Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was photographed at Wimbledon wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked in platinum, reference 25829PT—a watch that exemplifies the Swiss manufacture's commitment to merging sports-watch design with perpetual calendar complexity. The platinum case catches the light against his navy pinstriped jacket, its integrated bracelet and octagonal bezel unmistakably Royal Oak, yet the skeletonized dial reveals the intricate mechanical theatre beneath.

The ref. 25829PT houses the calibre 2120/2802, a self-winding movement with perpetual calendar, moon-phase, and leap-year indication—the latter displayed at 12 o'clock in a subdial resembling a medicine wheel. The 39mm platinum case, water-resistant to 20 metres, carries Audemars Piguet's signature Tapisserie dial finish visible on the white counter rings. Blackened yellow-gold hour and minute hands contrast with blue steel calendar hands, each element positioned for legibility across the skeletonized architecture. The sapphire caseback and dial together expose the full mechanical complexity: perpetual mechanism, cam followers, and jewelled pivots rotate in open view. Production spanned 1996 to 2013, with only 156 platinum examples crafted—a fraction of the ref. 25829's total output.

The perpetual calendar ref. 25829PT stands apart as the first Royal Oak to officially incorporate the leap-year indicator on the movement itself, eliminating the need for manual adjustment until 2100. Variant materials included white gold and rose gold, but the platinum version commanded the highest prestige and scarcest availability among collectors. Its skeletonized iteration—first introduced in this reference—set the template for subsequent openworked perpetual calendars across the industry.

Tendulkar's choice reflects both his stature and discerning taste: as cricket's all-time leading run-scorer in Test and ODI formats, he pairs his watch selection with the same precision that defined his 24-year international career. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar has long attracted high-net-worth sports figures who value mechanical mastery alongside sporting heritage.

On the pre-owned market, platinum examples of ref. 25829PT trade between $120,000 and $180,000 USD, depending on condition and service history. Original retail sat around $95,000 USD when in production. Scarcity and the platinum material command significant premiums; white-gold variants typically fetch $85,000–$130,000. Waitlist-free availability on the grey market reflects the reference's discontinued status, though demand remains strong among perpetual calendar specialists.