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Royal Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah spotted wearing Avantist

On the occasion of his birthday celebrations, Crown Prince of Brunei Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah was photographed in full ceremonial uniform, and sharp-eyed observers immediately clocked the distinctive tonneau-cased timepiece on his wrist: the titanium Avantist from the Martina Navratilova Wimbledon 1990 Legend Series, limited to a mere 30 pieces globally.

Avantist is a Geneva-anchored independent brand that carved its niche producing hyper-limited sports-legend commemoratives, each edition tied to a defining moment in athletic history. The Wimbledon 1990 piece honours Navratilova's ninth and final Wimbledon singles title — arguably the greatest serve-and-volley achievement in the Open Era. The watch's tonneau case in Grade 5 titanium measures approximately 44mm lug-to-lug and sits under 12mm thick, delivering exceptional wrist presence without weight. The deep navy lacquered dial — clearly visible in the reference shot — features applied baton indices, a discreet date window at 3 o'clock, and the brand's star logo at 12. The movement is a Swiss Made automatic, regulated to COSC-adjacent standards, housed behind a sapphire exhibition caseback engraved with Navratilova's 1990 Wimbledon tribute.

With only 30 examples produced, the Avantist Navratilova Legend Series occupies a peculiar and compelling corner of the collector market. Each piece ships with provenance documentation and numbered certification. At an official UK list price of £8,540, it is priced in the serious independent watch territory — above entry Nomos or Oris, squarely competing with mid-tier Zenith or Tudor Black Bay chronographs — yet the production run makes it exponentially rarer than anything those houses produce.

Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, Crown Prince and Senior Minister in the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei Darussalam, has been observed wearing a range of horology from Patek Philippe to Richard Mille. His choice of the Avantist on a formal birthday occasion signals a genuine appreciation for limited-edition independent watchmaking rather than trophy collecting.

On the secondary market, pieces from Avantist's Legend Series rarely surface publicly. When they do, they command premiums of 15–25% above list given the extreme scarcity. Prospective buyers should expect to pay upward of $13,000 USD on the grey market — if they can locate one at all.