Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Ali Hussain Sajwani spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Ali Hussain Sajwani, CEO of Dubai-based real estate giant DAMAC Properties, was recently spotted wearing one of Audemars Piguet's most technically ambitious — and least accessible — Royal Oak variants: the Perpetual Calendar Openworked in black ceramic, reference 26585CE, a boutique-exclusive that rarely surfaces in public.

The 26585CE is built around Calibre 26586, a manual-winding openworked movement derived from the celebrated Calibre 5134 perpetual calendar base. The mechanism displays day, date, month, leap year, and moon phase through a classic perpetual calendar architecture that requires no manual correction until the year 2100. The movement beats at 21,600 vph and offers a power reserve of approximately 40 hours. What sets the 26585CE apart aesthetically is its sapphire crystal dial — a transparent stage that exposes the skeletonized bridges and plates directly to view — while rose gold applied indices, hands, and sub-dial counters provide deliberate chromatic contrast against the dark, bevelled bridges beneath.

The 44mm case and integrated bracelet are rendered in black ceramic — a material that Audemars Piguet has refined over years for its combination of scratch resistance, low weight, and deep, non-reflective finish. Each watchmaker at Le Brassus applies their own finishing technique to the openworked movement, meaning no two examples carry identical hand-decoration. This boutique-exclusive policy is not merely a commercial strategy; it preserves the piece's artisanal character and keeps secondary-market supply genuinely constrained.

For collectors, the 26585CE sits at the intersection of two perennially sought-after Royal Oak disciplines — the perpetual calendar complication and high-grade skeletonization — wrapped in a case material that ages exceptionally well. It is a watch that rewards close inspection rather than distant admiration, which aligns with AP's broader philosophy for its openworked references.

Sajwani, whose personal style frequently leans toward technically sophisticated timepieces, chose a watch that reflects both commercial discernment — boutique-only access is no accident — and genuine mechanical literacy. On the grey market, the 26585CE commands a meaningful premium over its already substantial retail position, underscoring sustained collector demand for this particular configuration.