Watch Paparazzi

Golfer Abraham Ancer spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Abraham Ancer's first PGA Tour win was already a landmark moment for Mexican professional golf, but eagle-eyed watch spotters caught a detail on his wrist that made the celebration even more notable: a black ceramic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked, reference 15416CE — one of the most coveted and technically complex variants in the entire Royal Oak catalogue.

The 15416CE measures 41mm in diameter and is crafted from black ceramic, a material that gives the case and integrated bracelet their distinctive matte, near-stealthy appearance. Black ceramic is notoriously difficult to machine with the level of finishing precision that AP demands — achieving brushed and polished surfaces simultaneously on a material this hard requires specialized tooling and considerable rejection rates. The result is a piece that looks understated from a distance but reveals its complexity the moment light catches the case.

At the heart of the watch beats the Calibre 3132, an automatic movement with a 60-hour power reserve. The movement is fully openworked — every non-essential bridge and plate has been skeletonized and individually hand-finished to AP's exacting standards, exposing the gear train, escapement, and balance wheel. This process roughly doubles production time compared to a solid-dial equivalent, which in part explains the watch's significant price point.

Within Royal Oak collector circles, the 15416CE occupies serious real estate. Black ceramic Royal Oaks are produced in far smaller numbers than stainless steel or gold references, and the openworked configuration narrows availability further. The combination of case material, dial treatment, and integrated ceramic bracelet has made this reference a persistent target for collectors who find standard Royal Oaks too commonplace.

At a list price of approximately $84,300, the 15416CE was already a significant purchase. On the secondary market, however, demand has pushed values dramatically higher — current grey-market pricing sits in the $468,000 range, reflecting roughly 5.5x the retail figure. For Ancer, a golfer known for his meticulous course management, wearing one of watchmaking's more demanding exercises in controlled complexity seems entirely appropriate.