Gueit managed to create a timepiece that would inspire sports watches that would follow, projected into the new millennium, but also true to its roots. The model was presented in 1993: the Royal Oak Offshore, a watch whose design and attitude were so rambunctious that it caused controversy even within Audemars Piguet.

The first generation of Royal Oak Offshores were shortly thereafter nicknamed “The Beast” due to what was, at the time, its astonishing 42mm case size. The Offshore was revolutionary, and arguably, it established the trend for large-sized watches, becoming the norm in today’s modern production watches.

The present example of the model is a fascinating testament to the charm and attractiveness a watch can achieve if not bothered with cosmetic interventions. Indeed, this is a timepiece unpolished but thoroughly, although respectfully, enjoyed for its entire lifetime.

Offered completed with not only its certificate and box, but also with its numbered sale tag (showing the full reference number with 01 at the end, identifying the golden dial), this is without a doubt one of the most striking examples of the model to appear on the market.