Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph Black Ceramic — Dark Green Mega Tapisserie Dial | Ref. 26420CE.OO.A063VE.01

Audemars Piguet's decision to render the Royal Oak Chronograph in black ceramic for Reference 26420CE was an act of bold modernity that amplified Genta's geometry into something almost sculptural. The 43 mm case is machined from high-tech black ceramic — a material of extraordinary hardness and scratch resistance — and finished with the Royal Oak's signature contrast of brushed surfaces and polished chamfers. The eight-screw bezel, a hallmark as recognisable as any emblem in watchmaking, reads with particular drama against the monolithic case, while the ceramic construction reduces the overall weight to a remarkable degree for a watch of this presence.

Powering the piece is Calibre 4401, Audemars Piguet's in-house integrated flyback chronograph movement — the manufacture's first AP-signed integrated column-wheel flyback calibre in a Royal Oak format. Operating at 4 Hz with 40 jewels and a 70-hour power reserve, it delivers flyback chronograph functions, hours, minutes, running small seconds, and a date display. The 32 mm diameter movement with its 6.8 mm thickness fits the case with the precision that only full vertical integration makes possible. Frequency of 28,800 vph ensures the seconds hand sweeps with the fluidity of top-tier Swiss engineering.

The dark green Mega Tapisserie dial is the defining aesthetic statement. Its oversized hobnail pattern in forest green is contrasted by black counters and a black inner bezel, while 18-carat white gold hour-markers and luminescent hands provide the chromatic pop required for legibility. An interchangeable dark green textured leather strap and additional black rubber strap — secured by a titanium pin buckle — give the owner versatility across contexts, from the boardroom to the marina. Water resistant to 100 metres, this 2025 production reference represents the Royal Oak Chronograph at its most technically ambitious and visually compelling.