WATCH REVIEW Audemars Piguet Chronographe Royal Oak Offshore Arnold Schwarzenegger The Legacy

Foreword

While this new Offshore may be the first to make a direct reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger, it is not the first collaboration between Audemars Piguet and the American star.

Indeed, Audemars Piguet has previously produced several cinematographic timepieces that were worn by Schwarzenegger in his movies.

These watches have now become highly sought-after items for collectors, the most famous of which being the “End of Days” Offshore introduced in 1999 (the first Royal Oak darkened by a PVD treatment), and the Terminator 3 Offshore in 2003 (with its oversized push button protectors).

An Exceptional Finish

While ceramic is not a new development for Audemars Piguet, it’s worth noting that the Arnold Schwarzenegger The Legacy is the first Royal Oak to be made entirely with that material.

The alternating polished, brushed and mat surfaces on the case and bezel really emphasize the designers’ work on the Offshore casings.

Already quite virile, the watch has now gotten a major dose of testosterone: the 48mm diameter is quite vivid, and the screwed-in handles on the shoulders look like they belong on some ultra-modern combat equipment.
Only the pink gold keys are a reminder that this watch would be more at home at a hip night club than on a battlefield.

The dial preserves the traditional Royal Oak “mega-tapestry” guilloché engraving pattern while the markers are made with pink old.
The “diamond” treatment on those markers – a type of diamond powder polish resulting in a very fine brushed finish look – provides a sumptuous lighting effect.

As is common with Audemars Piguet watches, the production quality is absolutely exceptional, and the finish and crafting of the materials on the case and dial reach the highest levels of perfection.

The aramid strap (a material used in the manufacturing of bullet-proof vests) is a perfect match for the watch.

It’s an ideal combination, both in terms of esthetic coherence, and the overall spirit of the watch itself! A second alligator strap is also provided, but this watch expresses itself best with the aramid material.

A Radical Design

While the watch can conceivably be worn on a standard 17 cm wrist, the level of comfort is nevertheless far from ideal: the ceramic crown has a nasty tendency to dig into the top of the wrist with its sharp points.

On the design end, one thing is certain: no one will remain indifferent!
This Offshore gives off a brutal (if not straight-out violent) military-industrial luxury feel, not unlike a H1 Hummer, or a G AMG Class Mercedes, which will likely be a hit with its owners.

Once it’s on your wrist, you will immediately notice that it is a statutory piece that demands to be worn with panache.
Otherwise, you will quickly look like this chronograph is wearing you, and not the other way around, especially since you will not be able to hide it under your shirt sleeve!

Movement

Let’s see if this wonder’s engine is of the same caliber as its body!

While most of the new Offshore models now come equipped with the standard 3126/3840 manufacture caliber introduced more than a year ago, we were disappointed to see that this Royal Oak Offshore Arnold Schwarzenegger The Legacy comes with the old 2326/2840 caliber!

This caliber is not in and of itself a bad movement. But it is a modular caliber, based on a Jaeger-LeCoultre 899 movement to which Audemars Piguet has added a Dubois Depraz chronograph module.
First, we notice right away the modular design with a gap between the push buttons and the crown.

But most importantly, and while this is mostly psychological, the purists will always prefer a manufacture caliber that is developed right from the start as a basic chronograph supplemented with a module – especially for this price range!