Audemars Piguet Tourbillon References and Prices: Royal Oak 26730, 26522 and Code 11.59

Audemars Piguet makes tourbillons in four families: the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 41 mm (26730, and the openworked 26735), the hand-wound Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin (26510 and 26522), the Royal Oak Concept flying tourbillons in 38.5 mm and 44 mm cases, and the Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon (26396), Tourbillon Openworked (26600) and Flying Tourbillon Chronograph (26399), with the discontinued Millenary and Royal Oak Offshore tourbillons still on the secondary market. Prices start well above any time-only Royal Oak and rise with metal, openworking and added complications. This guide sets out the references and calibres, explains what a flying tourbillon is, gives dated 2026 catalogue asks and lists what to check before buying. Bizak & Co. sources every reference below to order; the Royal Oak collection lists the configurations we can seek.

Last reviewed on September 21, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.

Which Audemars Piguet tourbillon references exist?

Source: the Audemars Piguet watch collection lists the current tourbillon references with their calibres and case sizes; the Audemars Piguet services page covers servicing and the warranty. Reserve figures are approximate and should be confirmed against the specific reference.

What is a flying tourbillon and why does Audemars Piguet use it?

A tourbillon mounts the balance, hairspring and escapement in a rotating cage, historically to average out the effect of gravity on a pocket watch kept upright. A flying tourbillon removes the upper bridge, so the cage is supported only from below and appears to float in the dial opening. Audemars Piguet has used the flying construction on every tourbillon it has launched since 2019 because it shows the cage better, and it fits the openworked and Concept dials the brand favours. On a wristwatch the timekeeping benefit is small; the point of the complication is the mechanism itself and the finishing around it, which is why the brand offers most of them with an openworked or partially open dial.

Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 26730 and 26735

The 26730 of 2020 was the first Royal Oak with a tourbillon in a case the size of the standard 41 mm Selfwinding: an automatic calibre 2950 with a flying tourbillon at 6 and a Grande Tapisserie or smoked dial, first in steel and rose gold and then in titanium and further dial colours. It is the tourbillon most Royal Oak buyers ask for, because it wears like a 15510 and shows the complication without giving up the dial. The 26735 that followed opens the dial to show the calibre 2972, and the 2024 sand gold version made the openworked flying tourbillon the flagship of that alloy. The 26730ST in steel is the reference to start with if you want an Audemars Piguet tourbillon that can be worn every day.

Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin 26510 and 26522

The Extra-Thin Tourbillon is the hand-wound alternative: the calibre 2924 in a 41 mm case a little over 8 mm thick, with a tourbillon at 6 and no seconds hand or date, first as the 26510 in 2012 and then as the 26522 series in titanium, white gold and other metals. Its virtue is the slim case, which sits like a Jumbo, and its cost is winding it by hand and living with a shorter reserve than the 26730. The titanium and white gold 26522 references are made in small numbers and change hands infrequently.

Code 11.59 tourbillons: 26396, 26600 and 26399

The Code 11.59 collection of 2019 launched with two tourbillons. The 26396 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon uses the same calibre 2950 as the Royal Oak 26730, in the round 41 mm case with its octagonal middle and double-curved crystal, and the 26600 Tourbillon Openworked uses the hand-wound calibre 2948 with the bridges opened across the whole dial. The 26399 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph adds an integrated chronograph on the calibre 2952. Because the Code 11.59 has a smaller following than the Royal Oak, these trade at a discount to the equivalent Royal Oak tourbillon in the same metal, which makes the rose gold 26396OR the least expensive current Audemars Piguet tourbillon on the secondary market in our experience.

Royal Oak Concept and discontinued tourbillons

The Royal Oak Concept 38.5 mm flying tourbillons (26227 and 26630) put the hand-wound calibre 2968 into a smaller Concept case in white or rose gold, frosted or diamond-set, and are aimed at collectors who want the Concept aesthetic on a smaller wrist. The 44 mm Concept and Offshore tourbillon chronographs (26407 and 26065) in ceramic, titanium and forged carbon are discontinued and priced on rarity. The Millenary Tourbillon references 26354 and 26381 are women's tourbillons in a 45 mm oval case with diamond-set dials and cases; with the Millenary line discontinued, they trade on the stones and the movement rather than on demand for the model.

How much is an Audemars Piguet tourbillon? Prices in 2026

• Retail. Audemars Piguet publishes prices by market on its own site. Tourbillons sit several times above the time-only Royal Oak in the same metal, and openworked and chronograph versions above that.
• Bizak catalogue asks, 21 September 2026. Our sourced catalogue listed the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 26730ST in steel with burgundy dial at US$269,660 and the rose gold 26730OR at US$243,594, the openworked sand gold 26735SG at US$557,750, the Extra-Thin 26522BC in white gold at US$214,239 and the titanium 26522TI at US$259,044, the Concept 38.5 mm 26227BC at US$232,499 and 26630OR at US$158,100, the Code 11.59 26396OR rose gold at US$108,569, 26396NB ceramic at US$308,999 and 26396NR ceramic and gold at US$406,277, the Tourbillon Openworked 26600CR at US$139,049 and the limited blue ceramic 26600NB at US$204,855, the Flying Tourbillon Chronograph 26399NR at US$205,999, the Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph 26407CE at US$278,999 and Millenary Tourbillon references from US$294,199 to US$589,200, all sourced to order.
• What moves the price. Full set with warranty card, unpolished case, limited edition numbers, ceramic or sand gold, and the more requested dial colour each add; strap versions sit below bracelet versions.

Those figures describe what we saw and will move. Ask for a dated quote for the exact reference and set; our Audemars Piguet price guide explains how to compare quotes.

Is an Audemars Piguet tourbillon a good investment?

Tourbillons are bought by fewer people than time-only Royal Oaks, so the market is thinner and the spread between buying and selling prices is wider. The steel 26730ST has held up best because it is the tourbillon with the broadest appeal; precious-metal Code 11.59 tourbillons have been the softest and are the best value for a buyer who plans to keep the watch. Servicing is more expensive than for a time-only movement, and a tourbillon cage is sensitive to shocks. Buy it because you want the mechanism on your wrist; if resale matters, ask for a written cash-buy assessment before you commit. Our Richard Mille price guide covers the other tourbillon maker most buyers compare.

Buying an Audemars Piguet tourbillon: what to check

• Cage and finishing. The tourbillon cage should rotate once a minute without wobble, and the bevelled edges of the cage and bridges should be mirror polished under a loupe.
• Amplitude. Ask for a timing machine printout; a tourbillon with low amplitude in the vertical positions needs a service.
• Reference suffix. The full reference identifies metal, dial and bracelet or strap; limited editions carry an engraved number that should match the card.
• Case and bracelet. Sharp bevels and even brushing on the case and every link; on ceramic references, no chips at the bezel screws or lugs.
• Warranty and service. Current references carry the manufacture warranty; for a discontinued 26510, 26065 or Millenary, ask for the last manufacture service receipt and budget for one if there is none.
• Winding. On hand-wound calibres the crown should wind smoothly to a firm stop; on automatics the rotor should spin freely.
• Price against the band. A full-set Audemars Piguet tourbillon offered well under the market is the single most reliable warning sign.

Our authentication process describes what we inspect before dispatch, and our Royal Oak authentication and collecting guide goes deeper on cases, bracelets and paperwork.

Quick answers

What is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon?

The Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 41 mm, reference 26730, launched in 2020 with the automatic calibre 2950 and a flying tourbillon at 6, in steel, rose gold and titanium. The 26735 is the openworked version.

How much is an Audemars Piguet tourbillon?

Bizak's sourced catalogue listed the Code 11.59 26396OR from US$108,569, the Royal Oak 26730OR at US$243,594 and the steel 26730ST at US$269,660 on 21 September 2026, sourced to order. Openworked and ceramic versions sit higher.

Does Audemars Piguet make a steel tourbillon?

Yes. The Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 26730ST and the openworked 26735 have been offered in steel, and the earlier Extra-Thin Tourbillon 26510 was also made in steel.

What is the difference between a tourbillon and a flying tourbillon?

A flying tourbillon has no upper bridge over the cage, so it is supported only from below and appears to float. Audemars Piguet uses the flying construction on all its current tourbillons for visibility.

Is the Code 11.59 tourbillon cheaper than the Royal Oak tourbillon?

On the secondary market, yes. The Code 11.59 26396 and 26600 in gold have traded below the equivalent Royal Oak 26730 because the Royal Oak has more buyers.

Request an Audemars Piguet tourbillon sourcing quote

Tell us the reference, metal, dial, preferred condition and whether the full set is required, plus your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, card and final price before you commit. Catalogue entries: Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon 26730ST, 26730OR rose gold, Extra-Thin Tourbillon 26522TI, Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon 26396OR, Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked 26600CR, Concept Flying Tourbillon 26630OR; browse the Royal Oak collection, the Code 11.59 collection, the watches over US$50,000 collection, or sell or trade your Audemars Piguet.

Related reading: Audemars Piguet price guide · Richard Mille price guide · Royal Oak authentication and collecting guide · Patek Philippe price guide.