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.
Trading at 58% above retail, this reference is in extremely high demand. The significant premium reflects both limited supply at authorized dealers and strong collector interest. Buyers should expect to pay well above MSRP for immediate availability on the secondary market.
Our WVS Value Score of 84/100 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 annual cost of ownership comes to $285 per year — roughly the cost of a gym membership. This factors in depreciation, periodic servicing, and insurance, and represents good value for a watch of this caliber.
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 26240ST.OO.1320ST.06 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 -1.3%. The negative figure means this watch actually appreciates over time — you're being paid to wear it, in a sense. 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 $1238 to protect against theft, loss, or accidental damage.
Combining these factors yields a net annual cost of $285. That's roughly $0.78 per day — less than a daily cup of coffee.
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 26240ST.OO.1320ST.06, it helps to understand how it compares to alternatives in the sport watch category. The most affordable alternative is the Vacheron Constantin Overseas at $36,000 — saving you approximately 56% compared to the 26240ST.OO.1320ST.06. However, the 26240ST.OO.1320ST.06 justifies its premium through a superior Value Score (84 vs 75) and stronger brand recognition and resale performance. The highest-scoring alternative is the Patek Philippe Aquanaut with a Value Score of 86/100, slightly above the 26240ST.OO.1320ST.06's 84/100. 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 26240ST.OO.1320ST.06 | $70,000–$95,000 | 41mm | 50m | $285/yr | 84 |
| Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5168G-001 | $65,000–$90,000 | 42.2mm | 120m | $275/yr | 86 |
| Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167A-001 | $50,000–$70,000 | 42.2mm | 120m | $240/yr | 85 |
| Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980/1A-001 | $100,000–$140,000 | 40mm | 120m | $360/yr | 86 |
| Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A-001 | $100,000–$150,000 | 40mm | 120m | $370/yr | 86 |
| Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4500V/110A-B483 | $30,000–$42,000 | 41mm | 150m | $192/yr | 75 |
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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Every current reference ranked by Value Score. Click any model for full analysis.
| Ref | Variant | Retail | Score | Own/Yr | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15510ST.OO.1320ST.01 | Steel/Blue 41mm | $32,900 | 84 | $225/yr | $45,000–$60,000 |
| 15510ST.OO.1320ST.02 | Steel/Black 41mm | $32,900 | 82 | $208/yr | $38,000–$50,000 |
| 15510OR.OO.1320OR.01 | Rose Gold/Blue 41mm | $68,500 | 74 | $2570/yr | $60,000–$80,000 |
| 26240ST.OO.1320ST.06 | Steel/Chrono Blue ◂ | $52,200 | 84 | $285/yr | $70,000–$95,000 |
Value Score 84/100 · $285/year to own · 100% retention