Watch Paparazzi

Singer Ed Sheeran spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Ed Sheeran was spotted in Ibiza wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in blue ceramic, reference 26579CS — one of the more technically uncompromising releases in AP's recent Royal Oak catalogue and a piece that rewards closer inspection well beyond its striking aesthetic.

The 26579CS is built around the calibre 5134, a self-winding perpetual calendar movement comprising 374 components and oscillating at 19,800 vph with a 40-hour power reserve. The perpetual calendar displays date, day, month, leap year, and moon phase — all programmed to require no manual correction until 2100, accounting for the Gregorian calendar's irregular month lengths. The case measures 41mm and is crafted entirely in black ceramic treated to produce its distinctive deep blue finish under light, paired with an integrated ceramic bracelet that continues the Royal Oak's signature integrated-bracelet design language first introduced by Gérald Genta in 1972.

Ceramic as a case material in haute horlogerie is not new, but applying it to a perpetual calendar at this scale and finishing it to AP's tolerances is genuinely difficult. Ceramic cannot be machined with conventional tools — it is milled, ground, and polished through a labour-intensive process that makes case production significantly more complex than steel or gold. The result is a watch that is scratch-resistant, hypoallergenic, and visually distinctive without relying on precious metal prestige.

Sheeran has built a quietly serious watch collection over the years, with documented AP Royal Oaks, Patek Philippe references, and Richard Mille pieces appearing on his wrist at various points. The 26579CS, however, signals a collector sensibility rather than pure trophy buying — perpetual calendars require knowledge and intent to appreciate, and choosing ceramic over the more immediately legible gold variants suggests considered preference.

On the market, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar blue ceramic reference 26579CS carries a retail price of approximately $147,500. Grey market premiums on ceramic AP perpetual calendar references have remained firm given restricted production volumes, with secondary prices holding close to or above retail depending on condition and provenance. For a piece of this complication and material complexity, the pricing sits at the lower end of what comparable independent makers charge.