Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Stormzy spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

British rapper Stormzy made an appearance at yesterday's England versus Ghana international football match, where he was spotted presenting the match ball while wearing a black ceramic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton Reference 15416CE. The timepiece, visible on his wrist throughout the stadium appearance, represents one of modern watchmaking's most technically ambitious sports watches and a favourite among elite athletes and entertainers worldwide.

The Reference 15416CE is based on Audemars Piguet's legendary Royal Oak platform, first introduced in 1972. The 41 mm black ceramic case houses the manufacture Calibre 3132, a self-winding movement with a 50-hour power reserve and frequency of 4 Hz. The defining feature of this reference is its fully skeletonised dial and caseback, which expose the movement's bridges, balance wheel, and escapement to direct view. The dial displays the time via applied indices and skeletal hands, while the integrated bracelet is crafted from black ceramic segments with rubber inserts for comfort and grip. Water resistance is rated at 50 metres, appropriate for the Royal Oak's positioning as a refined sports chronograph rather than a diving instrument.

The 15416CE entered production in 2012 and remains in the current Audemars Piguet collection, though availability remains tightly controlled through the brand's allocation system. The black ceramic variant is less common than its white ceramic counterpart (Reference 15415CE), making it particularly sought after by collectors. The skeletonised Royal Oak commands premium pricing due to the complexity of finishing the visible movement components and the labour-intensive process of black ceramic manufacturing.

Stormzy's choice of the Royal Oak Skeleton aligns with his established luxury-watch taste and reflects the timepiece's status as a cultural touchstone beyond traditional horology circles. The rapper has previously been photographed wearing other high-end sports watches, signalling a preference for integrated bracelet models with technical credentials. The pairing of the ceramic Royal Oak with stadium-side appearances underscores the reference's role as a contemporary luxury statement.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton Reference 15416CE retails at approximately £240,000 sterling or $320,000 USD, though grey-market availability typically commands premiums of 15–25 percent above retail depending on condition and box/papers status. Production remains limited, and the reference is not widely stocked by authorised retailers, making it a genuine collector's acquisition requiring either a strong relationship with an AP retailer or engagement with the secondary market.