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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual Time 39mm Stainless Steel
Ref. 26120ST.OO.1220ST.03
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Stepping up in Audemars Piguet's range
The 26120ST sits at a particular crossroads in the Royal Oak Dual Time story. It replaced a 36mm predecessor that collectors loved but many found too small for a complicated dial, and it was itself eventually replaced by a bulkier 41mm generation. At 39mm it occupies the same footprint as the original Jumbo — Gérald Genta's proportions, eight hexagonal screws holding the bezel, Grande Tapisserie pattern across the black dial — but with a second time zone, a date, an AM/PM window and a retrograde power reserve laid out across the face with enough room to breathe. The movement underneath is worth knowing. The calibre pairs a Jaeger-LeCoultre base ebauche with an AP-built complication module, and the engineering problem it solves is thickness: at 10.3mm, this watch disappears under a cuff in the way very few GMT complications manage, and the ceramic rotor bearings that drive the winding mechanism are part of how it stays that compact. The bracelet, with its alternating brushed and polished links and a twin-trigger deployant clasp, uses a double-swing-arm architecture that lies flatter at the wrist than a conventional single-hinge closure — a detail that rewards closer attention and matters considerably on repeated wearing.
- Reference
- 26120ST.OO.1220ST.03
- Brand
- Audemars Piguet
- Case size
- 39mm
- Case thickness
- 10.3mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- AP 2329/2846
- Functions
- GMT, Day-date, Power reserve indicator
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 49mm
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
Learn more about Audemars Piguet
Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, both from the Vallée de Joux, formalised their partnership in 1875. The valley was then the centre of complicated movement work, and the pair spent their early decades supplying calibres to other houses — Tiffany among them — rather than selling under their own name.
The firm remains privately held by descendants of the founding families, an unusual survival in an industry consolidated into three or four groups.
Its defining moment came in 1972, in the depths of the quartz crisis, when Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak: a steel watch priced above gold ones, with an octagonal bezel, exposed screws, and an integrated bracelet, drawn by Gérald Genta reportedly overnight. It was widely mocked at launch. It created the luxury sports watch category and now underpins the entire company.
The Royal Oak Offshore of 1993 pushed the same design larger and louder, and drew similar early scepticism before becoming a pillar in its own right. The Code 11.59 collection, introduced in 2019, was the house's attempt to prove it could sell something else — a mixed reception commercially, though the movements inside are serious.
Underneath the modern noise, the complication pedigree is intact: minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, and some of the thinnest tourbillon movements built anywhere.
- 1875
- Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet begin working together.
- 1881
- The firm is registered as Audemars Piguet & Cie.
- 1972
- The Royal Oak launches, inventing the luxury steel sports watch.
- 1993
- The Royal Oak Offshore extends the line.
- 2019
- Code 11.59 debuts as a new collection.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,616), Automatic Watches (1,362), Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (235) and GMT Watches (178).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 39mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 26120ST.OO.1220ST.03 | O13150392002002 | 85250/000P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £39,950 | £33,000 | £30,995 |
| Case size | 39mm | 39mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 55 hours | 43 hours |
| This watch |
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|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 49mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 39mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb at £39,950, pre-owned. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.
Is this available new?
Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as pre-owned only, at £39,950 from Mappin & Webb. A pre-owned watch has been worn, and is normally sold under the retailer’s own warranty rather than the manufacturer’s.
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