Watch Paparazzi

Rapper Christian Combs spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Christian Combs was photographed wearing what is arguably one of the most extensively reworked Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks in recent memory — a bespoke, piece-unique commission executed by New York-based jeweller Avianne & Co, a workshop known for transforming six-figure Swiss movements into wearable sculpture for the hip-hop world's elite.

The foundation of the build is an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, almost certainly a 41 mm reference from the self-winding steel family — the 15400 or its successor 15500 lineage — though every standard surface has been overtaken by VS1 white brilliant-cut and baguette diamonds. The dial retains its characteristic Royal Oak layout: applied baton indices, a date aperture at 3 o'clock, and the 'Grande Tapisserie' guilloche replaced by a full micro-pavé face. The bezel, case flanks, lugs, and crown guards are all stone-set, eliminating the brushed-satin contrast that defines Royal Oak aesthetics from the factory.

The most technically daring element is the bracelet. Avianne's craftsmen replaced AP's integrated bracelet entirely with a dual Cuban-link construction — two heavy diamond-set Cuban chains running parallel and merging at the case — a modification that requires custom lug fitment and significant structural engineering to keep the watch wearable rather than merely decorative. The clasp area mirrors the same stone density as the rest of the piece.

For collectors, a build of this complexity occupies a polarising space: purists regard heavy aftermarket modification as destroying historical integrity, while a new generation of watch enthusiasts — particularly within hip-hop culture — treat these commissions as legitimate expressions of craft and personal identity. Avianne & Co has built an international reputation on exactly these terms.

Christian Combs has cultivated a public profile distinct from his father's, releasing music under his own name while maintaining a consistent presence in luxury fashion and jewellery circles. A watch of this nature — functionally a bespoke jewellery object built around a Swiss movement — fits precisely within that positioning. Grey-market valuation for comparable fully-iced AP Royal Oak customs from established houses typically begins north of $500,000, depending on total carat weight and stone quality.