Audemars Piguet, founded in Le Brassus in 1875 by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, remains the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families. The Royal Oak, designed by Gérald Genta in 1972, revolutionized the luxury watch industry by introducing the concept of a luxury steel sport watch.
Available below retail on the secondary market at 8% discount, this model offers exceptional value for buyers willing to purchase pre-owned. This pricing makes it one of the better value propositions in the sport watch category.
Our WVS Value Score of 72/100 places this in the upper range of luxury watches. The score reflects a solid balance between value retention, brand recognition, specification quality, and market availability.
The estimated annual cost of ownership is $2820 per year, accounting for depreciation, servicing, and insurance. While this is higher than some alternatives, it should be weighed against the wearing pleasure and prestige the watch provides daily.
Understanding the true cost of owning a luxury watch requires looking beyond the purchase price. Our cost-of-ownership model calculates the annual net expense of keeping the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470ST.OO.A027CA.01 on your wrist, factoring in three key components.
First, depreciation: based on historical pricing data for this reference and similar Audemars Piguet models, we estimate annual value change at 6%. This depreciation rate is typical for this price segment and brand positioning. Second, servicing: Audemars Piguet recommends periodic maintenance to ensure accuracy and water resistance. We amortize the estimated service cost across the recommended interval, arriving at $120 per year. Third, insurance: at approximately 1.5% of market value, annual insurance costs $540 to protect against theft, loss, or accidental damage.
Combining these factors yields a net annual cost of $2820. That's roughly $7.73 per day — comparable to a daily lunch expense.
Estimated market price trend based on aggregated public listing data. Prices reflect average asking prices for complete sets in excellent condition. Updated monthly.
Our proprietary score rates every luxury watch on a 0-100 scale across five dimensions. Scores above 85 indicate exceptional value retention and market positioning. The formula is transparent and weight-based.
When considering the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470ST.OO.A027CA.01, it helps to understand how it compares to alternatives in the sport watch category. The most affordable alternative is the Rolex GMT-Master II at $16,000 — saving you approximately 56% compared to the 26470ST.OO.A027CA.01. However, the 26470ST.OO.A027CA.01 justifies its premium through stronger brand recognition and resale performance. The highest-scoring alternative is the Rolex GMT-Master II with a Value Score of 90/100, slightly above the 26470ST.OO.A027CA.01's 72/100. The comparison table below provides a detailed side-by-side analysis of all key metrics.
| Watch | Market Price | Size | WR | Own/Yr | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26470ST.OO.A027CA.01 | $30,000–$42,000 | 44mm | 100m | $2820/yr | 72 |
| Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4500V/110A-B483 | $30,000–$42,000 | 41mm | 150m | $192/yr | 75 |
| Rolex Yacht-Master 226659 | $28,000–$35,000 | 42mm | 100m | $1223/yr | 78 |
| Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR | $17,000–$22,000 | 40mm | 100m | $119/yr | 89 |
| Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO | $16,000–$22,000 | 40mm | 100m | $118/yr | 89 |
| Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR | $14,000–$18,000 | 40mm | 100m | $112/yr | 90 |
Luxury sport watches bridge the gap between tool watches and haute horlogerie. Models like the Nautilus and Royal Oak created the luxury sports watch category in the 1970s, proving that a steel watch could command gold-level prices through superior design and finishing.
Sport watch buyers should consider the integrated bracelet design (a hallmark of the category), water resistance adequate for daily wear (100m+), movement robustness including anti-magnetic properties, and overall case/bracelet finishing. The best examples feature hand-finished movements despite their sporty exterior.
The luxury sport watch is arguably the most versatile category in modern watchmaking. An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak or Patek Philippe Nautilus is appropriate with everything from shorts to a suit. This versatility drives both demand and resale values.
Audemars Piguet has shifted to a direct-to-consumer model, reducing authorized dealers significantly. New Royal Oak models are extremely scarce at retail. AP Houses (brand-owned boutiques) are the primary sales channel, and establishing a relationship is essential for accessing popular models.
AP manufactures all movements in-house, with the majority assembled in their historic Le Brassus facility. The brand's movements feature hand-finished components visible through exhibition case backs, with techniques including Côtes de Genève, perlage, and hand-beveled bridges.
AP recommends servicing every 5-8 years with costs ranging from $1,200-$2,500 for standard Royal Oak models. Complicated pieces command higher service fees. AP's service center network is smaller than Rolex or Omega, potentially resulting in longer turnaround times.
The Royal Oak line holds value exceptionally well, with steel models often trading above retail. The Royal Oak Offshore and Code 11.59 see more variability, with some configurations trading below retail on the secondary market.
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| Ref | Variant | Retail | Score | Own/Yr | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26470ST.OO.A027CA.01 | Steel/Blue Chrono ◂ | $39,200 | 72 | $2820/yr | $30,000–$42,000 |
Value Score 72/100 · $2820/year to own · 94% retention