Cricketer Rohit Sharma spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

In a candid, low-key photograph, Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma was spotted with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Masato on his wrist — a watch that most enthusiasts would struggle to place on sight, which makes the sighting all the more interesting. Rohit, dressed in a simple blue tee and absorbed in a phone screen, lets the watch do the talking with minimal fanfare, which is precisely the collector's approach.

The Royal Oak Offshore Masato reference 26030ST.OO.D101CR.01 is a collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Masato Kobayashi, the celebrated Japanese K-1 kickboxing champion. Released in the mid-2000s, the watch sits on a 42mm stainless steel case with the Royal Oak Offshore's signature octagonal bezel secured by eight hexagonal screws. The defining feature is the red mega tapisserie dial — aggressive, sports-oriented, and unmistakably tied to Masato's combat sport identity. The caseback is engraved with Masato's personal crown-and-cross emblem and 'Limited Edition' designation. It rides on a black alligator strap with red stitching, matching the dial's energy. Inside beats calibre 2226/2840, a self-winding chronograph movement with column wheel operation offering 40 hours of power reserve.

From a collector standpoint, the Masato occupies an intriguing niche. It was never a mainstream AP release — produced in strictly limited numbers for the Asian market, primarily Japan — which means secondary market supply is thin and demand among AP completists is steady. The engraved caseback elevates it above standard Offshore chronographs, and the martial arts provenance gives it a cultural layer that resonates deeply in Asian markets.

Rohit Sharma's watch collection reflects his status as one of cricket's highest-profile and highest-earning athletes. The Mumbai Indians captain and India's ODI record-holder has been spotted across multiple AP, Rolex, and luxury brand references over the years. Choosing a limited, Japan-market AP collaboration over a more obvious Royal Oak statement piece suggests genuine watch knowledge rather than simple status signalling.

At a retail price of approximately $31,000 USD, the Royal Oak Offshore Masato 26030ST was already a premium proposition at launch. On today's grey market, limited production numbers and collector interest push values higher, making this one of the more quietly desirable Offshore variants from that era.