Watch Paparazzi

Actor Sofia Nikitchuck spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Sofia Nikitchuck, the Russian actress and model known to her substantial Instagram following as @nikitchucksofi, was recently spotted wearing a stainless steel Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in the discontinued reference 26320ST — a detail that will not be lost on serious AP collectors. The watch appears on her wrist in what reads as an everyday setting, its blackout dial blending discretion with unmistakable Royal Oak architecture.

The ref. 26320ST is a 41mm stainless steel Royal Oak Chronograph powered by Audemars Piguet's in-house caliber 2385 — a column-wheel integrated chronograph movement beating at 21,600 vph with a 40-hour power reserve. The movement is a direct descendant of the legendary caliber 2226/2840 lineage developed in collaboration with Jaeger-LeCoultre and later refined by AP over decades. The all-black dial variant — black dial, black subdials, black Grande Tapisserie pattern — is particularly striking against the brushed and polished steel case and the signature Royal Oak integrated bracelet first conceived by Gérald Genta in 1972.

Production of the 26320ST has since been discontinued, replaced in AP's catalogue by the updated Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26331, which houses the newer caliber 2385 in a slightly revised case. The discontinuation of the 26320ST has, predictably, strengthened its desirability among collectors. The all-black dial version is considered one of the more difficult configurations to source, particularly in unworn or lightly worn condition — grey market premiums reflect this scarcity directly.

Nikitchuck brings a notably understated sensibility to what is, by any measure, a serious horological piece. AP's Royal Oak Chronograph occupies a specific niche in the luxury sport-watch world: technically accomplished, historically grounded, and visually assertive without resorting to ostentation. It reads equally well in editorial and off-duty contexts, which likely accounts for its appeal across fashion and entertainment circles.

At its original European list price of approximately €23,600, the 26320ST was already a significant investment. On today's grey market, discontinued and hard-to-source configurations — particularly the full black dial in steel — command prices well above retail, making Nikitchuck's choice of wrist real estate as financially considered as it is stylistically coherent.