Originally intended as a 20th anniversary edition of the Royal Oak but released one year late in 1993, the Offshore quickly became Audemars Piguet’s favourite testing ground for novel materials, limited editions, and celebrity endorsements. While the Royal Oak’s case juxtaposes elegant slimness with industrial sharpness, the Offshore’s was made oversized with soft edges, which Gérald Genta (the Royal Oak’s original designer) angrily argued strips it of the Royal Oak essence. Nonetheless, the big, bold watch drew the young crowd and paved the road to popularity for other oversized watches.