Hi All,
I have stolen this great post on TZ....Great pics about AP and Gulf...for Guru..:facepalm:
Party celebrating the official launch of the new Royal Oak Offshore 44 mm.
The event was held at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, NJ. The course and clubhouse are across from NYC right alongside the Hudson River. Down the street from the Statue of Liberty with the NYC skyline just across the river, the views from nearly all of the courses' holes are spectacular.
AP has long been associated with some of the world's greatest golfers. Four of AP's brand ambassadors were in attendance, playing separately on four teams in a Scramble-type tournament. Well-known to anyone who follows golf, they were:
* Rocco Mediate
* Ian Poulter
* Vijay Singh
* Anthony Kim
We had lunch before the start of the tournament...Vijay Singh with Francois Bennahmias, President & CEO of AP in the Americas
Messing around with Anthony Kim...
On Anthony's wrist - the AP ROO Mantauk Highway limited edition...
AP is the official timekeeper of this exclusive, 3-year young golf course...check out this four-faced Royal Oak clock sculpture...
A rose gold rubber clad Royal Oak Offshore...
Another Offshore, on the wrist of a tournament participant...
Scenes from the day...
Francois kicking off the day's event...
Members of AP's superb marketing team...on the left is Frederick Martel - AP's new VP of Marketing - this was his first day on the job!
The ambassadors shared some tips and answered questions during a clinic session...
Rocco and Vijay listening to Ian...
Vijay and Anthony...
Vijay watching his son Qass Singh...at 21, already he's an impressive golfer...that's the Verrazano Bridge in the background on the right...
Vijay was coaching all members of his Scramble team throughout the day...watching Francois putt...
I had a chance to briefly interview three of the four during a golf clinic just before the shotgun start.
Interview with Rocco Mediate
PB: How did you get involved with AP?
Rocco Mediate: A friend set me up to meet Francois in New York in 1998 or 1999. Once I met him and saw AP's watches, I was done. I had been into watches forever...I love them!
After buying a few watches from him, I suggested to him "hey, why don't I do some advertising for you guys?" Francois responded, "I do not know if this will work" - and I told him let's try it out - I'll put AP on my sleeve. And the rest is history!
Francois would ask me about other golfers as potential candidates to be ambassadors - "what about Darren Clarke?" Yeah, yeah, he's good. He asked me about Vijay Singh - he was either the second or third ambassador. I think he was right in there after me - almost 4 or 5 years later. Starting in the mid-2000s, we added a few more guys. Bang. Now we have 18 male golf ambassadors.
I have golf guys asking me every day to be ambassadors! It's been a lot of fun...we've had a blast.
PB: What was the first AP you purchased?
Rocco Mediate: It was an End of Days.
And that's another story - it was stolen sadly enough. It was number 500, too - the very last one of the limited edition. When I bought it, that was the last one available.
PB: What other watch brands do you like?
Rocco Mediate: I didn't have many different watches - I had Franck Mullers, a Patek World Time. But they're all gone. I got rid of them a long time ago. Now AP is all I have, exclusively. Wait. Two years ago I got a Bell & Ross with a skull on the dial. It's cool as hell. But I've never worn it. I've had some Panerai's over the years, but I got rid of all of them. It was an Italian thing!
PB: What do you like about AP?
Rocco Mediate: First of all, Francois is a dear friend. What he's done with the company over the years is pretty incredible. When he came on board, sales numbers were so low; now they're gazillions! Not many people know that.
I've always been a watch fanatic. With AP, especially the quality, it doesn't get any better. How many majors has AP won? I mean come on, it's ridiculous!
Seriously, AP is old school. We build our own movements. I always say "we", by the way, when talking about AP. We build our own stuff. We do so much on our own. If it's a tourbillon with our name on it, it was built by us. It wasn't built by another brand. And I think that's really cool. We make 31,000 watches per year today. I think we were at like 12,000 to 15,000 when I got started with AP. Rolex makes like a zillion. I always say you can get those at 7-Eleven!
Seeing AP grow, and all the cool designs coming out. I read some of the watch magazines - ours are the coolest looking. Patek is a great watch, but they're designs are kinda boring.
Nobody talks about the Millenary - another great AP product. I have one - a little stainless steel guy. But going back to the Royal Oak and the Royal Oak Offshore - it doesn't get any better than them - they're just so cool.
I always tell people, if you get a Royal Oak, you can beat the crap out of it - they don't break.
PB: Have you ever golfed with an AP on your wrist?
Rocco Mediate: I used to. It was a thin one on strap that I got seven or eight years ago. I still have it, it's little - 36 mm...I played a lot with that one. AP is working on a new thin watch for us to play in. That's what we need to have.
PB: What is your favorite AP?
Rocco Mediate: My favorite is the Royal Oak Skeleton Perpetual Calendar in platinum, which I picked up several years ago.
I asked Francois to put my name on the rotor. He sent it in to the factory, and three months later, my name wasn't on the rotor, it was the rotor! It was unbelievable. It took so long because they had to fine tune the rotor to balance it and get it to wind properly. That is my favorite watch, but I don't wear it as often as I'd like to.
My favorite watch to wear is my T3. I love that watch.
I also enjoy the Carbon Concept Watch - another ridiculously stupid watch - stupid in my language means really really good, by the way!
Interview with Vijay Singh
PB: How did you discover AP?
Vijay Singh: I've known the brand for a long time, actually. Nick Faldo was a great ambassador for AP. When I was playing in Europe, the watches really caught my eye.
Francois is a good friend. I've gotten to know him over the past several years. The watches are really great - they're very manly watches, you know? It's a great company to be associated with, and it's been a great partnership so far. I've been an ambassador for about six or seven years now.
I didn't start out as a "watch guy". I love them now, and I think AP is one of the best.
When you wear an AP, people notice it. People always admire an AP watch. No matter where you go, anyone that knows watches - if they see you with an AP, they say, "wow! that's a great watch". It puts a smile on your face when they know what watch it is. I think it's becoming more and more recognizable - it used to not be. Now, if you're say at an airport, many more people understand and really appreciate the kind of watch it is.
PB: Do you remember your first AP?
Vijay Singh: It was an Offshore. I kept changing it to different models. I love the model - it's what makes AP look like AP. It's how I recognize an AP. I have three or four - the one I'm wearing today is the 57th St Limited Edition.
I love it - it's really really cool...with the rose gold and steel - simple, yet very eye catching.
PB: Have you ever played with an AP on your wrist?
Vijay Singh: Yes I did, but it was pretty heavy! I'm trying to get my hands on one that's a lot thinner so that I can actually play with it. I used to play with watches before, but you can't really do that with an AP Offshore - it's not practical.
Interview with Ian Poulter
PB: How did you get introduced to AP?
Ian Poulter: I've been aware of the AP brand for a long time. I've always been a watch fan. Like cars, guys who are in a fortunate situation that like their cars tend to like watches. The two of those together go pretty well. Obviously, AP had been into golf for a number of years.
We got introduced together with my agent and Francois - and it was a good fit. You know, with my design efforts - IJP Design by Ian James Poulter - and the whole design aspect of what AP does with watches, it was a good combination.
We've been together now for 18 months, and I look forward to continue moving forward with them.
PB: What do you like about the brand?
Ian Poulter: I love the brand's audacity - it has its own design style, it's unique - it's what I strive for in my clothing line. I really like what they do with their watches - that they're different. AP is daring - they're not afraid to try new things. A great, high-quality brand, as you know. Good people, great brand - they enjoy what they do, and that's what it's all about.
PB: What was the first AP you bought?
Ian Poulter: It was the Royal Oak Offshore 57th Street Limited Edition. Then the Schwarzenegger Legacy Chronograph was my second watch.
Two watches at the moment, and I'm going shopping the day after tomorrow morning at the NY AP Boutique - and I can't wait to get in there! I'm going to be like a kid in a candy store - trust me!
PB: Tell me more about your passion for watches...
Ian Poulter: I'm a watch guy, you know what, I've been with the brand for a while. I have the two, but the two is going to grow very quickly. Hopefully by the end of the year I'm going to have a watch case built to showcase them all. This case is being built at the moment in my new house, it's going to hold about fifty watches and should be done soon.
Back at the Clubhouse
After the tournament, a party was held that night in the clubhouse. Some shots of the decor...
Awards for the tournament winners...
Gigantic replicas adorned the windows...
The Royal Oak Offshore 44 mm
As I described in January, when these new Royal Oak Offshore models were introduced during SIHH 2011:
Three new regular production (e.g., non-limited) Offshore Chronographs were released today, with several differences compared with the existing non-limited Offshore Chronographs. These new models will supplement the current Offshore collection that will remain in production as far as I know. It's uncertain whether current models will eventually be phased out in the long-run...
* A slightly larger case diameter at 44 mm
* Ceramic bezels, crowns and pushers
* New pusher, crown guard and push-piece protector designs
* Exhibition casebacks
* Anthracite-colored 22 karat gold winding rotor
From the crown side, the profile lines look more sculpted, modern, and muscular compared with the previous Offshores - a design change I really like.
The three new models...
1. Stainless Steel case with black ceramic bezel - Ref. 26400SO.OO.A002CA.01
Pushpiece and crown guards are in steel, secured to the case with four visible screws. Pushers are made of two parts, with black ceramic caps...
2. Forged carbon case with black ceramic bezel Ref. 26400AU.OO.A002CA.01
Pushpiece and crown guards in titanium for the forged carbon model...
Titanium strap fastening studs...
3. 18 karat pink gold with black ceramic bezel Ref. 26400RO.OO.A002CA.01
Guards in rose gold...
I have stolen this great post on TZ....Great pics about AP and Gulf...for Guru..:facepalm:
Party celebrating the official launch of the new Royal Oak Offshore 44 mm.
The event was held at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, NJ. The course and clubhouse are across from NYC right alongside the Hudson River. Down the street from the Statue of Liberty with the NYC skyline just across the river, the views from nearly all of the courses' holes are spectacular.
AP has long been associated with some of the world's greatest golfers. Four of AP's brand ambassadors were in attendance, playing separately on four teams in a Scramble-type tournament. Well-known to anyone who follows golf, they were:
* Rocco Mediate
* Ian Poulter
* Vijay Singh
* Anthony Kim
We had lunch before the start of the tournament...Vijay Singh with Francois Bennahmias, President & CEO of AP in the Americas
Messing around with Anthony Kim...
On Anthony's wrist - the AP ROO Mantauk Highway limited edition...
AP is the official timekeeper of this exclusive, 3-year young golf course...check out this four-faced Royal Oak clock sculpture...
A rose gold rubber clad Royal Oak Offshore...
Another Offshore, on the wrist of a tournament participant...
Scenes from the day...
Francois kicking off the day's event...
Members of AP's superb marketing team...on the left is Frederick Martel - AP's new VP of Marketing - this was his first day on the job!
The ambassadors shared some tips and answered questions during a clinic session...
Rocco and Vijay listening to Ian...
Vijay and Anthony...
Vijay watching his son Qass Singh...at 21, already he's an impressive golfer...that's the Verrazano Bridge in the background on the right...
Vijay was coaching all members of his Scramble team throughout the day...watching Francois putt...
I had a chance to briefly interview three of the four during a golf clinic just before the shotgun start.
Interview with Rocco Mediate
PB: How did you get involved with AP?
Rocco Mediate: A friend set me up to meet Francois in New York in 1998 or 1999. Once I met him and saw AP's watches, I was done. I had been into watches forever...I love them!
After buying a few watches from him, I suggested to him "hey, why don't I do some advertising for you guys?" Francois responded, "I do not know if this will work" - and I told him let's try it out - I'll put AP on my sleeve. And the rest is history!
Francois would ask me about other golfers as potential candidates to be ambassadors - "what about Darren Clarke?" Yeah, yeah, he's good. He asked me about Vijay Singh - he was either the second or third ambassador. I think he was right in there after me - almost 4 or 5 years later. Starting in the mid-2000s, we added a few more guys. Bang. Now we have 18 male golf ambassadors.
I have golf guys asking me every day to be ambassadors! It's been a lot of fun...we've had a blast.
PB: What was the first AP you purchased?
Rocco Mediate: It was an End of Days.
And that's another story - it was stolen sadly enough. It was number 500, too - the very last one of the limited edition. When I bought it, that was the last one available.
PB: What other watch brands do you like?
Rocco Mediate: I didn't have many different watches - I had Franck Mullers, a Patek World Time. But they're all gone. I got rid of them a long time ago. Now AP is all I have, exclusively. Wait. Two years ago I got a Bell & Ross with a skull on the dial. It's cool as hell. But I've never worn it. I've had some Panerai's over the years, but I got rid of all of them. It was an Italian thing!
PB: What do you like about AP?
Rocco Mediate: First of all, Francois is a dear friend. What he's done with the company over the years is pretty incredible. When he came on board, sales numbers were so low; now they're gazillions! Not many people know that.
I've always been a watch fanatic. With AP, especially the quality, it doesn't get any better. How many majors has AP won? I mean come on, it's ridiculous!
Seriously, AP is old school. We build our own movements. I always say "we", by the way, when talking about AP. We build our own stuff. We do so much on our own. If it's a tourbillon with our name on it, it was built by us. It wasn't built by another brand. And I think that's really cool. We make 31,000 watches per year today. I think we were at like 12,000 to 15,000 when I got started with AP. Rolex makes like a zillion. I always say you can get those at 7-Eleven!
Seeing AP grow, and all the cool designs coming out. I read some of the watch magazines - ours are the coolest looking. Patek is a great watch, but they're designs are kinda boring.
Nobody talks about the Millenary - another great AP product. I have one - a little stainless steel guy. But going back to the Royal Oak and the Royal Oak Offshore - it doesn't get any better than them - they're just so cool.
I always tell people, if you get a Royal Oak, you can beat the crap out of it - they don't break.
PB: Have you ever golfed with an AP on your wrist?
Rocco Mediate: I used to. It was a thin one on strap that I got seven or eight years ago. I still have it, it's little - 36 mm...I played a lot with that one. AP is working on a new thin watch for us to play in. That's what we need to have.
PB: What is your favorite AP?
Rocco Mediate: My favorite is the Royal Oak Skeleton Perpetual Calendar in platinum, which I picked up several years ago.
I asked Francois to put my name on the rotor. He sent it in to the factory, and three months later, my name wasn't on the rotor, it was the rotor! It was unbelievable. It took so long because they had to fine tune the rotor to balance it and get it to wind properly. That is my favorite watch, but I don't wear it as often as I'd like to.
My favorite watch to wear is my T3. I love that watch.
I also enjoy the Carbon Concept Watch - another ridiculously stupid watch - stupid in my language means really really good, by the way!
Interview with Vijay Singh
PB: How did you discover AP?
Vijay Singh: I've known the brand for a long time, actually. Nick Faldo was a great ambassador for AP. When I was playing in Europe, the watches really caught my eye.
Francois is a good friend. I've gotten to know him over the past several years. The watches are really great - they're very manly watches, you know? It's a great company to be associated with, and it's been a great partnership so far. I've been an ambassador for about six or seven years now.
I didn't start out as a "watch guy". I love them now, and I think AP is one of the best.
When you wear an AP, people notice it. People always admire an AP watch. No matter where you go, anyone that knows watches - if they see you with an AP, they say, "wow! that's a great watch". It puts a smile on your face when they know what watch it is. I think it's becoming more and more recognizable - it used to not be. Now, if you're say at an airport, many more people understand and really appreciate the kind of watch it is.
PB: Do you remember your first AP?
Vijay Singh: It was an Offshore. I kept changing it to different models. I love the model - it's what makes AP look like AP. It's how I recognize an AP. I have three or four - the one I'm wearing today is the 57th St Limited Edition.
I love it - it's really really cool...with the rose gold and steel - simple, yet very eye catching.
PB: Have you ever played with an AP on your wrist?
Vijay Singh: Yes I did, but it was pretty heavy! I'm trying to get my hands on one that's a lot thinner so that I can actually play with it. I used to play with watches before, but you can't really do that with an AP Offshore - it's not practical.
Interview with Ian Poulter
PB: How did you get introduced to AP?
Ian Poulter: I've been aware of the AP brand for a long time. I've always been a watch fan. Like cars, guys who are in a fortunate situation that like their cars tend to like watches. The two of those together go pretty well. Obviously, AP had been into golf for a number of years.
We got introduced together with my agent and Francois - and it was a good fit. You know, with my design efforts - IJP Design by Ian James Poulter - and the whole design aspect of what AP does with watches, it was a good combination.
We've been together now for 18 months, and I look forward to continue moving forward with them.
PB: What do you like about the brand?
Ian Poulter: I love the brand's audacity - it has its own design style, it's unique - it's what I strive for in my clothing line. I really like what they do with their watches - that they're different. AP is daring - they're not afraid to try new things. A great, high-quality brand, as you know. Good people, great brand - they enjoy what they do, and that's what it's all about.
PB: What was the first AP you bought?
Ian Poulter: It was the Royal Oak Offshore 57th Street Limited Edition. Then the Schwarzenegger Legacy Chronograph was my second watch.
Two watches at the moment, and I'm going shopping the day after tomorrow morning at the NY AP Boutique - and I can't wait to get in there! I'm going to be like a kid in a candy store - trust me!
PB: Tell me more about your passion for watches...
Ian Poulter: I'm a watch guy, you know what, I've been with the brand for a while. I have the two, but the two is going to grow very quickly. Hopefully by the end of the year I'm going to have a watch case built to showcase them all. This case is being built at the moment in my new house, it's going to hold about fifty watches and should be done soon.
Back at the Clubhouse
After the tournament, a party was held that night in the clubhouse. Some shots of the decor...
Awards for the tournament winners...
Gigantic replicas adorned the windows...
The Royal Oak Offshore 44 mm
As I described in January, when these new Royal Oak Offshore models were introduced during SIHH 2011:
Three new regular production (e.g., non-limited) Offshore Chronographs were released today, with several differences compared with the existing non-limited Offshore Chronographs. These new models will supplement the current Offshore collection that will remain in production as far as I know. It's uncertain whether current models will eventually be phased out in the long-run...
* A slightly larger case diameter at 44 mm
* Ceramic bezels, crowns and pushers
* New pusher, crown guard and push-piece protector designs
* Exhibition casebacks
* Anthracite-colored 22 karat gold winding rotor
From the crown side, the profile lines look more sculpted, modern, and muscular compared with the previous Offshores - a design change I really like.
The three new models...
1. Stainless Steel case with black ceramic bezel - Ref. 26400SO.OO.A002CA.01
Pushpiece and crown guards are in steel, secured to the case with four visible screws. Pushers are made of two parts, with black ceramic caps...
2. Forged carbon case with black ceramic bezel Ref. 26400AU.OO.A002CA.01
Pushpiece and crown guards in titanium for the forged carbon model...
Titanium strap fastening studs...
3. 18 karat pink gold with black ceramic bezel Ref. 26400RO.OO.A002CA.01
Guards in rose gold...
