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Cricketer Stuart Broad spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Stuart Broad, England's record-breaking Test cricket fast bowler, was recently spotted wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in ceramic, reference 26405CE.OO.A002CA.01 — a watch that commands attention on and off the field. The sighting places Broad firmly among the growing cohort of elite sportsmen who gravitate toward the Offshore's muscular, uncompromising aesthetic.

Introduced in 1993 by designer Emmanuel Gueit as a deliberately oversized, sport-aggressive evolution of Gerald Genta's original 1972 Royal Oak, the Royal Oak Offshore has matured from a controversial departure into an icon in its own right. The reference 26405CE represents one of the more technically refined expressions of the line. Its 44mm case is crafted from black ceramic — a material that offers exceptional scratch resistance and a deep, matte finish that ages gracefully — and is matched with a black rubber strap featuring a ceramic deployant buckle. The dial is finished in black with the signature 'Méga Tapisserie' pattern, applied luminescent hour markers, and three white chronograph subdials at three, six, and nine o'clock.

Beneath the case sits Audemars Piguet's manufacture calibre 3126/3840, a self-winding integrated column-wheel chronograph movement operating at 21,600 vph with a generous 60-hour power reserve. The movement is a collaborative development between AP and Jaeger-LeCoultre and remains highly regarded for its reliability and finishing quality. Water resistance is rated to 100 metres.

Among collectors, the ceramic Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph occupies a respected position. Ceramic AP Offshores tend to hold value particularly well in the secondary market — the material's rarity in AP's broader catalogue, combined with the reference's relative exclusivity compared to titanium or steel variants, makes the 26405CE a coherent long-term acquisition rather than a purely emotional purchase.

Broad retired from international cricket in 2023 at the peak of his powers, having played a defining role in England's Ashes campaigns across two decades. His affinity for a watch that balances technical substance with imposing presence feels entirely consistent with his career profile. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ref. 26405CE retails in the UK at approximately £27,000.