Watch Paparazzi

Cricketer Virat Kohli spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Virat Kohli has never been shy about serious horology, and his latest sighting confirms a taste that goes well beyond the obvious. The Indian cricket captain and global sports icon was recently photographed wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Skeleton in stainless steel, reference 25829ST — a watch that demands attention not for its flashiness but for the sheer depth of craft it represents.

The ref. 25829ST is built around Calibre 2879, Audemars Piguet's skeletonized perpetual calendar movement, which displays day, date, month, moon phase, and leap year cycle through an open-worked dial that reveals the intricate mechanics beneath. Every bridge and plate has been manually skeletonized, beveled, and anglaged by craftsmen in Le Brassus — a process that, on a perpetual calendar movement of this complexity, is exponentially more demanding than on a simple three-hander. The signature Royal Oak 39mm stainless steel case with its integrated bracelet, polished and brushed alternating surfaces, and eight-sided bezel secured by exposed hexagonal screws frames the movement with the architectural confidence that has defined the line since 1972.

For collectors, the 25829ST occupies a rarified position. Skeletonized perpetual calendars in steel from Audemars Piguet represent a confluence of extreme movement work and the enduring desirability of the Royal Oak sports-luxury format. Steel examples are significantly scarcer than their precious metal counterparts and are routinely prioritized by the secondary market. The reference has appreciated sharply over the past decade as the broader Royal Oak market matured and buyers became more sophisticated about complication quality.

Kohli's watch collection is well documented among enthusiasts — he has been spotted in everything from entry-level luxury to grand complications, but the 25829ST signals a collector who understands movement value. With an estimated current market value approaching $400,000 USD, this is not an impulse purchase; it is a deliberate statement from someone who has done the homework.

On the grey market, stainless steel skeletonized Royal Oak perpetual calendars command extraordinary premiums over any official retail positioning, reflecting both extreme scarcity and sustained global demand. For anyone tracking where serious watch money moves in celebrity collections, Kohli's wrist remains one of the most instructive data points in cricket — and beyond.