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Footballer Didier Drogba spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Didier Drogba, the Ivorian striker widely regarded as one of the most complete centre-forwards of his generation, was recently spotted wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Juan Pablo Montoya in 18kt rose gold — reference 26030RO.OO.D001IN.01. The sighting places the retired footballer firmly in the upper tier of celebrity watch collectors, given the sheer scarcity and specification of the piece on his wrist.

The Royal Oak Offshore Juan Pablo Montoya ref. 26030RO was developed in collaboration with the Colombian Formula One and IndyCar champion, released in the mid-2000s as part of Audemars Piguet's broader strategy of partnering elite athletes with bespoke Offshore variants. The 18kt rose gold case measures 44mm and houses the Calibre 3126/3840 — a self-winding integrated movement with a tourbillon and an extraordinary 10-day power reserve courtesy of twin mainspring barrels. A perpetual calendar complication sits alongside the tourbillon, making this far more than a simple prestige sports watch. The dial presents a skeletonised architecture that exposes the movement's architecture, framed by the Royal Oak Offshore's signature octagonal bezel and exposed screws.

Limited to just 500 pieces worldwide, the 26030RO occupies a particularly sought-after position within the Offshore collector community. The Juan Pablo Montoya editions are consistently referenced as benchmarks of the collaboration model — where genuine sporting partnership, meaningful complication, and precious-metal execution converge. Tourbillon-equipped Offshore references in gold are exceedingly rare in circulation, and condition-dependent examples command serious attention at auction.

Drogba's horological taste has leaned towards statement pieces throughout his public life, and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Juan Pablo Montoya ref. 26030RO is entirely consistent with that profile. The watch's motorsport DNA sits comfortably on a footballer whose career was defined by precision, power, and a flair for the dramatic moment — qualities the Offshore platform was engineered to embody.

At UK list price of approximately £53,000 — roughly $67,000 USD at time of release — the 26030RO was never an entry-level proposition. On the secondary market, rose gold tourbillon Offshore references of this generation with full provenance regularly trade above their original retail figures, with strong examples achieving $80,000 to $110,000 USD depending on condition and documentation. Scarcity, complication depth, and the Montoya name keep demand consistent.