Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Willian spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Following Chelsea's dominant 4-0 dismantling of Manchester United, it was Brazilian midfielder Willian's wrist rather than his footwork that caught the attention of watch spotters. On it sat the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Michael Schumacher' in titanium, reference 26568IM — a watch that carries considerably more narrative weight than most celebrity timepieces.

The 26568IM is built around a 44mm titanium case, a material choice that keeps the substantial Offshore proportions surprisingly wearable on the wrist. It houses the Calibre 3126/3840, an automatic movement with column-wheel chronograph and a 50-hour power reserve. The dial — rendered in a deep, anthracite-toned smoked finish — features the signature Grande Tapisserie pattern that has defined the Royal Oak family since Gerald Genta's original 1972 design. Red chronograph accents and a sapphire caseback displaying the decorated movement complete a package that is unmistakably Offshore in character.

The Schumacher association elevates this reference well beyond a standard limited-edition marketing exercise. Audemars Piguet and Michael Schumacher maintained one of motorsport's most enduring watch partnerships, and the 26568IM — limited to 1,000 examples globally — was designed in direct collaboration with the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion. The titanium construction nods to F1's obsession with strength-to-weight ratio, and every detail of the watch reflects that engineering philosophy. Among collectors, it occupies a meaningful position: a genuine athlete collaboration with a credible technical rationale, rather than a name on a dial.

Willian's choice is notable precisely because it departs from the watches most commonly spotted on Premier League players. The Royal Oak Offshore 'Michael Schumacher' ref. 26568IM demands a collector's engagement — you need to know what it is to fully appreciate it. That context sits comfortably on a player who spent years at the highest level of European football and clearly brings similar attention to detail off the pitch.

At a UK list price of approximately £36,000, the 26568IM was never positioned as an entry-level Offshore. On the secondary market, the combination of the limited production run of 1,000 pieces and the Schumacher provenance sustains strong demand, with grey-market prices regularly outpacing retail — particularly as the Schumacher partnership becomes a closed chapter in AP's history.