Introducing: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph In 38mm

January 13, 2019

While most of the attention surrounding Audemars Piguet is being paid to the brand new CODE 11.59 collection, that's not all that AP is releasing at SIHH 2019. In fact, there are some downright killer new variations on the Royal Oak that you'll definitely want to know about. Chief among these? The Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph in a new 38mm size! Yes, you read that right: the simple F. Piguet-powered Royal Oak Chrono is available in a smaller size, sitting comfortably between the "Jumbo" and the 37mm Royal Oak models. Recently, this watch was only available in the 41mm size, which replaced the old 39mm models back in 2012. There are four versions of the new watch, two in steel and two in rose gold, with variations on white/grey/silver dials throughout. These are going to be a new mainstay in the AP collection and I would expect that these four references are just the beginning of a very popular new sub-collection. Initial Thoughts I'm going to go ahead and call it now: These watches are one of the sleeper hits of SIHH 2019. Sure, they're not revolutionary and they don't introduce any new movements or materials to the mix, but they take a classic model with an iconic movement and offer a meaningful update that makes the watch more contemporary and wearable (in my not-so-humble opinion). Plus, chronographs! Who doesn't love a good chrono these days? Of the bunch, I think it's the steel model with the silver and blue dial that I'm most excited to see in the metal, but honestly all four look damn good from the early images. You can bet we'll have tons of hands-on coverage of these coming to you soon, so stay tuned! The Basics Brand: Audemars PiguetModel: Royal Oak Selfwinding ChronographReference Number: 26315ST.OO.1256ST.01 (stainless steel with silver-toned dial and blue sub-registers); 26315ST.OO.1256ST.02 ?(stainless steel with ruthenium dial and rhodium-toned sub-registers); 26315OR.OO.1256OR.01 (rose gold with white dial and rose gold sub-registers); 26315OR.OO.1256OR.02 (rose gold with silver-toned dial and silver-toned sub-registers)Diameter: 38mmThickness: 11mmCase Material: Stainless steel or rose goldDial Color: Silver-toned or ruthenium, with varying sub-registersIndexes: Applied batons and printed Arabic numerals Lume: Yes, on hands and hour markersWater Resistance: 50 metersStrap/Bracelet: Integrate bracelet in stainless steel or rose gold The Movement Caliber: Caliber 2385 (Frdric Piguet 1185 base)Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph Diameter: 26.2mmThickness: 5.5mmPower Reserve: 40 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vph)Jewels: 37Total Components: 304Additional Details: Features a column wheel Pricing & Availability Price: $23,800 (stainless steel); $52,700 (rose gold)Availability: Not yet announcedFor more click here.