Watch Paparazzi

Royal Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Prince Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, younger brother of the Emir of Qatar and a prominent figure in international sport and diplomacy, was recently spotted wearing one of the most technically and historically significant watches released in recent memory: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked Tourbillon 50th Anniversary in stainless steel, reference 26735ST. On a wrist accustomed to serious timepieces, this one carries particular weight.

The ref. 26735ST was released in 2022 as part of AP's sweeping jubilee celebration marking half a century of the Royal Oak — the watch that Gerald Genta sketched overnight in 1972 and fundamentally changed what a luxury sports watch could be. The 26735ST houses calibre 2978, a hand-wound skeletonized movement featuring a flying tourbillon beating at 21,600 vph with a 70-hour power reserve. The openworked architecture exposes every chamfered bridge and polished wheel, a showcase of Le Brassus finishing at its most demanding. The 41mm stainless steel case retains the Royal Oak's signature satin-brushed and polished surfaces, with the iconic integrated bracelet completing a form that remains as architecturally coherent today as it was five decades ago.

What makes the 26735ST particularly significant to collectors is the material choice. Anniversary tourbillon references in precious metals are expected; a flying tourbillon openworked movement in a steel case is a statement. AP allocated these pieces with characteristic selectivity, and secondary market premiums reflect that scarcity immediately — the watch commands roughly double its already substantial list price in the grey market, a pattern consistent with the most desirable Royal Oak anniversary references.

Prince Joaan is no casual watch wearer. As President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and a central figure in Qatar's global sporting ambitions, he moves in circles where fine watchmaking is both a cultural currency and a genuine passion. His choice of the 26735ST over any number of precious-metal alternatives speaks to a collector's sensibility — steel tourbillons at this level of complication are rarer, and in many eyes, more interesting.

At a retail price of $240,000, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked Tourbillon 50th Anniversary ref. 26735ST is already positioned at the summit of the Royal Oak range. On the secondary market, current valuations sit near $495,000 — a premium that reflects genuine demand from collectors who understand exactly what they are looking at.