My Journey to the Audemar Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 26300ST.OO.1110ST.06:

In my search for a new watch for my husband, I checked out the Audemars Piguet website.  So many choices!   But, before making such a significant purchase, I needed answers to questions. Questions like: who are these people, what choices are available,  how long have they been in business, what is their reputation, who even likes their product? As I studied their website, and the stainless steel Royal Oak Chronograph in particular, I knew my search was over.

When they opened their company in 1875, Jules Louis Audemars’ and Edward Auguste Piguet’s passion for creating and crafting fine time pieces was the cornerstone of their every endeavor. It is no different today. Each and every watch bearing the Audemars Piguet pedigree is built as if it will be the only watch to represent the company.

The ambassador program for Audemars Piguet mirrors this company’s never-ending quest for quality, competitive spirit, and hallmark recognition in their respective fields. Ambassadors are chosen from the art , sports, technology, community, and business worlds.

The Audemars Piguet Prestige Sports Collection redefines the word sports while encouraging a broader sense of the characteristics that define an athlete.

Royal Oak Chronograph, Model No. 26300ST.OO.1110ST.06

To name just a few of their ambassadors:

• Svetlana Zakharova, principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow
• Lebron James, two-time NBA MVP was signed on as a global ambassador
• Lionel Messi, FIFA professional and Olympic Gold Medal soccer player
• Sachin Tendulkar, right-handed batsman for the Mumbai Indians cricket team

The case and watch band are brushed, polished stainless steel, giving the watch a modern industrial appearance. The dial (or face) is a complementing metallic color with a design reminiscent of a man-hole cover! Three sub-dials are black with matching rims and white hands which point to black numbers on a silver background for quick and easy reading. The date window is white with black numbers located just above the five o’clock position on the dial.

Here are a just few of the endearing qualities of Audemar Piguet’s Royal Oak Chronograph 26300ST.OO.1110ST.06s:

• Hour marks match the minutes and hours hands
• White sub-dial hands against a black background
• The seconds hand is a contrasting red
• The hand on the seconds sub-dial is white with a red tip
• The chronograph function has a 12 hour capacity w/30 minute counter
• The movement is automatic: No winding! No batteries!
• Water resistant to 50 meters/ about 165 feet
• Watch band has a bracelet-style push button clasp
• All this and it’s only 39mm x 49.5 mm (1.5″ x 1.9″) including bolts
• 11 millimeters thick (.4″)
• Warranty, and more!

This watch retains a hard-working,  athletic look without sacrificing the luxury and the quality that are synonymous with Audemars Piguet.  Quality comes with a price, of course, but I found several authorized dealers online selling the stainless steel Royal Oak Chronograph in prices ranging between $14,500.00 and $20,000.00.