Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Andy Carroll spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

West Ham United's towering striker Andy Carroll had more than a last-minute FA Cup goal to celebrate when cameras caught him wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph, reference 25721ST.OO.1000ST.08.A — a watch that, much like Carroll himself, is impossible to ignore in a crowd. The sighting came in the wake of West Ham's dramatic fourth-round victory over Liverpool, a result that gave the big Geordie striker every reason to make a statement on the wrist.

The ref. 25721ST.OO.1000ST.08.A is among the earliest Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph references, born from Gerald Genta's deliberately aggressive 1993 redesign of his own Royal Oak blueprint. Where the original 1972 Royal Oak was elegantly restrained, the Offshore amplified every dimension — the case grew to 42mm in stainless steel, the octagonal bezel thickened, the pushers were shrouded in rubber-tipped protectors, and the signature 'Tapisserie' dial gained a bolder, more pronounced texture. Inside beats the calibre 2226/2840, a self-winding integrated column-wheel chronograph movement built on the venerable Jaeger-LeCoultre 889 base, offering 40 hours of power reserve with a 21,600 vph frequency. The bracelet, reference 1000ST.08, integrates seamlessly in polished and brushed steel.

Collectors regard early Offshore references like the 25721ST with particular respect. These pre-celebrity-endorsement examples, produced before the Offshore became a fixture in music videos and athlete locker rooms, carry genuine historical weight as the founding generation of a line that would go on to define early 2000s luxury. Original examples in good condition with correct bracelet and documentation hold steady collector appeal precisely because the reference launched a category.

For Carroll — a Premier League forward known for his physical presence and long-ball threat — the Offshore is an entirely coherent choice. The watch's reputation for robust construction, bold proportions, and sporting pedigree maps naturally onto a footballer who plays with brute force. Wearing it on a day West Ham humbled his former employers at Liverpool adds a layer of narrative the watch probably didn't need but handles without complaint.

On the market, steel first-generation Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph references have settled into a strong collector bracket. UK retail on the 25721ST sat around £19,000 at list, though grey-market pricing for well-preserved examples has climbed meaningfully as early Offshore references attract renewed collector attention from buyers chasing the lineage's origins.