Audemars Piguet Borrows a Page from Swatch for Its New Royal Oak Watches

While the hype has somewhat subsided from the feverish launch of the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop collab last month, the reverberations of the hottest watch release in recent memory are still being felt.

That’s especially true when it comes to Audemars Piguet, which, despite being a legendary 151-year-old brand, will likely have its own watch releases viewed through a Swatchified lens for the near future to check for any lasting impact of the Earth-shattering affordable collab.

And it’s hard not to see the Swatch parallels with AP’s latest crop of Royal Oak Offshore Chronographs released as part of the watchmaker’s Summer 2026 collection, as they all feature bursts of bold color that would be right at home on a Royal Pop.

Swatch

Royal pop of color

Despite their Swatch-esque use of bright colors, the new chronographs don’t actually have anything to do with the Royal Pop and are really a thematic and aesthetic continuation of the Royal Oak Offshore divers that AP debuted back in February with straps and accent colors in turquoise, bright pink and dark teal.

The new 42mm x 15.3mm chronographs are even more colorful, bringing back pink and turquoise and adding neon yellow and orange to the mix.

The pink and orange versions are both in stainless steel and feature the Royal Oak Offshore’s usual “Méga Tapisserie” dial, which is a supersized version of the original Royal Oak’s signature waffle pattern.

Audemars Piguet

The pink version (Ref. 26238ST.OO.A001VE.020) boasts a black dial with white lume-filled white gold hands and applied Arabic indices, with pink accents on the tachymeter scale, chronograph seconds hand and both chronograph registers. The top chronograph pusher also features a pink rubber cap, while the crown and bottom pusher are capped in black rubber.

The black strap features pink stitching, and while it looks to be made of woven Cordura nylon, the strap is actually made of leather that’s been given a unique texturized finish. It’s secured via a steel pin buckle.

The orange version (Ref. 26238ST.OO.A001VE.01) follows the exact same format as the pink, just with different colors. The dial is silver-gray rather than black, and bright orange replaces pink for the accent colors on the tachymeter scale, chronograph registers, chrono seconds hand, top rubber pusher and the stitching on the black textured leather strap.

Audemars Piguet

The third Offshore Chronograph (Ref. 26238TI.OO.A001VE.01) in this summer drop is the most interesting for a couple of reasons. First, it’s the only one of the trio with a case made of titanium rather than steel. Secondly, it’s the only one to feature two bright accent colors instead of one for an even bolder aesthetic.

The darker metal case is matched with a dark gray dial featuring its applied white gold indices filled with bright turquoise rather than white lume. This same summery blue shade can also be found accenting the two white chronograph registers.

Audemars Piguet

Breaking up the formula are the colored accents on the tachymeter scale, chronograph seconds hand and top chronograph pusher. Rather than being colored turquoise, they’re all highlighter yellow, making this watch a serious head-turner thanks to its creative use of color.

We’re again presented with a Cordura-effect textured leather strap, this time in dark gray with turquoise stitching and a titanium pin buckle to match the case. The watch’s product page also features an image of the watch on a yellow rubber strap that can be swapped in without the use of any tools, thanks to AP’s quick-change system. It is likely included with the watch, though that’s not explicitly stated.

Audemars Piguet

All three of these new Offshores are powered by the same movement: AP’s trusty automatic integrated chronograph, Calibre 4404. The 433-component movement runs at 4Hz with a power reserve of 70 hours and is equipped with a flyback feature and a date complication at 3:00.

Availability and pricing

Titanium always carries a premium over stainless steel in watchmaking, but not here. Curiously, Audemars Piguet has priced all three of these new references the same at $42,500. All are non-limited and are available now from the brand’s boutiques.

Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Titanium Summer 2026

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Audemars Piguet Cal. 4404 automatic chronograph
Water Resistance	100m

• $42,500 at Audemars Piguet

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