Basketball player Spencer Dinwiddie spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Spencer Dinwiddie, point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, was recently photographed wearing one of the most sought-after limited-edition watches of the past decade — the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept 'Black Panther' Flying Tourbillon, reference 26620IO. The sighting underlines a growing culture among NBA players who treat high-complications as seriously as any seasoned collector.

Launched in 2021 as a collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Marvel Entertainment, the ref. 26620IO is built around a 41mm case combining forged carbon and black ceramic — materials that give the watch a stealthy, monolithic presence consistent with the Wakandan aesthetic. The movement is Calibre 2965, a hand-wound flying tourbillon beating at 21,600 vph with a 72-hour power reserve. What separates this watch from virtually everything else in AP's catalogue is its kinetic sculpture: a three-dimensional Black Panther figure rendered in black gold, seated atop the tourbillon bridge and animated by its rotation. The level of hand-finishing required for each piece is extraordinary, with the figure reportedly demanding dozens of hours of individual artisan work.

The Royal Oak Concept line has always occupied a distinct position within AP's hierarchy — launched in 2002 as a platform for experimental complications and case geometries that sit beyond the commercial Royal Oak Offshore. The 'Black Panther' variant pushes that mandate to its logical extreme, merging haute horlogerie with pop-cultural iconography in a way the market has clearly validated. Limited to just 250 examples globally, allocation was tightly controlled through AP's House programme, meaning most retail clients never had a realistic chance of acquisition.

Dinwiddie has built a visible watch collection over his NBA career, with previous sightings spanning AP, Patek Philippe, and Richard Mille references. The 'Black Panther' is nonetheless a notable step up — both in rarity and in the statement it makes about his engagement with the category beyond trophy purchasing.

On the secondary market, the ref. 26620IO has appreciated dramatically since release. With a list price of approximately $170,000, current grey-market valuations are tracking around $556,000 — a premium of over three times retail that reflects genuine scarcity and sustained collector demand rather than speculative noise.