AP Rubber Clad Rose Gold Review | Iced Out Audemars Piguet
Featuring one of the best aftermarket diamond AP Rubber Clad Rose Gold watches on the market. This is Iced Out Audemars Piguet at its finest. We hope you enjoy.
As far as the luxury watch game goes, men’s diamond watches are on top.
Iced out watches have been in fashion for quite some time now, and the trend is continuing to rise among luxury watch enthusiasts.
People with large pockets want iced out Audemars Piguet watches. They want full set Patek Philippe watches. They want aftermarket diamond Rolex watches.
Personalization is highly desirable in the watch industry these days.
No one can deny that full-set VVS diamond luxury watches look really nice, especially on brands like Patek and AP.
If you are like the majority of people born after 1980, you want to wet your AP with diamonds. That’s why most of our aftermarket diamond watches at Raymond Lee Jewelers are from the AP brand. Specifically, we love customizing the “Rubber Clad”.
Although Audemars Piguet’s Offshore line offers certain models with full-factory set diamonds, many that you will find, like the AP ROO Rubber Clad featured in this article, are custom set.
Nonetheless, if done right like this one, it will look as if it was factory set.
For those who are purists, you may not love aftermarket diamonds. And that’s fine because this style isn’t for everyone. But, if you like bling, bling watches, you are going to love this one.
We are excited to present to you…our work of art, our masterpiece, a fully customized Audemars Piguet Rubber Clad Rose Gold aftermarket diamond watch.
But first, let’s talk history.
AP Royal Oak History
AP’s first design of their Royal Oak line was created in 1972. It took form through the use of steel rather than gold. They shocked the industry with its price. It was priced as if it was made of gold.
Nonetheless, this didn’t inhibit watch enthusiasts from taking action.
The original Royal Oak went on to become a huge success internationally. It went down as one of the most prestigious sports watches in history. Audemars Piguet set the tone in the industry and became one of the biggest trendsetters in the sports watch game.
Offshore
In 1993, the Royal Oak Offshore was released. Again, a completely stainless steel timepiece, and again, insanely priced.
The 1993 Royal Oak Offshore gave way to an even more sporty, even more masculine, and even more powerful adaption of the iconic Royal Oak.
Once again, they set the trend for the industry. The rest had no choice but to follow.
Rubber Clad
Nine years later, it was 2002, and we saw the dawn of the Royal Oak Offshore Rubberclad reference. Just as AP did in 1972, they shocked the market with an outrageously daring design. This time it was rubber covering a gold bezel…and it had a rubber diving strap.
This stirred the pot, that’s for sure.
It was a bold move. In fact, it was a groundbreaking attempt at the time. And it worked.
Nowadays, it’s common to see watches that utilize rubber on the crown, straps, or other exterior pieces. That’s because…you guessed it…AP set the trend.
Even though rubber is a common material for watches now, from a company with Audemars Piguet’s prestige, for an elite watch brand, rubber bezels and straps are still very special, and very unique.
This is why celebrities have taken a strong liking to the Audemars Piguet Rubberclad. It’s innovative.
Tom Brady, Ed Burns, Sean Avery, and Swizz Beatz, to name a few, have been seen rocking the “Rubber Clad” over the last decade.
The original Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubberclad (reference 25940), comes in either stainless steel with a silvered dial or rose gold with a gray dial. Both have a rubber strap and bezel.
Now, as you’ve probably noticed, the watched featured here is the rose gold reference. AND, we decided to remove the rubber clad bezel so we could give it a full-set diamond face.
Removing the Rubber Off a Rubber Clad Bezel
A common question regarding the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubberclad is “can the rubber be removed?” The answer is yes, obviously.
Now, some people don’t like the idea of removing the rubber clad, but many “ballers” do. They want to ice it out.
This Rubberclad took the iced out route.
In any case, this is not an easy task. If it’s done incorrectly, it will leave the watch severely damaged, and it will need a new bezel.
Only a handful of watch dealers in South Florida can remove the rubber without any issue, and even less are equipped for a proper aftermarket diamond setting like the one seen here. Raymond Lee Jewelers is one of those watch dealers.
So, how did we do it?
Put simply, the rubber coating was stripped, revealing the underlying, beautiful 18k Rose Gold octagonal bezel, and then round brilliant diamonds were set in place.
We won’t just leave it at that, though. Let’s break down the steps…
First, the AP ROO Rubberclad needs to be completely taken apart, piece-by-piece. To remove the rubber from the bezel, it needs to be scorched off with the right tool.
But it doesn’t end there.
Once the rubber is completely removed, the hexagonal screws will be protruding above the bezel since they were made to be in line with the rubber coating. To sort this out, a highly skilled watchmaker must carefully file the bottom of the hexagonal screws to the point that they are even with the metal of the bezel.
Setting the Diamonds
Next, the diamonds are set. This is a completely different task that requires the hand of a watch surgeon.
The most important thing when setting the diamonds is to always maintain the integrity of AP’s iconic design, so it must be done flawlessly. It must look as flawless as the Royal Oak comes originally…just now with a whole lot of ice.
In this case, we covered more than just the bezel; we completely covered its entire face – a.k.a. full set.
There is so much ice on here you need to be careful not to give your wrist frostbite.
Here’s how the diamonds are set…
To set the diamonds in place, a metal excavating tool must be used to drill into the gold. Each setting must be the perfect size and shape so that the diamond fits in snugly.
Once the holes are ready, diamonds are placed in and secured.
As light can’t reflect from the bottom of the diamonds when they are placed in the watch, we use a new setting that allows the most shine possible.
To secure each stone in place, the gold is slightly folded at the outer rim around the diameter. This is done with a special pneumatic hammer. All the diamonds will now be enclosed perfectly inside the setting. A partial setting is done to get the maximum display of the diamonds’ brilliance, fire, and scintillation.
Each step is done so delicately and so laboriously that nothing is damaged in any way. This is pure watch surgery. You might not need to be a brain surgeon to manage this, but you do need to be the next best thing, a watch surgeon.
Our process is done with patience because, at the end of the day, aftermarket diamond watches are only as good as the craftsmanship of the setting.
VVS Diamonds
All of the diamonds are Very Very Slightly Included (VVS) so they are of the highest clarity. Nothing but the best for the best. We know what people want, and we give them what they deserve.
This is the ultimate blinged out timepiece. It demands attention and makes a strong statement. If you walk around with this AP 25940 rose gold, full set VVS diamond watch, people will know you mean business.
We decided on the full set, which means we set diamonds in the bezel, the case, and the dial -yup, the whole nine. The only vestige of the rubber is the strap and guard.
We didn’t switch out the strap on this Audemars Piguet Rubber Clad Rose Gold because we felt the iced-out look and pink gold complemented the rubber strap fantastically.
AP Royal Oak Offshore Rubberclad Iced Out Case
There truly might not be a better watch to ice out than the Audemars Piguet Rubber Clad. It’s big, it’s bold, and it looks out of this world when it’s covered in brilliant diamonds.
Facts.
The AP Rubberclad Rose Gold case is a meaty 42mm.
However, if you take into consideration the plots, which are intermediate links bridging the strap and case, the face actually spans an imposing 58mm over the wrist. This gives the AP Rubberclad a flared, wide-body look on the wrist.
The case is considerably compact comparing to its width, standing at only 14.6mm tall.
This Audemars Piguet Rubberclad Rose Gold’s case is completely covered in diamonds, excluding the crown, guards, and chronograph pushers. The alignment and definition on this watch is impeccable. An iced out watch has never looked so charming. It’s a beauty and a beast all in one.
As with any top-notch oversized sports watch, the strap is fixed to the case with screws instead of spring bars, as screws offer a lot more stability and security for a case of this size.
An Audemars Piguet ROO Rubberclad has the perfect case to load with diamonds
Although it’s an aftermarket customization, you’d think this was the way AP meant to design this Rose Gold Rubber Clad.
The diamonds take this high-end, extravagant watch to the next level, making it beyond wet – it’s straight dripping. If you love icy oversized watches, there is no better choice than an aftermarket diamond Rose Gold AP ROO Rubberclad.
As you can see, even the sides of the case have been set with diamonds. Cha-Ching! It may seem obvious that this should be done, but many aftermarket watches lack this touch. This increases the price as it adds more total carats, not to mention it looks much better this way.
Furthermore, we didn’t compromise the original functionality of the AP Rubberclad, meaning, this watch is still fully waterproof. We make sure that when you want to wet this watch, it’s completely watertight.
AP ROO Rubber Clad Aftermarket Diamond DIAL
Originally, the dial has a Tapisserie texture, but not this one. This one has been completely modified by covering it with small round brilliant cut diamonds.
There are 3 white subdials: Constant Seconds, Chronograph 30-Minute Totalizer, and a 12-Hour Totalizer.
The hour and minute hands have a luminous coating, and the black numerals along with the white subdials and hands make for a charming bi-chromatic color combination. The rose gold and diamonds is the icing on the cake.
Additionally, there is a Q-set aperture at the 3 o’clock with a magnifying cyclops over it, and the dial is covered with a glare-proof sapphire crystal glass.
Lastly, on the perimeter of the dial, you will notice a Tachymetric scale. The Tachymetric scale gives you the ability to gauge the speed of an object when it’s moving at a fixed distance. For instance, it can be used to measure a standing mile.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad Strap
The diver style rubber strap offers the perfect support and comfort for the big boy face.
The rubber is not just some simple rubber, it is a supple, natural vulcanized rubber, and the design is innovative so that it easily flexes and traces the arc of the wrist.
Furthermore, the lines on the strap noticeably extend the plots, creating a continuous aesthetic streak from its lugs to its buckle.
Overall, the black Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad strap is the perfect match and contrast to the full diamond set pink gold face and AP folding clasp.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Movement
Powering the Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad is an automatic self-winding Audemars Piguet 2326/2840 caliber that grants a 38-hour power reserve with 28,800 beats per hour.
The thin and fine horology movement is a Vertical Clutch Chronograph Module. It consists of 370 parts and as it is self-winding, the natural movements when wearing it will completely power the watch.
Additionally, it has remarkable hacking seconds. This way you can stop the seconds, including constant seconds, to synchronize to a reference time. Furthermore, there’s a quick set for the date so you can set it in a heartbeat.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Diamond Rubber Clad – On The Wrist
If you are a luxury watch enthusiast who likes a timepiece that catches attention, this stone-cold aftermarket diamond AP “Rubber Clad” in rose gold is a fantastic choice. It has a strong appearance, with its chiseled octagonal shape, and it will surely light up any occasion with all of those diamonds covering it. This AP is like a bonfire on a brisk, dark night.
Our AP Royal Oak Offshore Diamond watch is perfect for daytime wear. We are talking about the epitome of luxury sports watches. The boss of icy chronographs.
Buy our Audemars Piguet 26178 Royal Oak Offshore 18k Rose Gold Diamond Watch now!
RAYMOND LEE JEWELERS
At Raymond Lee Jewelers in Boca Raton, we strive to supply new and pre-owned Audemars Piguet watches at the most competitive price. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the Audemars Piguet Rubber Clad Rose Gold Diamond watch featured in this article.
We take pride in treating every business dealing as a very special occasion, and we aim for 100% customer satisfaction in both product and service.
If you’d like to stop by our showroom to see this AP Rubber Clad Rose Gold Diamond watch in person, we are located at 22191 Powerline Road #12b – Boca Raton, FL 33433
You can also call us at 561-750-7808 to make an appointment.