Highlighting the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR

ARTICLE DATE 05/18/2023

Preowned Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR "Brick"
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR

One of the most impressive modern luxury watches ever made, the 18k rose gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR is aptly nicknamed the “Brick” or the “Pounder” thanks to its hefty weight and powerful wrist presence. Let’s take a closer look at this ultra-luxurious full gold Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph sports watch.  

The Royal Oak Offshore 26470 Arrived in 2014

Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01 in 2014 as part of the updated Royal Oak Offshore Reference 26470 lineup (that replaced the reference 26170 generation). Some of those updates included revamped case details, refreshed dials, and the addition of sapphire casebacks. 

On the cases, AP upgraded the crown and chronograph pushers by replacing the previous rubber-coated metal with ceramic, which is a high-tech material that is not only scratch-resistant but also much more durable. Furthermore, the crown and pusher guards were restyled into a more angular form. 

New pushers and crown in ceramic of the Royal Oak Offshore 26470

Moving onto the dials, the refreshed dials of the then-new ROO 26470 included circular graining on the subdials, slimmer Arabic numerals, and newly faceted hands. Furthermore, color-matched date wheels (rather than white ones) were introduced for enhanced design uniformity. 

The one significant improvement of the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ref. 26470 watches was the incorporation of sapphire casebacks to permit a view of the movement inside the watch. 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01

One of the six models introduced in 2014 was the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01, which was the most luxurious variant of them all thanks to its 18k rose gold construction.

The watch features a 42mm case, shaped into its iconic octagonal silhouette and topped with the customary eight-sided bezel with eight exposed screws. The case is 14.6mm thick and water-resistant to 100 meters. The black accents on the watch, from the ceramic pushers and crown to the visible gasket under the bezel to the dial details, contrast beautifully with the warm rosy hue of the gold case and bracelet. 

Preowned-Audemars-Piguet-Royal-Oak-Offshore-26470OR
Rose gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01 “Brick”

Now, it’s worth mentioning that what makes the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01 extra special is its 18k rose gold integrated bracelet. The vast majority of Royal Oak Offshore watches are fitted with rubber or leather straps. Therefore, the addition of a solid gold bracelet adds a dressy touch to an already exceptionally high-end sports watch. If we look at the famous integrated bracelet, characterized by its seamless integration into the case, tapered outline, and two rows of smaller links running through the main wide links, we see that the bracelet has a brushed finish. 

However, a closer inspection reveals that the top edges of the bracelet are beautifully polished and beveled – a finish that continues on the edges of the case. These subtle yet impactful details are just one of the many reasons that Audemars Piguet stands out as one of the best fine timepiece brands in the market. The bracelet sits securely around the wrist via a double deployant folding clasp in 18k rose gold, which opens with a twin-trigger release for added safety. 

AP Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01

The dial of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01 is simply stunning, featuring a rose gold and black colorway to perfectly complement the rest of the watch. As is expected from Royal Oak Offshore models, the dial of this particular iteration includes AP’s famed “Mega Tapisserie” waffle-like decoration. On that rose gold-toned dial sits three subdials for the chronograph function, rendered in black and positioned at 6 (hour counter), 9 (minute counter), and 12 o’clock (running seconds). 

There’s also a date window at 3 o’clock with a black date wheel to retain that sumptuous design cohesion. The date is magnified with a lens that sits under the sapphire crystal so you get the benefit of a bigger date without any protrusions on top of the watch. The dial is also home to a tachymeter scale on a black ring around the periphery. Rose gold applied Arabic numerals serve as hour markers and they’re filled with black luminescence, as are the hour and minute hands at the center. 

Caliber 3126/3840 inside the Royal Oak Offshore

The sapphire crystal on the caseback of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01 offers a view of the self-winding Caliber 3126/3840 movement powering the watch. The striking 22k gold bi-directional rotor engraved with the AP logo is on full display and the movement, which has 365 parts, supplies the watch with about 50 hours of power reserve. 

The AP Royal Oak Offshore “Brick”

Weighing in at over 330 grams (almost 12 ounces), it’s no surprise that the full rose gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR.OO.1000OR.01 is affectionately known as the “Brick.” 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470OR “Brick”

If you’re looking for a statement watch with a legendary shape, illustrious name, and precious metal construction, then there’s nothing quite like the head-turning AP Royal Oak Offshore “Brick.” 

At Gray & Sons, we’re proud to offer a curated selection of pre-owned Audemars Piguet watches including Royal Oak Offshore watches. For more information, please visit our pre-owned Audemars Piguet watch collection page. Alternatively, if you have a secondhand Audemars Piguet watch you’d like to sell, please visit our sister site, Sell Us Your Jewelry.

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