In response the quartz crisis of the late 1960s and early 1970s, Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak wristwatch in 1972 as the world’s first stainless steel luxury sports watch with fully integrated bracelet. Designed by famed horologer Gerald Genta, it was a model that revolutionized luxury watches with a monobloc case featuring an octagonal bezel secured by eight hexagonal white gold screws. The model evolved over time with the introduction of complicated variants including the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, followed later by the first Royal Oak chronograph introduced in 1998. The reference 25860 housed the caliber 2385 based on the Frederic Piguet caliber 1185, with the new movement being the thinnest self-winding chronograph movement made at the time, permitting the classic thin profile of the original Royal Oak to be maintained.

In 2008, Audemars Piguet replaced the reference 25860 with the introduction of the Royal Oak reference 26300 - a redesigned model featuring a three-piece case similar in construction to the brand’s Offshore collection. Today, the reference 26331BA, like the present watch is the luxurious and heavy modern iteration of the cult classic. The watch has all the appeal of the original, with the case enlarged slightly to a 41mm diameter. With its charismatic, blue Grande Tapisserie dial and yellow gold luminous markers, it is both an impressive and masculine chronograph wristwatch.

The present example in yellow gold is in excellent, nearly new overall condition and was probably worn only a handful of times. Accompanied by the International Warranty and presentation box, this is a rare opportunity to own a model that is difficult to find and is highly sought after.

PROPERTY OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER