Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Karim Benzema spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Karim Benzema chose the Santiago Bernabéu stage — presenting his 2022 Ballon d'Or, the pinnacle individual honour in world football — to surface one of the most spectacular wrist pieces in contemporary horology: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton ref. 15412BC in frosted 18K white gold, its bezel set with 32 rainbow baguette-cut multicoloured gemstones arranged in a full chromatic sequence around the octagonal case.

The Royal Oak ref. 15412BC is built around Calibre 2965, a manually wound skeletonized movement visible through both the dial side and the sapphire case back. The movement retains the Royal Oak's signature integrated architecture while its bridges and main plate are opened, bevelled, and hand-decorated to Geneva-finishing standards — a process that multiplies production time significantly. The 41mm white gold case carries Audemars Piguet's frosted finish, a technique borrowed from fine jewellery: the surface is struck with a diamond-tipped tool thousands of times to create a micro-hammered texture that scatters light in every direction. The combination of that matte sparkle against the hard, polished baguette stones is a deliberate visual tension that defines the piece.

For collectors, the 15412BC occupies a rare intersection of haute horlogerie and high jewellery. The rainbow baguette configuration — stones graduating through the spectrum rather than matching — demands exceptional gem-sourcing discipline, as each stone must be individually matched for cut, colour saturation, and dimension before setting. Factory gem-set Royal Oaks already command significant premiums on the secondary market; the skeleton dial and frosted case elevate the ref. 15412BC into genuinely rarefied territory.

Benzema's relationship with exceptional watchmaking is well documented. The Real Madrid striker has consistently demonstrated a preference for technically complex, high-jewellery AP pieces rather than purely sporty references, reflecting both his status and his aesthetic sensibility. Wearing this particular watch at his Ballon d'Or presentation — a night that cemented his legacy as one of the greatest footballers of his generation — was a considered choice.

At official retail the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton ref. 15412BC listed at approximately $130,000. The grey market tells a markedly different story: current secondary valuations sit around $710,000, reflecting the near-impossibility of sourcing this reference through authorised channels and the sustained global demand for rainbow-set Royal Oaks among both watch collectors and luxury asset investors.