Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 38mm hands on – I tested my grail watch and it was everything I ever dreamed of

As a lover of watches, I can still remember the two points which really got me hooked. First was seeing a Richard Mille in a magazine and questioning how on Earth a watch could be worth half a million pounds – falling down that particular rabbit hole lead me to where I am today.

But the seconds was seeing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak chronograph on the wrist of a rapper on the TV. Pink gold case, blue dial – I can still remember seeing it for the first time and being struck by the sheer audaciousness of the angular, octagonal case.

With the brand opting to exhibit at Watches and Wonders 2026, I was finally able to get my hands on the watch which started it all, now in a wrist-friendly 38mm case size. Was meeting my hero all it was cracked up to be? Let's dive in and take a look.

The first thing that struck me with this model was the size. Watches of this ilk – those with an integrated bracelet and chunky, angular case dimensions – aren't often seen as a viable option for smaller wrists. That's definitely not the case here, though, with the 38mm case sitting perfectly on my wrist.

Don't think you lose any of the personality with the smaller size, either. The Royal Oak has a really interesting character – at once angular and abrasive, yet refined and elegant – and all of that translates to the smaller model.

The dial plays with the light beautifully, in no small part thanks to its Grande Tapisserie dial. That's the laser-engraved waffle pattern which has become the signature of this model, and it is just superb to look at.

It's also impeccably nice to wear. The signature integrated bracelet drapes perfectly around every contour of the wrist, ensuring a perfect fit.

It's one of very few watches where the clasp on the bracelet is arguably as good to look at as the dial itself – I'd have no trouble staring at that 'AP' logo everytime I looked down!

Of course, there is a little stumbling block with a model like this – the price. At £66,500 (approx. €76,650 / US$89,750 AU$125,800) this is certainly not cheap.

Still, the things we aspire to own aren't meant to be easy to get. For me, this watch was more than just a meet-your-heroes experience – it reaffirmed my belief that this piece is a must-have. Now, I'm off to buy a lottery ticket...