Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Manny Koshbin spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Manny Khoshbin, the Iranian-American entrepreneur behind a multi-billion-dollar commercial real estate portfolio and one of the most-watched car collectors on social media, was recently spotted wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in navy blue — reference 26170ST.OO.D305CR.01. The choice is telling: among a sea of flashier Offshore configurations, this particular reference projects confidence without shouting.

The 26170ST.OO.D305CR.01 measures 42mm in stainless steel and pairs a navy blue Grande Tapisserie dial with matching navy blue chronograph counters and a navy textile strap with rubber lining — a cohesive, sport-elegant package. Powering it is the calibre 3126/3840, an integrated self-winding movement featuring a column wheel chronograph mechanism, a 280-component architecture, and approximately 50 hours of power reserve. The movement beats at 21,600 vph and is visible through a sapphire caseback, revealing Audemars Piguet's characteristic côtes de Genève finishing.

The Royal Oak Offshore line launched in 1993 as Emmanuel Gueit's deliberately provocative riff on Gerald Genta's original 1972 Royal Oak design — bigger, bolder, unashamedly sporty. The chronograph variant has become its anchor reference, continuously refined over three decades. The ref. 26170ST in navy represents a more mature, collector-friendly reading of the Offshore formula: it avoids the louder rubber-strap configurations and instead appeals to buyers who want the mechanical substance without the maximalist aesthetic.

Khoshbin's watch choices consistently mirror his broader collecting philosophy — technically credible, visually distinctive, but never gratuitous. His social platforms regularly feature horological cameos alongside hypercars like the Hermès Pagani Huayra and Bugatti Chiron, and the Offshore Chronograph sits comfortably in that company. It is a watch that reads as a reward, not a prop.

At retail, the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ref. 26170ST.OO.D305CR.01 carries a list price in the region of $24,000–$26,000 USD depending on market. On the grey market, stainless steel Offshore Chronograph references have held relatively stable demand, typically trading at or modestly above retail. For a stainless steel sports chronograph from AP, that stability is itself a statement of enduring relevance.