Rapper Jay-Z spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Courtside at an NBA game is not where most people expect to encounter a flying tourbillon, but Jay-Z has never been most people. The rapper and business mogul was spotted wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked Tourbillon 50th Anniversary in stainless steel, reference 26735ST, while watching the Celtics take on the Golden State Warriors — a sighting that underscores how normalized genuinely complex watchmaking has become in hip-hop culture.

The 26735ST is among the most ambitious references produced for the Royal Oak's half-century celebrations in 2022. It houses Calibre 2965, a hand-wound skeletonized movement featuring a flying tourbillon — meaning the tourbillon cage operates without an upper bridge, creating an unobstructed view through the dial. The movement beats at 21,600 vph, offers approximately 70 hours of power reserve, and is finished to the standard AP applies to its most prestigious complications: beveled bridges, côtes de Genève, and blued screws visible throughout the open architecture. The 41mm octagonal case is crafted in stainless steel, water-resistant to 50 meters, and retains the iconic integrated bracelet Gerald Genta designed in 1972.

From a collector's standpoint, the 26735ST occupies a singular position. Flying tourbillons in stainless steel at this price point are extraordinarily rare in Swiss haute horlogerie — most comparable complications default to precious metal to justify the cost. AP's decision to execute this anniversary piece in steel is both a philosophical nod to the original 1972 Royal Oak's disruptive stainless identity and a statement that complexity, not material, defines value here.

Jay-Z's relationship with Audemars Piguet runs deep. He has worn references across the Royal Oak family for years and is one of the brand's most visible cultural ambassadors without holding any formal partnership — the preference appears entirely organic. His taste consistently skews toward technically serious pieces rather than purely decorative ones.

At a list price of $240,000, the Royal Oak Openworked Tourbillon 50th Anniversary ref. 26735ST was never intended for wide distribution. On the secondary market, demand from collectors who missed allocation has pushed prices above retail, making this one of the stronger-performing steel Royal Oak complications of the 2022 anniversary lineup.