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Footballer Nigel De Jong spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

LA Galaxy midfielder Nigel De Jong was recently photographed wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin, reference 26510ST.OO.1220ST.01 — a steel-cased, 41mm dress-sport watch that sits at the apex of the Royal Oak family's technical ambitions. For a footballer whose career has spanned Ajax, Hamburg, Manchester City, AC Milan, and the LA Galaxy, the choice of a watch demanding this level of horological appreciation says something deliberate.

The 26510ST.OO.1220ST.01 is powered by Calibre 2924, a manually wound tourbillon movement that measures a mere 3.95mm in height. The full movement comes in at just 5.5mm thick, allowing AP to keep the total case height to an exceptionally svelte profile for a complication of this complexity. The tourbillon cage rotates once per minute and is positioned at 6 o'clock on the signature blue Grande Tapisserie dial — a detail that rewards close attention without announcing itself aggressively. The integrated stainless steel bracelet with its alternating brushed and polished links remains one of the most refined executions of the original Gérald Genta design from 1972.

From a collector's perspective, the Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin in steel occupies a particularly coveted position. Steel Royal Oak complications have historically been allocated sparingly, and the tourbillon variant in this reference is no exception. Its relative restraint in decoration — no skeletonization, no grand feu enamel — focuses the conversation entirely on movement thinness and finishing quality, which appeals to seasoned collectors who tend to distrust showmanship.

De Jong, who built his reputation as one of the most technically precise defensive midfielders of his generation, has shown a consistent appreciation for high-end watchmaking throughout his career. Choosing a reference defined by its engineering discipline rather than visual extravagance tracks logically with that persona.

At UK retail of approximately £96,000, and with USD list pricing placing the 26510ST.OO.1220ST.01 well above $100,000, this is not a casual purchase. On the grey market, steel Royal Oak tourbillon references command significant premiums over retail, reflecting both restricted supply and sustained collector demand for steel AP complications at this tier.