Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Safari II (26470ST)
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Safari is back. Well, it never really left the catalog, but the 2014 sequel to the "Theme" variant of 2007's smash ups the ante on every front.
In 2014, Audemars Piguet redesigned the entire 42mm Royal Oak Offshore collection. Safari has received special attention. Its signature honey brown horn-backed alligator strap and savannah grass dial tone remain, but the watch has changed from a gazelle to a lion.
AP massaged the Offshore's large checkered dial to make the intricate pattern appear more pronounced. A new metallic cream color really pops the 3D effect, and a newly darkened sundial adds visual punch to the once drab Safari. Audemars Piguet added a high-grade metal scale ring, a high-contrast black date wheel, and a gunmetal-brown tachymeter scale to the sundial to complete the makeover.
On the perimeter of the case, AP upgraded the Safari's chronograph pushers and winding crown, making the leap from silicone polymer to scratch-resistant ceramic. The famous horn-backed alligator strap, an Offshore signature that debuted on the original Safari in 2007, returns with a new pin buckle strap. The previous deployment clasp often made it difficult for the wearer to find a suitable clasp, so AP added a pin buckle system from the limited-time Offshore Diver series to meet popular demand.
Inside the case, an Audemars Piguet 3126/3840 movement is used for the timekeeping, but the 2014 Offshore is the first 42mm model to feature a sapphire display case back. While the AP in-house movement made its debut in the original Safari, fans of the Royal Oak Offshore had to wait seven years to see it for themselves. The wait is over; flip this Safari II over and enjoy the fruits of Le Brassus' labor.