Footballer Keita Baldé spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Keita Baldé, the Senegalese left winger who has represented clubs from Lazio to Inter Milan and now plies his trade at AS Monaco, was recently spotted wearing one of the more technically remarkable variants of Audemars Piguet's enduring flagship — the Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding in white gold, reference 15454BC.

First introduced in 2016 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak in its first ladies' sizing, the Frosted Gold collection was developed in partnership with Carolina Bucci, the Florence-based jeweler known for her revival of the ancient Florentine 'florentine finish' hammering technique. Craftspeople use a fine diamond-tipped tool to create thousands of tiny indentations across the case, lugs, and bracelet, scattering light in every direction and producing what AP aptly calls a 'diamond dust' shimmer. No two pieces are identical at the microscopic level. The Ref. 15454BC houses the in-house Calibre 5800, a self-winding movement with a 40-hour power reserve, beating at 28,800 vph. The 37mm case is crafted entirely in 18k white gold, and the characteristic Grande Tapisserie dial maintains Genta's original architectural language while the frosted bracelet adds a layer of decorative complexity rarely seen in sports watches.

From a collector's standpoint, the white gold Frosted Gold occupies a specific niche: it is neither a straightforward complications piece nor a purely jewellery watch. Its appeal to serious collectors lies in the craftsmanship story — the technique is genuinely artisanal and not replicable through industrial finishing. Production numbers remain limited, and the white gold reference is considerably scarcer than the yellow gold sibling that launched the line.

Baldé's choice is consistent with the aesthetic preferences of a younger generation of footballers who gravitate toward pieces with visual drama and material prestige rather than complications alone. The Royal Oak's status in football culture is well established, but the Frosted Gold variant signals a more considered, fashion-literate approach to the brand.

At retail, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold Ref. 15454BC carries a list price in the region of $49,500. On the secondary market, strong demand for white gold Royal Oak references and the relative scarcity of the frosted execution have kept prices firm, with grey market examples trading noticeably above retail.