One of our favorites discontinued limited edition watches and truly a rare bird is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team in Forged Carbon. The Alinghi Team is a Swiss sailing team that was created by Ernesto Bertarelli and is revered for bringing the America’s Cup trophy to Europe for the first time in 132 years. The Team Alinghi’s victory at the America's Cup in 2003 inspired Audemars Piguet to design and present in 2005 the Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Polaris ref. 26040ST —limited edition of 2,000 pieces— with an innovative special new movement featuring a regatta flyback chronograph function.
But before the Polaris was released in 2005, Audemars Piguet released in 2003 the Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Commemorative Edition ref. 25995IP in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces. This watch featured a dual-time indication, a date indication, and a power reserve indicator and it was cased in titanium with a titanium bracelet and a platinum bezel.
The Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team Limited Edition was launched in 2007 and produced in Forged Carbon —1,300 pieces—, 18K rose gold —600 pieces— and in platinum —107 pieces. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team Limited Edition ref. 26062FS.OO.A002CA.01 is a beast of a watch and it marks many firsts for AP and the watch industry. For instance, this is the first use of forged carbon by the brand and the first use of this material in the watch industry. Additionally, this watch also marks the first time AP would make a case measuring 44 mm in diameter for the Royal Oak Offshore line.
Fitted with a case and bezel in forged carbon —with a very unique marbling appearance—, an oversized ceramic crown, rounded ceramic pushers, and an integrated black rubber strap —plots are integrated into the rubber— with a very unique pin buckle.
Also, this watch marks the first time that Audemars Piguet would use a colored gasket —red for the Alinghi Team— between the bezel and the case, and also this is the first time that AP would use blackened hex bolts to secure the bezel to the case and case back.
This is also the only Royal Oak Offshore that at the time featured a totally new type of pin buckle with oversized rectangular holes on the strap and special head screws —never seen before on other Royal Oak Offshores— on the exterior sides of the buckle matching the screws on the case back of the watch.
And in another first for AP, this watch is equipped with a black dial with 'grande tapisserie' only in the center and with a snailed finish on the perimeter. The dial features white luminous Arabic numerals, red chronograph seconds hand, red surrounds, Alinghi Team logo at 3 o'clock, a wedge-shaped 10-minute regatta countdown aperture between 1 and 3 o’clock, a 20-minute register at 9, and a 6-hour chrono-register at 6 o'clock. The hands for the chronograph indicators are shaped like a ship's prow while the minute and hour hands are skeletonized —with luminous material on the tips— to allow for a view of the regatta countdown indicator at all times.
The beating heart inside this watch is the automatic Audemars Piguet calibre 2326/2848 composed of 366 parts, fitted with 50 jewels and which provides a power reserve of 40 hours while beating at a frequency of 28,800vph. The movement is protected by a solid case back with a medallion featuring one of the most intricate engravings on any sports watch out there. The engraving features a relief motif of the Alinghi Team in action. We do have to say that the case back is kinda sharp and somewhat uncomfortable on the wrist.
Even when most of the owners of this watch really don't use the watch for its intended purpose or even care about how the regatta functions work, we will explain it here for those that care.
During a regatta there are four warning signals that are given by the officials before the sailboats can cross the start line. Once the first warning signal is given 11 minutes before the crossing of the start line, the countdown should be started on the watch by pushing the top pusher —stop/start—, when the second warning signal is given ten minutes before the official start, the bottom pusher —flyback/reset— should be pressed advising the crew that there are only ten minutes left until the start of the race. When the third warning signal is given, the regatta aperture and the register at 9 o'clock will show that there are 5 minutes remaining. One minute before the official crossing of the start line, the regatta aperture shows the number one and the team knows that there is one minute left before the fourth warning signal is given announcing the beginning of the race. When the fourth signal is given, the regatta aperture will show the number ten and the wearer should then press the bottom pusher to start recording the length of the race without needing to stop the chrono thanks to its flyback function.
Considered one of the twenty most iconic watches by Audemars Piguet and a rare bird in all the sense of the word. If you find one, expect to pay anywhere between $17,000-22,000 USD based on the availability of boxes and papers and the overall condition of the watch. The only AP that can still be had for decent money considering the crazy pricing bubble we are currently experiencing.
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