Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Stormzy spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Stormzy made an emphatic statement on the London red carpet for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiere, and for once the film's own spectacle had genuine competition on the wrist. The British rapper arrived wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept 'Black Panther' Flying Tourbillon, reference 26620IO — a watch that is simultaneously a horological tour de force and one of the most coveted limited editions of the 2020s.

Released in collaboration with Marvel in 2022, the 26620IO sits within AP's Royal Oak Concept family, the line that has historically pushed the manufacture's technical ambitions furthest beyond the iconic octagonal bezel first drawn by Gérald Genta in 1972. The 42mm case is constructed from sandblasted titanium, with a forged carbon caseback and ceramic crown. Inside beats the calibre 2965, a manually wound flying tourbillon movement offering 72 hours of power reserve, visible through the open-worked architecture that has defined the Concept series since its debut in 2002. The movement's bridges and plates are finished in a deep anthracite tone, reinforcing the all-black visual language.

What elevates the 26620IO beyond novelty status is the dial work. The Black Panther figure — claws extended, mid-leap — is hand-sculpted in 18-carat white gold and blackened, positioned to interact organically with the tourbillon cage below. AP enlisted specialist sculptors for the figure, and the relief depth required a case thick enough to accommodate both the art and the mechanics without compromise. Production was capped at 250 pieces globally, split across boutique allocations that were largely absorbed by long-standing AP clients before the watches reached any secondary conversation.

Stormzy has consistently demonstrated a collector's eye rather than a hype-driven approach to watches. His appearance in the 26620IO at this particular premiere — linking the watch's Marvel DNA to its real-world cinematic context — was either immaculately considered or a very fortunate coincidence. Either way, it was the most appropriate possible public outing for this reference.

At launch, the Royal Oak Concept 'Black Panther' carried a list price of approximately $170,000. The grey market has moved decisively since then, with authenticated examples trading in the $480,000 range — a near-tripling of retail that reflects scarcity, cultural cachet, and the enduring strength of the Royal Oak Concept as a collector-grade proposition.