Description

The present watch is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar reference 26674ST, presented in stainless steel as a landmark celebration of the manufacture’s 150th anniversary. This edition honors the collection’s sporting heritage while showcasing one of haute horlogerie’s most sophisticated complications—the perpetual calendar—in a material that emphasizes accessibility and everyday wearability without compromising technical ambition or design integrity.

The iconic 41 mm stainless steel case retains the unmistakable octagonal silhouette and integrated bracelet architecture established by Gérald Genta in 1972. Meticulously finished with alternating brushed and polished surfaces, the case demonstrates the Royal Oak’s enduring design language: industrial geometry refined through meticulous craftsmanship. The octagonal bezel is secured by eight hexagonal screws, a detail that has become synonymous with the collection’s visual identity. The stainless steel construction offers robust durability while maintaining the refined proportions that have made the Royal Oak a modern icon.

The dial is adorned with the signature “Grande Tapisserie” guilloché pattern, executed in blue, that complements the steel case and enhances legibility. Four subdials are harmoniously arranged to display the perpetual calendar functions: day, date, month, astronomical moon phase, and leap year indicators. The week of the year is tracked along the dial’s perimeter by a central hand, adding both functional utility and visual balance to the composition. This classical arrangement reflects Audemars Piguet’s commitment to legible, purposeful complication design.

At the heart of this anniversary edition is the self-winding Calibre 5134, visible through the sapphire crystal caseback and finished to the highest standards of haute horlogerie. Geneva stripes, perlage, and polished bevels showcase the movement’s mechanical artistry, while the 22-carat gold oscillating weight is specially decorated to commemorate Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary—a subtle yet meaningful tribute to the occasion.

Produced in limited quantities, the stainless steel Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar represents a rare convergence: a sports watch in an accessible precious metal paired with one of watchmaking’s most demanding complications. The perpetual calendar mechanism is engineered to accurately track the calendar until 2100, requiring adjustment only once per century—a testament to the technical mastery and forward-thinking design that define this celebratory timepiece. In steel, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar becomes not merely a collector’s object, but a wearable expression of Audemars Piguet’s 150 years of innovation and horological excellence.

Audemars Piguet – bio

Audemars Piguet is a Swiss manufacturer of mechanical watches founded in 1875. They began in the Vallée de Joux. Jules Louis Audemars formed a partnership with Edward Auguste Piguet. Audemars created complicated blank watch movements for other manufactures to use. Piguet specialized in the final regulation of watches. They then split responsibilities when they began their own company. Audemars was in charge of production and technical aspects while Piguet focused on sales and management. One of their first achievements was creating the first repeater wristwatch in 1892 and in 1972 the iconic steel “Royal Oak”.