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Footballer Memphis Depay spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Memphis Depay has never been shy about wrist statements, and this sighting confirms he operates at the very top tier of footballer horology. Photographed in a striking orange ensemble, Depay wears what appears to be a fully diamond-set Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton in 18k rose gold, most consistent with reference 26516OR.ZZ.1220OR.01 — a piece that sits at the intersection of haute horology and haute joaillerie.

The Royal Oak Skeleton 41mm was introduced as AP's definitive statement on openworked movement architecture within the Royal Oak collection. The Calibre 3132, a manually skeletonised derivative of the legendary 3120 automatic, strips away every non-essential bridge and plate to expose the gear train, mainspring barrel, and escapement in full. At 41mm in 18k rose gold, the case retains the Royal Oak's signature octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet geometry — here, however, every surface is consumed by pavé-set round brilliant diamonds, with baguette-cut stones lining the bezel and punctuating the integrated bracelet links. The result is a piece that weighs significantly more than its steel counterpart and requires extraordinary gem-setting precision to maintain the Royal Oak's architectural lines.

Among collectors, fully diamond-set Royal Oaks occupy a specific and polarising niche. Purists favour the steel or plain gold variants for their mechanical transparency, but the diamond-set executions have attracted a loyal following in the entertainment, sports, and luxury fashion worlds. The skeleton dial adds genuine horological substance to what could otherwise read as pure jewellery — the movement remains the centrepiece, framed rather than obscured by the stones.

Depay has long cultivated an identity that fuses elite athleticism with artistic self-expression — he is also a recording artist and visual artist. His watch choices consistently reflect that ethos: bold, technically serious, and unapologetically expensive. The AP Royal Oak Skeleton is a logical flagship for a player of his profile and cultural reach.

On the grey market, fully diamond-set Royal Oak Skeletons in rose gold command significant premiums over already elevated retail prices. Estimates place this specific configuration at approximately $280,000 USD, reflecting both the intrinsic value of the diamond setting and the sustained demand for skeleton-dialled Royal Oaks in the current collector market.