Audemars Piguet

Royal Oak Offshore 'The Beast N°001', Reference 25721PT.0O.1000PT.01 | A platinum chronograph wristwatch with date and bracelet | Made in 1997

VAT applies to hammer price and buyer's premium

Live auction begins on:

May 12, 09:00 AM GMT

Estimate

100,000 - 200,000 CHF

Lot Details

Description

Dial: blue

Calibre: cal. 2226 automatic, 50 jewels

Movement number: 449'741

Case: platinum, case secured by 8 screws

Case number: N°001, D95'698

Closure: platinum Audemars Piguet bracelet and double-folding clasp

Size: 42 mm diameter, bracelet circumference approximately 205 mm (including additional lugs)

Signed: case, dial and movement

Box: yes

Papers: yes

Accessories: Audemars Piguet Certificate of Origin (with stickers apart), Digital Extract from the Archives, instruction manual, Royal Oak Offshore booklet, travel case, four additional platinum lugs and presentation case with outer packaging

Please note that the watch was made in 1997 and not as previously stated.

The genesis of the Royal Oak Offshore begins in 1989 when a talented, young designer working for Audemars Piguet named Emmanuel Gueit introduced a sketch of a concept that re-imagined Gerald Genta's legendary Royal Oak as a more massive, substantial watch able to handle all of the elements and forces of nature that it would encounter on the wrists of the most active and adventure-seeking collectors. The most pronounced shift was the dramatic case size of 42 mm. While this is standard fare today, it was a shock when introduced in 1993 at the Basel Watch Fair. By this time, the watch had already been nicknamed 'The Beast' due to its staggering proportions.

The present watch in platinum, weighing an impressive 520.95 grams, is the first of a very small edition of 7 watches of this reference ever being produced in this precious material. But it's not only bearing the infamous number 001, which makes it a grail watch for any serious collector, it is also the impressive condition and the fact that it comes with its original paperwork and box. The watch also comes with a digital extract from the archives of Audemars Piguet.