Footballer Ruud Gullit spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Photographed in 2018 alongside Italian coaching legend Carlo Ancelotti, Dutch football icon Ruud Gullit was seen on the wrist with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in stainless steel, reference 26170ST.OO.D012CR.01, fitted with its distinctive silver-toned dial. It is the kind of understated steel configuration that serious collectors reach for precisely because it lets the architecture speak without the distraction of precious metals.

The Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ref. 26170ST measures 42mm in stainless steel and sits on an integrated bracelet, faithfully continuing the design language Emmanuel Gueit developed from Gerald Genta's original 1993 'Bang' — a watch so oversized for its era it earned the nickname 'The Beast.' Beneath the signature tapisserie-patterned silver dial, AP installs the calibre 3126/3840, a self-winding integrated chronograph movement beating at 21,600 vph with a column-wheel mechanism and a 50-hour power reserve. The pushers, set into the octagonal bezel in true Offshore fashion, provide a satisfying mechanical resistance that distinguishes this from lesser sport chronographs. Water resistance is rated to 100 metres.

Among collectors, the steel silver-dial variant of the 26170ST occupies a pragmatic sweet spot in the Offshore lineup. It avoids the premiums commanded by limited editions and exotic materials while delivering the full horological proposition: an in-house column-wheel chronograph, an instantly recognisable case, and AP's rigorous finishing standard. Grey-market demand for clean examples has remained consistent, driven by buyers who want Offshore substance without the spectacle.

Gullit's affinity for quality watchmaking is consistent with the profile of a man who stood at the summit of world football. He claimed the Ballon d'Or in 1987, was named World Soccer Player of the Year in both 1987 and 1989, and captained the Netherlands to their European Championship title in 1988 — to date the country's only major international trophy. FIFA recognised him among its 125 greatest players ever in 2004. The choice of a steel Offshore rather than a gold or diamond-set variant reflects a collector's eye rather than a desire for ostentation.

At retail, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ref. 26170ST was listed at approximately $26,000, though authorised dealer allocation remains notoriously tight across the AP portfolio. On the secondary market, clean examples with box and papers have traded consistently above retail, reflecting the enduring demand that has defined the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph since Gerald Genta's blueprint first arrived in 1993.