Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 41 26240ST

Stainless steel · blue Grande Tapisserie dial · 41 mm

The Royal Oak chronograph as it was redrawn for the collection's fiftieth year, with an integrated movement at last.

A steel Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph with a blue tapisserie dial and an integrated steel bracelet, photographed on white
Reference
26240ST
Metal
Stainless steel
Size
41 mm
Calibre
4401
Dial
Blue Grande Tapisserie
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 41 26240ST Request a different watch Source this watch

The chronograph Audemars Piguet finally built for the case.

For most of its life the Royal Oak chronograph ran on a modified supplied base with a chronograph module on top. Calibre 4401 changed that: an integrated, column-wheel, flyback chronograph developed in house, with around 70 hours of reserve, which is what the 26240 carries.

The practical difference is in the pushers and the dial. An integrated chronograph gives a crisper action at the pusher and lets the counters sit where the designer wants them rather than where a module dictates, which is why the 41 mm case reads cleaner than the generation before it.

Everything else is the 1972 Genta design doing what it has always done: the octagonal bezel with its eight hexagonal screws, the tapisserie dial, and a bracelet that tapers into the case rather than hanging off it. The blue dial in steel is the configuration most people mean when they say Royal Oak chronograph.

  1. Calibre 4401, an integrated flyback chronograph made in house
  2. Approximately 70 hours of power reserve
  3. Blue Grande Tapisserie dial with applied white gold markers
  4. 41 mm case with the octagonal bezel and eight hexagonal screws

As it leaves the manufacture

Case and dial
Case
41 mm, stainless steel, octagonal bezel with eight hexagonal screws
Crystal
Glareproofed sapphire, with a sapphire case back
Dial
Blue Grande Tapisserie, applied white gold markers and hands
Luminescence
Luminescent coating on markers and hands
Water resistance
50 m
Movement
Calibre
4401, Audemars Piguet
Type
Selfwinding integrated flyback chronograph, column wheel
Power reserve
Approximately 70 hours
Frequency
4 Hz, 28,800 vibrations per hour
Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds, date; flyback chronograph with 30-minute and 12-hour counters
Bracelet
Bracelet
Stainless steel, integrated, tapering
Clasp
AP folding clasp
Note
The bracelet is part of the case design and is not interchangeable

Other watches we are asked for

Each page is a guide to the reference and how we source it, not a listing. If yours is not here, ask anyway.

Sourced to your brief, itemised before you decide

Nothing on this page is stock. Royal Oaks in steel are allocated rather than sold from a case, so this is a network search.

The brief

The dial colour and whether steel is fixed for you. The same reference exists in other dials, and the chronograph also comes in gold and titanium.

Availability and timing

Confirmed for each request from our network. Steel Royal Oaks are among the harder current watches to buy at retail, and we say what is realistic at the start.

What accompanies the watch

Box, warranty documentation, booklets and any additional links are itemised for the individual watch we propose.

Condition and documents

Condition of the brushed and polished surfaces matters more on a Royal Oak than on most watches, because a poor polish softens the edges permanently. We report it, along with service history and any verification arrangements.

A private selling room with black lacquer cabinets, lit niches and two chairs at an oval table
Every request begins with a conversation: in London, or wherever you are.

Four steps, no pressure

  1. Brief

    Send the reference by WhatsApp or the form, with the dial, set and timing that matter to you. A collection or a style is enough to begin.

  2. Source

    We go to our network rather than a boutique list, and come back with what is realistic on availability and timing before you commit to anything.

  3. Verify

    Condition, documents and what accompanies the watch are set out in writing for the individual piece we propose. You decide with the details in front of you.

  4. Settle and deliver

    Bank transfer in any major currency, or crypto. Collection in London or fully insured delivery, agreed for the watch and the destination.

Looking for a different watch?

Any brand, any reference, whether or not it appears on this site. Tell us what you have in mind and we take it from there.

Frequently asked questions

What changed with calibre 4401?

The chronograph became integrated and made in house rather than a module on a supplied base, with a column wheel, a flyback function and about 70 hours of reserve. The pusher action is crisper and the counters sit where the dial wants them.

Why does polishing matter so much on a Royal Oak?

The case and bracelet are defined by the hard boundary between brushed tops and polished bevels. A careless polish rounds that boundary and cannot be undone, so an unpolished or correctly refinished example is worth materially more.

Is the bracelet interchangeable?

No. The Royal Oak bracelet tapers into the case as part of the original design. Strap versions exist as separate references rather than as an option on this one.

How long does it take to source one?

It depends on the configuration and how specific the brief is. We tell you what is realistic at the start rather than quote a number we cannot keep.

Can I pay in crypto?

Yes. Bank transfer in any major currency, or crypto; Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum, USDT and other major coins and stablecoins are accepted. The coin, network and amount are confirmed with you before any transfer.

Tell us the watch you have in mind

An exact reference or an idea is enough to start the conversation. We will take care of the search and discuss the options with you.

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