Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Emis Killa spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Italian rapper Emis Killa was recently photographed with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 41mm in stainless steel on his right wrist — a detail worth noting, since the dominant-hand placement carries a certain nonchalant confidence that suits both the man and the watch. The reference is the 15400ST.OO.1220ST.02, identifiable by its silvery dial, arguably the purest expression of the Royal Oak's original design language.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400ST was introduced in 2012 as the successor to the long-running 15300ST, stretching the case from 39mm to 41mm to meet contemporary proportions without abandoning the octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet that Gérald Genta sketched overnight in 1972. The dial showcases the Grande Tapisserie pattern — a finer, more intricate guilloché than the Petite Tapisserie found on smaller Royal Oak references — paired with white gold applied hour-markers and a date window at 3 o'clock. The stainless steel case measures 41mm across and 9.8mm in height, a profile that remains remarkably wearable for a watch of its presence.

Power comes from the manufacture Calibre 3120, an automatic movement beating at 21,600 vph with a 60-hour power reserve. The 3120 is widely respected among collectors for its decorated finishing — including chamfered bridges and Côtes de Genève — at a tier where some competitors still rely on outsourced ebauches. The 15400ST was discontinued in 2022 when AP introduced the 15510ST, making the outgoing reference an increasingly focused collector target.

Emis Killa — born Emiliano Rudolf Giambelli — is one of Italy's most technically regarded rappers, with multiple platinum certifications and a reputation built on precise, dense lyricism. His choice of the Royal Oak 15400ST reads as considered rather than showy: this is not the loudest watch AP makes, but it is among the most historically significant and technically coherent.

On the grey market, the Royal Oak 15400ST.OO.1220ST.02 commands a meaningful premium over its $63,000 retail price, reflecting both the discontinuation of the reference and sustained global demand for steel Royal Oaks. Buyers seeking the 41mm format with the classic silvery dial are increasingly turning to secondary sources, where prices have stabilized at a level that reflects the model's enduring desirability without the peak-era frenzy.