Watch Paparazzi

Basketball player LeBron James spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

LeBron James has been photographed wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked in stainless steel, reference 15305ST — a piece that strips the Royal Oak architecture down to its mechanical bones and invites close inspection of everything AP's movement finishers are capable of producing.

The 15305ST houses Calibre 3132, a self-winding skeletonized movement based on the established 2121 architecture — the ultra-thin, 3.05mm-thick integrated movement that has anchored the Royal Oak since its original 1972 launch. In openworked form, the bridges and plates are manually beveled, anglaged, and polished to a standard that multiplies production time considerably. The case measures 39mm in steel with the 42-facet octagonal bezel secured by eight hexagonal screws, a design language that remains as sharp today as when Gerald Genta submitted his napkin sketch. Water resistance sits at 50 meters.

Within the Royal Oak family, the 15305ST occupies a position that collectors find genuinely compelling rather than commercially obvious. Skeleton variants have historically been viewed by purists as a test of manufacture credibility — when the movement is the dial, there is nowhere to hide. AP passes that test. The Calibre 3132 in openworked form shows côtes de Genève, beveled edges, and a rotor finished to the same standard as the rest of the movement. It is not a watch that announces itself loudly from across a room, which is precisely what makes it interesting on the wrist of someone like James, who has no shortage of louder options.

LeBron James has built one of basketball's most scrutinized watch collections, regularly appearing courtside and in press settings with reference-grade AP, Patek Philippe, and Richard Mille pieces. His choice of the 15305ST signals familiarity with the Royal Oak beyond its headline models — this is not a first AP purchase.

On the secondary market, steel Royal Oak Openworked references have held value steadily, supported by the broader strength of AP's integrated-bracelet lineup. The 15305ST trades at a meaningful premium over retail in active grey-market channels, consistent with the current appetite for any stainless steel Royal Oak variant.