Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Flying Tourbillon Squelette Reference 26735ST.OO.1320ST.02

Audemars Piguet Openworked Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon (Ref. 26735ST.OO.1320ST.02)

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Flying Tourbillon Squelette Reference 26735ST.OO.1320ST.02 - $320,000

The Royal Oak is the watch that built the modern Audemars Piguet, and this is one of the more serious versions of it that comes through our hands. Reference 26735ST.OO.1320ST.02 is a 41mm Royal Oak in stainless steel with an openworked dial and a flying tourbillon sitting at 6 o'clock. We filmed the full unboxing, and this is what stood out once it was out of the box and in the light.

A Steel Royal Oak Built Around Its Movement

A lot of Royal Oaks lead with the dial. This one leads with the movement, because you are looking straight through it. The case keeps every Royal Oak cue you would expect: the octagonal bezel, the eight hexagonal screws, and the mix of satin-brushed surfaces against polished bevels. What changes is that the "Petite Tapisserie" grid is gone, replaced by open architecture that runs from the bezel to the center.

The Royal Oak 26735ST: octagonal steel bezel, open dial, tourbillon at 6.

The Openworked Dial and Flying Tourbillon

The dial is openworked, which people also call skeletonized. The bridges you see are not just there for the look. They hold the movement together while framing the view, so the same parts doing the structural work are the parts you are admiring. The applied hour markers and the "Audemars Piguet" signature sit on a bridge that crosses the center, and below that the flying tourbillon turns in its own cutout.

The bridges are structural and decorative at once, hand-finished throughout.

Fitting a full skeleton around a flying tourbillon inside a 10.6mm case is difficult finishing work, and it is the first thing people react to when we hand it over. Every bridge, wheel, and bevel is on display, so there is nowhere to hide a rough edge.

Gear train and jeweling, all visible from the front.

Caliber 2972

Behind the openwork is the self-winding caliber 2972. It drives the flying tourbillon and shows only the hours and minutes, with a 65-hour power reserve. There is no date and no seconds sub-dial to interrupt the layout, which is part of why the dial reads as clean as it does even with everything exposed.

Case, Bracelet, and Proportions

The case and the integrated bracelet are both stainless steel, and the bracelet flows straight off the case in the usual Royal Oak way, tapering into the folding clasp. At 41mm across and 10.6mm thick, it stays flat and manageable for a watch carrying a tourbillon.

41mm wide and 10.6mm thick, flat for a tourbillon piece.

The octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet from above.

Specifications

Reference 26735ST.OO.1320ST.02, caliber 2972, 65-hour power reserve.

In the Hand and in the Box

Picked up and turned over, the steel is finished the way AP finishes its top pieces, and the open dial catches light from every angle. It ships in the black Audemars Piguet box, and that reveal is a big part of why we filmed this one.

Held in hand, the 41mm case shows its proportions.

Presented in the black Audemars Piguet box.

What It Costs and Where to Find One

Audemars Piguet does not publish US retail on a piece like this, and a steel Royal Oak with a flying tourbillon was never a walk-in purchase at a boutique. We work in the grey market, which is where these actually change hands. We have this exact reference available at $320,000 as of this writing, and steel AP tourbillons do not come around often, so pricing moves with availability rather than a fixed list. If you want one, the fastest path is a piece already in stock.

FAQ

What is the reference number for this watch?

It is reference 26735ST.OO.1320ST.02, a 41mm Royal Oak in stainless steel with an openworked dial and a flying tourbillon at 6 o'clock. The "ST" in the reference points to the steel case and bracelet.

Is the flying tourbillon a complication?

Yes. A tourbillon is a genuine mechanical complication. The openworked dial itself is a construction choice rather than a complication, so this watch pairs one real complication with a skeletonized layout. It shows hours and minutes only.

What movement is inside?

The self-winding caliber 2972, which carries the flying tourbillon and offers a 65-hour power reserve. Because the dial is openworked, you see the movement working from the front rather than through the back.

Can I buy the Royal Oak 26735ST from Watches Off 5th?

Yes. We have this exact reference available at $320,000 as of this writing. Steel AP tourbillons are hard to source, so availability changes; the surest way to secure one is a piece already in stock.