In 2018, Audemars Piguet delighted watch connoisseurs with a daring Camouflage edition of the Royal Oak Offshore chronograph dubbed the “AP Combat”. Following up last year’s hit is the SIHH 2019 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Camouflage Chronograph collection, accompanying last year’s “khaki” (but really olive green) bezel with a slew of new colourways and strap treatments.
Adding colour to ceramic bezels like those on the new camouflage Royal Oak Offshore Chronographs is no simple matter as the process of adding ceramic pigments often looks different after baking or firing. Colouring ceramic requires a complex research stage to find the right pigments, compounding the challenge of creating the potential plethora of colourways for future Royal Oak Offshore Camouflage Chronographs is the fact that the signature octagonal bezel features a straight brushed finish on the top while the bezel facets are gloss polished, followed by brushed finish on the sides – this level of finishing on hard but brittle ceramic is the result of a long and delicate manufacturing process.
The new 44mm Royal Oak Offshore chronographs with blue and green ceramic bezels feature a stainless steel case while the brown ceramic model – a first for Le Brassus manufacture – is matched with a pink gold case. Returning, is the iconic Audemars Piguet hallmark – Méga-Tapisserie dial and robust rubber straps with camouflage patterns.
Like the 2018 Combat AP, the new camouflage Offshore Chronographs are driven by a modular calibre, the manufacture cal. 3120 equipped with a Dubois-Depraz chronograph module, badged as the cal. 3126/3840 with 50 hours power reserve.
Tellingly, the new SIHH 2019 Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph series with camouflage patterns headlines a growing trend with a serially produced collection of “streetwear style” timepieces while models like the recent Bell & Ross Bathing Ape camouflage edition tends to be limited edition.
2019 Camouflage Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Price and Specs
Movement Automatic Manufacture calibre 3126/3840 with 50 hours power reserve
Case 44mm Stainless steel case or 18-carat pink gold case with 100 metres water resistance
Strap “Camouflage” rubber strap with additional rubber straps in blue, khaki green and brown.
Price From S$43,400
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