Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Tinnie Tempah spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Tinie Tempah — born Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu — has never been shy about bold wrist choices, and his latest acquisition, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver in reference 26703ST.OO.A051CA.01, is a statement piece in every sense. The rapper and fashion-forward style icon debuted the yellow-dialed diver on social media, and the watch's vivid smoked yellow dial against a brushed and polished steel case is the kind of contrast that stops a scroll cold.

The Royal Oak Offshore Diver ref. 26703ST sits in a 42mm stainless steel case built to withstand 300 metres of water pressure — a genuine diver's specification, not a cosmetic one. Its unidirectional rotating bezel is integrated into the signature Royal Oak octagonal framework, a design tension between sport utility and haute horlogerie that AP has been exploiting since Gerald Genta's original 1972 blueprint. Inside beats the Calibre 3120, AP's own 280-component automatic movement offering 60 hours of power reserve, a 21,600 vph frequency, and a 22-carat gold rotor. It is a movement with genuine depth to match the case's water resistance rating.

Within the Offshore Diver sub-family, the yellow-dial references have earned a devoted following. The smoked gradient effect on the 26703ST shifts tone depending on light angle, giving the watch a visual dynamism that photographs rarely capture fully. The rubber strap in a coordinating yellow-black palette reinforces the sporty brief without sacrificing comfort. Collectors note that the Offshore Diver occupies a sensible middle ground: it carries the Royal Oak Offshore DNA with lower secondary-market premiums than the more hyped Offshore Chronograph references.

Tinie Tempah's relationship with luxury watches is well documented. The Patrick Okogwu who once rapped about coming from nothing now moves comfortably in circles where a £20,000 AP is a considered rather than impulsive purchase. His taste leans toward pieces that read as bold in photographs but reward closer inspection — criteria the 26703ST meets precisely.

At an official UK RRP of approximately £20,000 — translating to roughly $25,000 USD at point of listing — the Royal Oak Offshore Diver ref. 26703ST has traded at or modestly above retail on the grey market, reflecting steady but not frenzied demand. It remains one of the more accessible entry points into AP's sport line without compromising on in-house manufacture credentials.