Audemars Piguet is riding a high from Alinghi's America's Cup win from last year. Getting even more involved in yacht racing, the brand is partnering with first-class yachtswoman Dona Bertarelli SpÄth, the person who put together the all-women Ladycat crew to compete in the regattas of the Julius Baer Challenge. Audemars Piguet was keen to promote the message Bertarelli SpÄth was seeking to convey: sailing is a sport that requires stamina, agility, precision and coordination — all qualities brilliantly demonstrated by women. With this in mind, Bertarelli SpÄth made it her goal to both highlight the peerless skills of competitive female sailors and make the public more aware of cardiovascular disease among women. The Grand Hotel Park in Gstaad (where Audemars Piguet has a new boutique) joined Audemars Piguet in sponsoring the DÉcision 35 Ladycat (SUI10) catamaran.
To celebrate this association, one of the key introductions at SIHH is the Royal Oak Offshore Ladycat, an automatic chronograph that incorporates the catamaran’s fuchsia and black colour scheme. The Royal Oak Offshore Ladycat is a limited series of 150 watches, combining diamonds and rubber, elegance and athleticism. The Ladycat comes in a 37mm stainless steel case, black dial with pink applied hour markers, a fuchsia rubber strap, and the back is engraved with the inscription ‘Royal Oak Offshore Ladycat’.
Other key introductions for women are the Lady Royal Oak and the Lady Royal Oak Offshore in pink gold, and the Ladies' Millenary Black & White.




ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE LADYCAT CHRONOGRAPH


On the men's side, Audemars Piguet is introducing the Millenary Pianoforte. This Millenary watch, with its instantly recognizable oval case, is inspired by piano keys, which surround its hour circle. The large 18 carat white gold case (45mm by 40mm) houses an Audemars Piguet self winding movement with a direct drive central seconds with a balance-stop device that keeps the seconds hand motionless during the time-setting process. The case comes polished but unadorned, or set with diamonds. Each watch comes on a black, ‘large square-scale’ crocodile leather strap, as well as a second strap in ‘large square-scale’ dark purple crocodile leather.




ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE SHAQUILLE O’NEAL CHRONOGRAPH


In other Audemars Piguet news, the brand has a new ambassador, Shaquille O'Neal, who joins an elite group of other ambassadors who have worked with Audemars Piguet to develop limited edition timepieces - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jay-Z and former United States President William Jefferson Clinton. The new watch is called the Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O'Neal Chronograph. Shaquille O'Neal's ‘Real Model Foundation’ benefits from the proceeds of the sale of this new limited edition.




MILLENARY BLACK & WHITE LADIES’ WATCH COLLECTION and MILLENARY PIANOFORTE WATCH


Source: Europa Star April-May 2008 Magazine Issue