Rapper Timati spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Russian rapper, entrepreneur, and Black Star Records founder Timati was spotted on the wrist with one of the most complex and visually striking pieces in the entire Audemars Piguet catalogue — the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton in 18kt pink gold, reference 26223OR. For a figure who has built a personal brand around unapologetic luxury, the choice lands exactly where you would expect.

The 26223OR sits within the Royal Oak Concept family, a line Audemars Piguet introduced in 2002 specifically to push technical boundaries beyond what the standard Royal Oak range could accommodate. The reference houses a manual-winding calibre featuring a flying tourbillon — meaning the tourbillon cage rotates without a visible upper bridge, creating a cleaner aesthetic — integrated with a column-wheel-controlled chronograph. The openworked movement architecture exposes every component: bridges, gears, and the tourbillon cage are all visible through the skeletonized dial, a level of finishing that demands hundreds of additional hours of hand-work from AP's Le Brassus workshops. The 44mm pink gold case retains the iconic octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet geometry that Gerald Genta drew up in 1972, but reinterpreted in a distinctly 21st-century register.

Among collectors, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon references occupy a specific and respected niche. They are not everyday wearers — they are declarations of technical intent, pieces that serious collectors and enthusiasts point to when arguing that AP is more than its sports-luxury image. The pink gold execution of the 26223OR adds warmth to an otherwise industrial-feeling case and is considered by many the most wearable variant of the Concept tourbillon family. Production numbers are extremely limited, which keeps secondary market interest consistently elevated.

Timati — born Timur Yunusov in Moscow — has been one of Russia's most commercially successful entertainers for over a decade, with a portfolio extending across music, fashion, and the restaurant industry. His watch collection has consistently reflected a taste for technically complex, high-visibility haute horlogerie, making the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept 26223OR a natural fit.

At a UK list price of £250,000, the 26223OR is among the most expensive references AP has ever offered outside bespoke commissions. On the grey market, strong demand from collectors in the Middle East, Asia, and Eastern Europe keeps values firm, with examples rarely appearing at a discount to retail.