Chef Cyril Lignac spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Cyril Lignac, France's most recognizable celebrity chef and the face of M6's long-running cooking programme 'Tous en Cuisine,' was recently spotted with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 15300 on his wrist — a watch that, despite being discontinued, continues to command serious respect among collectors and seasoned enthusiasts alike.

The Royal Oak 15300 was produced from approximately 2005 to 2012, slotting in as the direct successor to the Ref. 14790 and predecessor to today's 15400 and the current 15500. Its defining upgrade was the in-house Calibre 3120, an automatic movement beating at 21,600 vph with a 60-hour power reserve, featuring a peripheral rotor and a stunning finishing quality visible through the sapphire caseback. Housed in a 39mm stainless steel case — notably more compact than the 41mm references that followed — the 15300 occupies a sweet spot that many wrist-size-conscious collectors actively seek out.

Among Royal Oak devotees, the 15300 has developed a quiet cult following precisely because of that 39mm diameter. As Audemars Piguet has progressively pushed case sizes upward, this reference represents one of the last iterations of the 'classic' Royal Oak proportion in a full automatic configuration. The tapisserie dial, applied hour markers with white gold surrounds, and the five-row integrated bracelet remain textbook Royal Oak, executed without compromise.

Lignac's affinity for the piece is consistent with his public persona: technically rigorous, classically grounded, and resistant to unnecessary ostentation. The Royal Oak 15300 is not the loudest watch in the AP catalogue — it is, however, arguably the most coherent expression of what Gerald Genta originally intended.

On the secondary market, the 15300 in steel with a blue or grey dial has appreciated steadily since its discontinuation. Grey market prices typically range between $18,000 and $25,000 depending on condition, dial color, and service history — well above its original retail positioning and a clear indicator of enduring demand for this transitional-yet-timeless reference.