Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Hasan Salihamidžić spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Hasan Salihamidžić, Bayern Munich's Sporting Director at the time, was photographed at a closed training match wearing what closer inspection confirms to be the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Jumbo' Extra-Thin in 18kt white gold with a salmon dial — reference 15202BC. The setting may have been a football pitch, but the watch on his wrist belongs firmly in a different league.

The 15202BC is the direct spiritual and mechanical descendant of the very first Royal Oak, the reference 5402 Gerald Genta designed in 1972. Measuring 39mm and just 8.1mm in height, it houses the Calibre 2121 — a movement developed jointly with Jaeger-LeCoultre (as the 920) that oscillates at 19,800 vph and offers a 40-hour power reserve. At 3.05mm thick, the 2121 remains one of the thinnest automatic movements ever produced. The integration of case and bracelet, the eight-sided bezel with its visible hex screws, and the Grande Tapisserie dial pattern are all preserved with near-religious fidelity to the original.

The salmon dial configuration in white gold is among the most sought-after executions of the 'Jumbo.' Production is capped at approximately 75 pieces per year across all dial variants, making individual references extraordinarily difficult to source through authorised dealers. Waiting lists at authorised dealers are largely theoretical — allocation is the operative word. Collectors regard the 15202 series as the purest expression of the Royal Oak concept, free from the size inflation and complication stacking that characterises much of the modern Royal Oak family.

Salihamidžić, known among watch enthusiasts as 'Brazzo,' has demonstrated consistent taste for high-horology pieces throughout his public appearances. Choosing the 15202BC for a low-key sporting event rather than a gala or media appearance suggests genuine affinity rather than performative collecting — a distinction serious watch people notice.

The UK list price sits at £54,000, translating to approximately $68,000 USD at standard retail. On the secondary market, white gold 'Jumbo' references — particularly those with salmon dials — regularly command significant premiums above retail, with grey-market transactions frequently reported in the $90,000–$110,000 range depending on provenance and condition.