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Actor Akhil Akkineni spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Akhil Akkineni, one of Telugu cinema's most prominent young actors, was recently photographed wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in stainless steel, reference 26320ST — a watch that commands attention not merely for its looks but for the decades of engineering ambition packed beneath its dial.

The Ref. 26320ST is powered by the calibre 2385, an integrated column-wheel chronograph movement that Audemars Piguet developed entirely in-house. Beating at 21,600 vph with a 40-hour power reserve, it measures 37mm in diameter and 10.87mm in thickness — remarkably slim for a chronograph of this complication level. The stainless steel case retains Gerald Genta's defining octagonal bezel with its eight-sided satin-brushed and polished surfaces, while the blue Grande Tapisserie dial with applied Royal Oak hour markers and coordinated blue chronograph counters remains one of the most recognisable faces in luxury watchmaking.

The Royal Oak Chronograph's lineage stretches back to 1997, when AP introduced a dedicated chrono reference within the Royal Oak family, building on the original 1972 ref. 5402 that Genta sketched in a single night. The 26320ST, introduced in the 2010s, refined the case proportions and dial execution while keeping the movement architecture that collectors prize. It is the watch that demonstrated integrated chronograph movements could coexist with genuine sports-watch toughness.

Akhil Akkineni, who made his debut in 2015 and has built a reputation as a style-conscious figure in Indian cinema, wears the 26320ST as a statement of understated confidence. The Royal Oak's ability to transition between a film set, a red carpet, and a casual outing makes it a natural choice for a working actor with an eye for quality over flash.

At an official retail price of approximately $45,000, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Ref. 26320ST sits firmly in the upper tier of the sports-luxury segment. Grey-market premiums have moderated compared to the peak years of 2021–2022, yet the reference continues to trade above retail, reflecting the persistent scarcity of AP's steel Royal Oak allocations and the calibre 2385's enduring collector respect.