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Footballer David Cotterill spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Wales' Euro 2016 campaign ended in a 2-0 defeat to Portugal, but David Cotterill made sure he left the tournament in style. The Birmingham City winger was spotted on the wrist with one of Audemars Piguet's most technically ambitious Offshore configurations — the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in rose gold and ceramic, Reference 26401RO.OO.A002CA.01.

The 26401RO is among the most specification-rich variants in the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph family. Its 44mm case is constructed from 18k pink gold, while the bezel deploys black ceramic — a pairing that demands precision engineering, as ceramic and precious metal expand at different rates and require careful tolerancing to bond reliably. The integrated rubber strap with a pink gold deployant clasp reinforces the sports-luxury brief. Inside sits Calibre 3126/3840, a column-wheel automatic chronograph movement with a 21,600 vph beat rate, 40-hour power reserve in base form extended to approximately 50 hours in this configuration, and a construction that merges AP's 3120 base with the 2385 chronograph module.

The Royal Oak Offshore was originally designed by Emmanuel Gueit and launched in 1993 as a deliberately more aggressive, oversized riff on Gerald Genta's 1972 Royal Oak. Where the original measured 39mm, the Offshore arrived at 42mm and has since expanded further. The 26401RO sits in the third generation of Offshore design, retaining the signature octagonal bezel and "Tapisserie" dial while scaling up the sports credentials with its ceramic-and-gold material story.

Among collectors, rose gold Offshore references carry a particular cachet — they occupy a middle ground between the approachable steel Offshore and the full precious-metal grand complication pieces, attracting buyers who want legible wrist presence alongside genuine horological substance. The ref. 26401RO has maintained steady demand on the secondary market, benefiting from AP's deliberate production restraint across the entire Royal Oak family.

Cotterill's choice reflects a spending pattern common among Premier Championship and international footballers of that era — the Offshore's assertive 44mm proportions translate naturally to the athletic wrist, and the rose gold ceramic combination signals expenditure without the anonymity of steel. At UK list price around £30,000 at time of sighting, and trading above retail on the grey market, it is a considered acquisition rather than an impulse buy.