Nicknamed the “Vampire” for its bite of blood red on midnight black, this Royal Oak Offshore has a dark charm that even Dracula would envy. Made for the collector who would rather turn heads than blend in, it brings Blade-level swagger to any room, day or night.

Presents itself in mint condition with little to no signs of wear. Set against a black Méga Tapisserie grid, bold white gold Arabic numerals, red chronograph hands and a red tachymeter track give the dial its signature bite. Crowned by a brushed black ceramic bezel with eight hexagonal screws, the top of the case stays crisp, dark and tough to scratch. Carved from stainless steel, the 42mm case flips between satin brushing and mirror-polished bevels with every turn of the wrist. Wrapped in a black rubber strap with a red underside, a flash of red shows every time it moves.

Functions include hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph and tachymeter. Inside ticks the self-winding Calibre 3126/3840 with a 50-hour power reserve, all sealed to 100 meters of water resistance. After a long rest, unscrew the crown at 3 o’clock, wind it about 40 turns, then pull it out to the second position and move the hands to 6:30. Push the crown in to the first position to set yesterday’s date, pull it back out and turn the hands forward past midnight to today’s date and time, then push it in and screw it down tight. Press the top pusher at 2 o’clock to start and stop the chronograph, and the bottom pusher at 4 o’clock to snap it back to zero.

Comes boxed with its original Audemars Piguet lacquered presentation box and Extract from the Archives document.

Born in the final year of the 42mm 26470 generation, before AP moved the Offshore chronograph to all-new movements, the “Vampire” has earned a true cult following. Perfect for the collector who loves a little drama, it looks just as at home with a black tux as it does on a weekend in Vegas. Once it sinks its teeth in, it is very hard to let go.