Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Ronaldinho spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Ronaldinho, the Brazilian football legend whose creative genius redefined the game in the early 2000s, was recently spotted on wrist with one of Audemars Piguet's most technically demanding and visually arresting releases: the Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon Black Ceramic, reference 26522CE.

The 26522CE represents a significant engineering statement from Le Brassus. Built around Calibre 2924, a manually wound flying tourbillon movement, the watch achieves an overall case thickness of just 6.0mm despite housing one of watchmaking's most mechanically complex complications. The 41mm black ceramic case — produced from a material requiring far more intensive machining than stainless steel or gold — carries the signature 8-screw bezel and integrated bracelet architecture that Gérald Genta sketched in 1972, here rendered in a deep, light-absorbing matte finish that gives the Royal Oak silhouette an entirely different character. Power reserve stands at approximately 70 hours, and the movement is finished to the exacting standards collectors expect from Audemars Piguet's Grande Complication tier.

From a collector's perspective, the 26522CE occupies rare air. The 100-piece global limitation is not a marketing flourish — ceramic of this quality, combined with ultra-thin tourbillon construction, presents genuine production constraints. The reference rarely surfaces at auction or on secondary platforms, and when it does, it commands a significant premium over its already substantial list price. It sits firmly within the category of watches that serious collectors actively seek but seldom find available.

Ronaldinho's relationship with luxury watches is well established. The five-time Champions League medal holder and 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year has been spotted across a range of high-complications and sports-luxury references over the years. The 26522CE, however, is a meaningful step into genuine horological territory — this is not a recognizable sports watch dressed in precious metal, but a technically serious piece produced in extremely limited numbers.

At a list price of approximately $170,000 USD, the Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon Black Ceramic Ref. 26522CE was already positioned at the upper tier of the Royal Oak range. On the grey market, current valuations have climbed considerably above retail, reflecting both the limitation and sustained demand for ultra-thin tourbillon complications in black ceramic — a combination that remains genuinely difficult to source.