The replica royal oak 26240ST blue is the current-generation Royal Oak chronograph, and the upgrade over the old 26331 is not subtle. AP finally moved to an in-house flyback movement. That means you can reset the chrono mid-timing without stopping it first. If you actually use the chronograph — not just admire it — the 26240 is the one to get. Blue Grande Tapisserie on steel. Clean proposition.
Why the 26240 Replaced the 26331
The old 26331 used a modular Caliber 2385. Decent movement, but “modular” means the chronograph module sits on top of a base caliber like a backpack. The new Cal. 4401 is fully integrated. Everything runs off one mainplate. The result is a thinner, more reliable movement with a column wheel and vertical clutch.
Flyback is the real story though. On a standard chrono, you press stop, then reset, then start again. Flyback lets you hit reset while the chrono is running — it snaps back to zero and immediately starts counting again. Useful if you time laps, cooking intervals, or anything repetitive. Most people never use it. But once you do, you can not go back.
Power reserve went up to 70 hours too. Weekend-proof. Leave it on the nightstand Friday evening, pick it up Monday morning, still running. The black dial 26240ST uses the same movement if you want something more subdued.
Blue Grande Tapisserie on Steel
AP has done blue dials for decades, but the 26240 generation gets a slightly deeper shade than the 26331 had. The Grande Tapisserie pattern catches light differently depending on the angle — sometimes almost navy, sometimes closer to slate. In direct sunlight it opens up. Under office lighting it darkens. The applied markers and hands are white gold with luminescent fill.
At 41mm with the integrated bracelet, this replica royal oak 26240ST blue wears like a large watch but does not look oversized. The chronograph sub-dials at 6 and 12 add visual weight without the case actually being bigger than the time-only 15500. The 12.4mm thickness is the trade-off for housing the chrono, but AP shaped the caseback to hug the wrist.
Steel bracelet has the alternating brushed and polished links. AP clasp with the dual push-button release. Check our shipping policy for delivery details.
| Reference | 26240ST.OO.1320ST.05 |
| Case | 41mm · Stainless steel |
| Bezel | Octagonal · 8 hexagonal screws |
| Dial | Blue · Grande Tapisserie |
| Crystal | Sapphire · AR coating |
| Caliber | 4401 · Automatic flyback chrono · 70h reserve |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel · AP integrated link |
| Buckle | Steel · AP folding clasp |
| Water | 50m / 5 ATM |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, flyback, date |
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