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Singer John Mayer spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

John Mayer was recently photographed wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Flying Tourbillon 50th Anniversary in titanium, reference 26730TI — a piece that sits at the absolute apex of the 2022 jubilee collection that marked five decades of Gérald Genta's iconic octagonal design.

At the heart of the 26730TI sits calibre 2910, a skeletonised, manually-wound flying tourbillon movement running at 21,600 vph with a 70-hour power reserve. Audemars Piguet chose a flying architecture — meaning no bridge obscures the tourbillon cage — to keep the view of the complication as unobstructed as possible. The 44 mm grade-5 titanium case is notably lighter on the wrist than its stainless steel or gold counterparts, and the sandblasted smoked blue dial delivers the signature Royal Oak tapisserie texture with an atmospheric gradient finish that is unique to this reference. The integrated titanium bracelet carries the same alternating brushed and polished surfaces that have defined the Royal Oak aesthetic since 1972.

From a collector standpoint, the 26730TI occupies a specific and coveted position. The 50th Anniversary series was released across multiple materials and complications, but the flying tourbillon in titanium struck many serious collectors as the purest expression of the celebration: technically exceptional, visually restrained, and free of the precious-metal weight that can work against the Royal Oak's sportif identity. Allocation was extremely tight through authorised dealers, pushing virtually all examples directly into grey-market territory at substantial premiums from day one.

Mayer's relationship with Audemars Piguet is well documented — he has served as a brand ambassador and owns a deeply considered collection that spans independent watchmakers and major maisons alike. His public appearances consistently feature horologically literate choices rather than purely decorative ones, and the 26730TI is precisely the kind of piece that rewards that level of attention.

On the secondary market, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon 50th Anniversary ref. 26730TI currently trades at approximately $450,000 against a list price of $196,000 — a premium of roughly 130 percent that reflects both scarcity and sustained demand from collectors who missed authorised-dealer allocation entirely.