This is the Royal Oak Offshore Diver in black ceramic that AP debuted at SIHH 2013 in Geneva. AP’s diver at the time sat alongside the stainless steel and forged carbon divers in the model lineup, however, ceramic eventually superseded forged carbon in Le Brassus. Perhaps because ceramic is considered stronger and less likely to break, or because forged carbon did not seem as exclusive once other watch companies started using it. AP was the first but ultimately abandoned forged carbon for ceramic.
This Offshore Dive represented the first time a clear case back has been used by Audemars Piguet for its dive watch. Some may argue that a diver should always have a solid case back, and while that is a valid argument, an Audemars Piguet manufacture movement is so beautiful, that the opposing side of the argument is equally valid. I think caliber 3120 with its finely finished bridges and mainplate, and its 22K solid gold rotor, is just too beautiful to conceal.
Like the original Offshore Diver, the case measures 42 mm by 13.75 mm. Under the dial is a 40-jewel self-winding movement, that beats at 3Hz, and a 60-hour power reserve. The Royal Oak Offshore Diver features a Méga Tapisserie dial, white gold applied hour markers, a black rotating inner bezel ring with a diving scale, and orange highlights on the running minutes hand, center seconds hand, and diving scale. The Offshore Diver originally retailed for $21,800.
