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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 44mm Ceramic
Ref. 26405CE.OO.A002CA.02
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Stepping up in Audemars Piguet's range
The Royal Oak Offshore arrived in 1993 as a deliberate provocation — Gerald Genta's original Royal Oak design pushed further, made larger and more confrontational, intended for those who found the first version insufficiently aggressive. This ceramic variant, introduced in 2017, carries that character into a material chosen precisely because it resists the world: ceramic of this grade shrugs off scratches that would mark steel or even titanium, and the black finish does not fade or oxidise. At 44mm with a case just over 14mm deep, this sits assertively on the wrist and makes no attempt to disappear under a cuff — the Offshore was never designed for that. The Méga Tapisserie dial pattern, finer and more complex than the Grande Tapisserie used on the standard Royal Oak, shifts under light in a way that keeps the dial alive rather than flat, while the applied pink gold markers read with precision against black. Underneath, the 3126/3840 calibre is a modular construction — the Dubois-Dépraz chronograph module sits atop the in-house base — and purists have noted that distinction, though the 22-karat gold rotor visible through the display caseback makes a convincing case for looking past it. The titanium integrated guards at the crown and pushers are a considered detail: they reinforce the components most exposed to impact without adding ceramic bulk.
- Reference
- 26405CE.OO.A002CA.02
- Brand
- Audemars Piguet
- Case size
- 44mm
- Case thickness
- 14mm
- Case material
- Ceramic
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 3126/3840
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Small seconds, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 50 hours
Learn more about Audemars Piguet
Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, both from the Vallée de Joux, formalised their partnership in 1875. The valley was then the centre of complicated movement work, and the pair spent their early decades supplying calibres to other houses — Tiffany among them — rather than selling under their own name.
The firm remains privately held by descendants of the founding families, an unusual survival in an industry consolidated into three or four groups.
Its defining moment came in 1972, in the depths of the quartz crisis, when Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak: a steel watch priced above gold ones, with an octagonal bezel, exposed screws, and an integrated bracelet, drawn by Gérald Genta reportedly overnight. It was widely mocked at launch. It created the luxury sports watch category and now underpins the entire company.
The Royal Oak Offshore of 1993 pushed the same design larger and louder, and drew similar early scepticism before becoming a pillar in its own right. The Code 11.59 collection, introduced in 2019, was the house's attempt to prove it could sell something else — a mixed reception commercially, though the movements inside are serious.
Underneath the modern noise, the complication pedigree is intact: minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, and some of the thinnest tourbillon movements built anywhere.
- 1875
- Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet begin working together.
- 1881
- The firm is registered as Audemars Piguet & Cie.
- 1972
- The Royal Oak launches, inventing the luxury steel sports watch.
- 1993
- The Royal Oak Offshore extends the line.
- 2019
- Code 11.59 debuts as a new collection.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Automatic Watches (1,362), Chronograph Watches (1,031), Watches 44mm and Over (784), All Black Watches (279), Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (235) and Ceramic Watches (93).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Audemars Piguet's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 44mm sits at the larger end
- 14mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 26405CE.OO.A002CA.02 | TYPE 5B | 81060-41-3071-1CX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £26,950 | £23,950 | £17,050 |
| Case size | 44mm | 46mm | 44mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Leather strap | Rubber strap |
| Power reserve | 50 hours | 36 hours | 46 hours |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 50 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb at £26,950, pre-owned. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.
Is this available new?
Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as pre-owned only, at £26,950 from Mappin & Webb. A pre-owned watch has been worn, and is normally sold under the retailer’s own warranty rather than the manufacturer’s.
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