Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Jarno Trulli Chronograph
Audemars Piguet has just announced a new Royal Oak Offshore to celebrate their 135th anniversary, as well as to commemorate their relationship with F1 driver Jarno Trulli. But that is not the only story behind this all new Royal Oak Offshore. The caseback of this watch represents something AP has rarely done, like Breilting's recent announcement, AP too, has finally decided to use a clear caseback for a limited edition version of their most popular watch collection. A clear caseback allows a perfect view of the beautiful AP Calibre 3126/3840 in-house movement.
Like all AP Calibre 3126 movements, this has a 22K gold oscillating weight, however, instead of rose gold, this one has an anthracite grey galvanic coating. The movement has 365 parts, 59 jewels and a 60-hour power reserve. The cadence of the balance is 21,6000 (or 3 Hz). A variable inertia balance with eight inertia blocks and a flat balance-spring allows for fine adjustments. The winding system features three-positions. All of the parts have been meticulously decorated: mainplate circular-grained; bridges rhodium-plated, chamfered, snailed and adorned with Côtes de Genève motif. Diamond-polished jewel sinks, diamond-polished sinks and chamfered spokes on the wheels; chamfered screw rims and slots. Best of all, though, you can finally enjoy all the decorations, through the open caseback.
The dial is anthracite grey with exclusive "Méga Tapisserie" motif, which matches the anthracite grey rotor. The dial also features silvered counters, applied hour markers and hands in white gold with red luminescent coating and a silvered inner bezel ring.
The case middle is made of forged carbon (a process pioneered by AP), a Cermet (ceramic) bezel, crown and pushers in sand-blasted titanium, and a sapphire crystal back in sand-blasted titanium. Case diameter is 42 mm by 16.5 mm thick. The caseback is engraved with the inscription Royal Oak Offshore Limited Edition - Jano Trulli. Plus, the crystal is signed with "Jarno Trulli" in red.
Water-resistance is 100 meters. The strap is black rubber, with a sand-blasted titanium folding clasp.
Previous Rubens Barrichello and Juan Pablo Montoya timepieces, which were created by AP to celebrate their racing success, have become very coveted collector's timepieces. The new Jarno Trulli, should be a highly collectible timepiece as well. AP is celebrating their 135th anniversary this year, and Jarno Trulli will be competing in the Japanese Grand Prix on October 8th, but to me, the real news is that Audemars Piguet has finally allowed their beautiful 3126 movement to be properly shown off. Hopefully this is the beginning of Audemars Piguet offering Royal Oak Offshores with sapphire backs, and not just a one time thing.
Limited to 500 pieces worldwide.
Ref 26202AU.OO.D002CA.01
Retail $28,900
