Watch Paparazzi

Actor Dulquer Salmaan spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Dulquer Salmaan, photographed at what appears to be a formal industry event, accessorised a sharp plaid suit with one of Audemars Piguet's most recognisable sports-chronograph references — the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in stainless steel. The watch sits confidently on his wrist, its 42 mm octagonal case impossible to miss even partially obscured by a sleeve.

The reference 26470ST.OO.A101CR.01 — introduced circa 2012 and refreshed across several dial variants — houses AP's calibre 3126/3840, a self-winding column-wheel chronograph movement with a 50-hour power reserve beating at 21,600 vph. The movement is a collaborative evolution of the Renaud & Papi-derived architecture that underpins most ROO chronograph references. The black 'Méga Tapisserie' dial, white Arabic hour markers, and red-tipped central chronograph seconds hand are the defining visual signatures of this particular configuration, paired with a black rubber and leather strap with a steel AP folding clasp.

Collector appetite for this reference remains robust precisely because it avoids the polarising ceramic treatments of later ROO editions while retaining the full 42 mm presence that defines the Offshore line. The satin-brushed and polished steel case, grey-rubber-treated chronograph pushers, and screw-down crown at 9 o'clock all read as purposefully athletic without veering into the ostentatious. It sits in a sweet spot between sporting tool watch and luxury statement.

Dulquer Salmaan — son of legendary Malayalam actor Mammootty — has built an impressive pan-Indian career spanning Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, with films such as 'Karwaan,' 'The Zoya Factor,' and 'Sita Ramam' cementing his crossover status. His sartorial sensibility tends toward understated European tailoring, and the clean-sport aesthetic of this AP complements that approach without contradiction.

At original retail the 26470ST was listed around $29,000 USD. On today's grey market, demand keeps pre-owned examples trading between $28,000 and $34,000 depending on condition and service history — a remarkably stable secondary curve for a reference now over a decade old, underscoring the enduring desirability of the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in steel.