Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur GMK spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

The sighting took place in Monaco, where GMK — known in collector circles for an unapologetic approach to both automobiles and haute horlogerie — was photographed next to what appears to be a heavily modified Audi RS6 or RS Q8, dressed in matte black. On his wrist sat the unmistakable silhouette of an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, the white ceramic edition standing out with characteristic restraint against his all-black outfit.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Reference 26574CB.OO.1220CB.01 houses the Calibre 5134, an ultra-thin self-winding perpetual calendar movement measuring just 4.31mm in height. The 41mm case is crafted from white ceramic — a material Audemars Piguet began integrating into the Royal Oak family to offer an alternative to traditional metals that is both scratch-resistant and strikingly pale. The blue-black tapisserie dial carries subdials for day, date, month, moon phase, and leap year indicator, laid out with the architectural discipline that defines Gerald Genta's original 1972 design language.

From a collector standpoint, the ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar occupies rarefied territory. White ceramic in this scale — with its screw-set bezel faithfully reproduced — is notoriously difficult to produce and finish to AP's standards. The result is a piece that sits well above stainless steel perpetual calendar variants in terms of exclusivity, technical ambition, and raw desirability. It is the kind of watch that rewards close inspection, with finishing that alternates between brushed and polished surfaces even on a non-metallic substrate.

GMK has established a visible presence in the Monaco-adjacent ultra-high-net-worth collector scene, with documented acquisitions spanning independent watchmakers and major maisons alike. The choice of this specific reference — over, say, a simpler Royal Oak Chronograph or even an offshore — signals a preference for mechanical depth over visual impact alone.

At an official retail price in the $400,000 USD range, the white ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar is not a piece that sees significant grey market inflation — its price point already filters demand substantially. Secondary market transactions when they do occur tend to track closely to retail, occasionally exceeding it for sealed examples with full set documentation. For a piece this technically accomplished and this scarce in circulation, that stability is itself a mark of collector credibility.