To own a Royal Oak is to own a piece of watchmaking history. When Gerald Genta sketched the Royal Oak on a single sheet of paper in 1972 — reportedly overnight, to meet an impossible deadline — he invented the luxury sports watch as a category. The octagonal bezel, the integrated bracelet, the tapisserie dial: details that were radical in 1972 and remain instantly recognisable more than fifty years later. In 18-karat yellow gold (Reference 26240BA.OO.1320BA.02), the Royal Oak Chronograph is not merely a continuation of that legacy — it is its most opulent, most uncompromising expression.

The case is 41mm of 18k yellow gold, with the integrated bracelet and octagonal bezel executed in the same material — a mono-precious-metal construction that requires extraordinary manufacturing discipline across every surface. The gold dial carries the Royal Oak's signature Grande Tapisserie pattern: a hand-engraved square-hobnail texture applied across the entire dial surface, a process so labour-intensive that it remains one of the defining differentiators between an authentic Royal Oak and every watch inspired by it. There are no hour numerals — just applied gold baton indexes and the architecture of the dial itself.

The movement is Calibre 4401 — Audemars Piguet's proprietary self-winding flyback chronograph calibre. At 381 components and 40 jewels, beating at 28,800 vph (4 Hz) with a 70-hour power reserve, it is among the most capable and refined flyback movements in production at any price point. The flyback function allows the elapsed-time measurement to be reset and restarted with a single push — a technical specification born from aviation timing that adds genuine operational advantage over a standard chronograph. This is the Royal Oak Chronograph at the apex of what AP currently offers in the reference.

Why This Watch Stands Apart
• Full 18k yellow gold — case, bezel, bracelet, clasp — a mono-precious-metal Royal Oak of the highest order
• Calibre 4401 flyback chronograph — AP in-house, 381 components, 40 jewels, 70-hour power reserve
• Flyback function — single-push chronograph reset and restart; the connoisseur's complication
• Gold Grande Tapisserie dial — hand-engraved hobnail texture across the full dial; no numerals
• 41mm case, 12.4mm thin — a remarkable proportion for a flyback chronograph movement of this complexity
• 5 ATM water resistance — practical robustness in a full yellow gold case
• Integrated yellow gold bracelet with fold clasp — the Royal Oak bracelet in its most precious form
• Pre-owned excellent condition — complete with original Audemars Piguet box and papers

Product Specifications

• Brand: Audemars Piguet
• Model: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph
• Reference: 26240BA.OO.1320BA.02
• Year: Unknown
• Condition: Pre-Owned – Excellent
• Inclusions: Watch, Box, and Papers

Case

• Case Material: 18K Yellow Gold
• Case Diameter: 41 mm
• Case Thickness: 12.4 mm
• Bezel Material: Yellow Gold
• Crystal: Sapphire Crystal
• Water Resistance: 5 ATM / 50 meters

Dial

• Dial Color: Gold
• Dial Numerals: No Numerals

Bracelet

• Bracelet Material: 18K Yellow Gold
• Bracelet Color: Gold
• Clasp: Folding Clasp
• Clasp Material: Yellow Gold

Movement

• Movement: Automatic
• Calibre: 4401
• Power Reserve: 70 Hours
• Jewels: 40
• Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
• Components: 381

Functions

• Flyback Chronograph
• Hours
• Minutes
• Small Seconds
• Date