Model Hailey Rhode Baldwin spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Hailey Bieber — model, entrepreneur, and increasingly credible watch enthusiast — was recently spotted wearing a vintage Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in yellow gold, specifically the 36mm reference 14790BA. The sighting adds another layer to her evolving public image as someone whose accessory choices reward closer inspection.

The Royal Oak ref. 14790BA occupies a precise and historically meaningful position within the Royal Oak family tree. Cased in 18-karat yellow gold and measuring 36mm, it sits between the original 39mm ref. 5402 of 1972 and the dedicated Lady Royal Oak line. The movement inside is the calibre 2225, a self-winding manufacture movement with a 40-hour power reserve, beating at 19,800 vph — a reliable, well-finished workhorse consistent with Audemars Piguet's production standards of the period. The integrated bracelet in polished and satin-finished yellow gold and the characteristic "Grande Tapisserie" dial remain the design anchors that make any Royal Oak immediately identifiable.

The broader Royal Oak story is essential context here. Gerald Genta sketched the design overnight in 1972 for the Basel trade fair, and Audemars Piguet launched it at the then-shocking price of a luxury gold watch — despite the stainless steel case. Initial market reception was cool. In response, AP experimented with sizing and materials throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, producing references like the 14790BA to attract buyers who found the original dimensions too large. This evolution directly led to the first dedicated Royal Oak Lady, designed by Jacqueline Dimier in 1976, making the 14790BA a transitional piece with real archival significance.

Among collectors, yellow gold Royal Oak references from this era are valued for their relative scarcity compared to steel examples, and the 36mm format attracts both male collectors who prefer a more restrained wrist presence and female collectors drawn to AP's horological heritage over fashion-adjacent quartz pieces. Condition and bracelet completeness drive price significantly on the secondary market.

Hailey Bieber's choice of a vintage reference rather than a contemporary Royal Oak off the current AP catalogue — where waitlists remain lengthy and prices elevated — suggests an informed acquisition. The ref. 14790BA in yellow gold in collector-grade condition currently trades in the $18,000–$26,000 range depending on dial condition, bracelet stretch, and documentation.