25721, FIRST ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE

The origins of the steel Model 25721 are recounted in a dedicated article. We notably learn there that the first 100 examples in steel did not have the Offshore engraving on the caseback, contrary to the later watches. This was probably to protect the "Offshore" trademark registered by Audemars Piguet in 1989, in case of commercial failure of this non-conformist model. Popular with the younger generation, Model 25721ST received its first engravings from Case No. 100 onwards.

The pioneering Model 25721ST enjoyed mixed fortunes. While it took five years to sell the first 1,000, the 400-unit annual mark was passed in 1999 and the figure reached almost 1,000 in 2006. Finally, the original model of the Royal Oak Offshore collection was marketed for 23 years and 7,308 were sold, with many different dials. In this respect, it broke the record of 6,050 units set by the Royal Oak 5402 of 1972.

Sales from 1993 to 2016: a total of 7308 units, of which 61 (1993), 333 (1994), 281 (1995), 159 (1996), 252 (1997), 272 (1998), 439 (1999 ), 436 (2000), 324 (2001), 108 (2002), 470 (2003), 629 (2004) ), 744 (2005), 969 (2006) ), 770 (2007), 416 (2008), 371 (2009) ), 31 (2010), 6 (2011) ), 5 (2012), 2 (2013), 12 (214) and  2 (2016).

The first Royal Oak Offshore in precious materials is excessive in many respects. Its monochromatic version expresses the powerful symbolism of yellow gold. The solid bracelet is made of 18-carat gold, as are the case middle and bezel. Punctuated with gold appliques, the dial is gilded, as is the flange. Meanwhile, the watch weighed almost 400 grams, a record that earned it the nickname "pounder" in the United States, but which was broken the following year by the platinum version weighing 429 grams!

Three dials are documented in the Audemars Piguet Archives: the first is gold-toned (from 1995 onwards), the second dark blue (from 2000) and the third is silver-toned with a Grande Tapisserie motif (from 2002).

Sales from 1995 to 2014: a total of 589 units, of which 14 (1995), 27 (1996), 15 (1997), 17 (1998), 41 (1999), 26 (2000), 31 (2001), 29 (2002), 66 (2003), 58 (2004), 39 (2005), 70 (2006), 37 (2007), 56 (2008), 48 (2009), 14 (2010) and 1 (2014)

The 25721SA variant is both rare and different from traditional Audemars Piguet practice. Usually, the Royal Oak "SA" watches, which combine yellow gold and steel, feature yellow gold studs, as well as hands and hour-markers in the same material. In the Royal Oak Offshore 25721SA, only the bezel is in yellow gold. The studs are made of steel, and the appliques and hands of white gold.

Another surprising element is that the archives do not specify the carat weight of the gold used for the bezel, but it is possibly not the usual 18 carats, as seems to be confirmed by the significant oxidation on the bezels of the two examples auctioned in 2022 by Phillips in Geneva (May 8, 2022, lot 248) and at Sotheby's in New York (June 15 2022, lot 11).

Sales from 1995 to 1999: a total of 64 units, of which 28 (1995), 11 (1996), 13 (1997, 10 (1998), 2 (1999). 

Only 21 examples of the Royal Oak Offshore in white gold were sold between 1996 and 2003.

At first glance, the watch differs from the steel version only by the eight diamonds replacing the hour-markers and by the slightly more luminous gleam of the metal. The watch is however significantly different once on the wrist, as it weighs in at 410 grams – almost twice as much as the steel version (about 220 grams).

Sales from 1996 to 2003: a total of 21 units, of which 9 (1996), 3 (1997), 2 (1998), 4 (1999), 2 (2001) and 1 (2003).

Two years after the "SA" variant combining steel and yellow gold, a one-off version replaced  yellow gold with pink gold. On this model, the hands, hour-markers and applied AP logo are made of the same material.

Sold in Germany in December 1997, the only watch documented in the archives bears the number 001. 

While the dimensions of the Royal Oak Offshore 25721 were deemed extreme as early as 1993, the platinum variant further upped the ante by shattering the record for the heaviest wristwatch ever created by Audemars Piguet and perhaps in the world, at 429 grams!

The archives document two dial variants: one opaline blue, the other silver grey. Four of the ten examples were sold in Germany. No. 7 was auctioned by Phillips Geneva in 2020 for CHF 422,100.

Sales from 1997 to 1998: a total of 10 units, of which 9 (1997) and 1 (1998).

The archives contain only one trace of a model bearing the initials "SN", i.e. blackened steel.

This watch was probably made as part of the preparation of the 25770SN End of Days limited edition. Records indicate that it was worn by a watchmaker during a trial period, probably to check the durability of the black colour on the steel. It was integrated into the Audemars Piguet Museum in 2000, but was stolen 10 years later and has not been seen since. 

In 1998, the Royal Oak Offshore 25721TI introduced a material that was then little used in watchmaking: titanium.

Audemars Piguet had launched research on this material at the LRSH (Laboratoire Suisse de Recherches Horlogères) in the 1970s. In 1986, this material was used in the tourbillon carriage of Model 25643. In 1997, the Jules Audemars Grande Sonnerie Models 25750IS and IR were fitted with a titanium case, but it was not until the Royal Oak Offshore that titanium was used for the entire exterior of an Audemars Piguet watch, including the bracelet.

The development of this variant was in response to customer demand for a Royal Oak Offshore 42 mm watch with a metal bracelet (unlike Model 25770), but featuring a relatively light weight. The titanium variant weighs 150 grams, a third less than the steel (approx. 220 grams).

The model was a great success, as nearly 3000 were produced over a period of fifteen years.

Sales from 1998 to 2014: a total of 2,902 units, of which 235 (1998), 216 (1999), 247 (2000), 182 (2001), 254 (2002), 183 (2003), 384 (2004), 308 (2005), 448 (2006), 279 (2007), 32 (2008), 128 (2009), 4 (2010) and 2 (2014)