Watch Paparazzi

Basketball player James Harden spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

James Harden has built a reputation off the court that rivals his standing on it — at least within watch collecting circles. The Houston Rockets guard was recently spotted wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon, reference 26560IO, a piece that sits firmly at the apex of AP's technical and aesthetic ambitions.

The ref. 26560IO belongs to the Royal Oak Concept family, a line Audemars Piguet introduced in 2002 as a laboratory for experimental complications and avant-garde materials — a deliberate departure from the classical Royal Oak. The 26560IO pairs forged carbon with grade 5 titanium in a 44mm case, creating a watch that is simultaneously imposing and surprisingly wearable given its dimensions. The movement, Calibre 2954, is a hand-wound manufacture with a 72-hour power reserve. It delivers both a flying tourbillon — positioned at six o'clock without a traditional cage bridge, giving it a near-floating appearance — and a GMT function with a dedicated 24-hour indicator, making the complication set genuinely practical for a professional athlete navigating coast-to-coast and transatlantic travel schedules.

The skeletonised architecture of the dial is as much the point as the mechanics. AP's finishing on the Concept line trades traditional Geneva Stripes and bevelling for a more industrial, almost architectural aesthetic. The result is a movement display that reads more like a precision instrument than a dress watch, which is precisely the intention. Collector reception has been strong: the Concept GMT Tourbillon occupies a niche that bridges serious horology and modern design, appealing to buyers who find the classical Royal Oak too conservative.

Harden is no casual watch wearer. He has been photographed over the years with Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, and multiple Audemars Piguet references, demonstrating a genuine fluency in high-end horology rather than simple brand recognition. The 26560IO on his wrist is a logical extension of that trajectory — a piece that demands some knowledge to appreciate fully.

At a UK list price of £180,000, the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon ref. 26560IO is not a grey-market staple, but demand from collectors and high-profile athletes ensures it trades at or above retail when examples surface. Availability through authorised dealers remains limited, reinforcing its status as a genuine collector's object rather than a showroom fixture.