Audemars Piguet has produced a limited edition of 250 pieces of its Royal Oak Offshore chronograph dedicated to its brand ambassador, Formula 1 driver Sébastien Buemi.

The native of Switzerland’s Canton of Vaud has just completed his best season with the Toro Rosso team and now joins the likes of Rubens Barrichello, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jarno Trulli, who have also had limited edition Audemars Piguet timepieces dedicated to them.

Sébastien Buemi himself explains the design, “From 2010 onwards, I have been regularly involved in exchanging ideas and sharing my feelings with the Audemars Piguet watchmakers and engineers, whether in terms of the shapes, the colours of the materials used in creating this watch. It took time, but I am really proud of the result. The yellow is the main colour on my driver’s helmet, which is why it enjoys pride of place on the dial. Moreover, I’m only 23 years old, so I wanted a watch that would reflect me and my age: the right balance between the ultra-technical nature of motor sports that must be revealed in the watch, and the simplicity which I believe sums up my own personality. Hence the presence of materials used in motor sports such as ceramics and titanium is of great significance. Last but not least, I like its technical yet sleekly sophisticated look, I feel it suits me!”

The Royal Oak Offshore Sébastien Buemi model has a 42 mm case made of grade 5 titanium, with a sandblasted finish and polished bevels, and the signature octagonal bezel is in black ceramic. The “Méga Tapisserie” motif characteristic of the Royal Oak Offshore is interpreted in black with luminescent hour-markers, three-colour (black, grey and white) sub-dials and red chronograph function hands to ensure optimal legibility of the elapsed times. The outer minute circle is in Sébastien Buemi’s favourite colour, yellow, which has has been an integral part of his equipment for years, particularly on his racing helmet.

A transparent sapphire crystal case back featuring a transfer of the driver’s personal logo shows off the Manufacture Audemars Piguet Calibre 3126/3840 that powers this Royal Oak Offshore model.