Rapper Lil Yachty spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Courtside at an NBA game, rapper and tastemaker Lil Yachty turned up in a red Polo Ralph Lauren rugby shirt, Burberry plaid bucket hat — and, on his wrist, one of the rarest Royal Oaks in existence: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak customised by 1017 ALYX 9SM through Parisian atelier Mad Paris, limited to just 40 numbered examples worldwide at a retail price of $81,000.

The watch is built on the Royal Oak's canonical 41mm stainless steel case — Gérald Genta's 1972 octagonal masterpiece, secured by eight hexagonal screws on the integrated bezel. Mad Paris, known for its high-end AP and Rolex custom work, executed a full brushed finishing treatment across the case, dial, and bracelet, creating a monochromatic silver aesthetic that eliminates the brand's traditional alternating satin-polished and brushed surfaces. The dial is concentric-brushed, fitted with applied ALYX branding at 12 o'clock and the maison's name engraved on the dial chapter — a restrained intervention that respects Genta's geometry without overpowering it.

The true engineering challenge, according to those involved, was the bracelet. Matthew Williams' 1017 ALYX 9SM built its reputation on the roller-coaster safety buckle — a forged metal clasp referencing amusement park restraints. Integrating that functional, sculptural hardware into a Royal Oak bracelet required the majority of the project's development time, and the result is seamless: it reads as an AP bracelet until the wrist clasp reveals itself.

Lil Yachty is a documented watch collector whose tastes run from iced Rolexes to considered horological rarities. Choosing a 40-piece collaborative AP rather than a stock reference signals genuine engagement with the collectible end of the market. The piece sits at the intersection of streetwear, Parisian craft, and Swiss haute horlogerie — a combination that reflects Yachty's documented interest in high-fashion crossover projects.

On the secondary market, pieces from the 1017 ALYX 9SM x Mad Paris Royal Oak collaboration rarely surface — scarcity of 40 units across global distribution makes grey-market comparables nearly nonexistent. When analogous Mad Paris one-of-one or micro-edition Royal Oaks have traded, they have commanded significant premiums over their already steep retail prices, making the $81,000 entry point look conservative in retrospect.