Entrepreneur GMK spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

GMK, the entrepreneur known in collector circles as 'The Aberrant,' has been spotted wearing one of the most consequential Audemars Piguet references of the past decade: the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 50th Anniversary in 18k pink gold, reference 26240OR.OO.1320OR.04. The sighting is a reminder that at the very top of the collecting pyramid, the conversation moves well beyond standard sports watches into pieces that represent genuine horological milestones.

The 26240OR sits at the center of Audemars Piguet's 50th anniversary Royal Oak collection, which debuted in 2022. At 41mm in 18k pink gold, the case follows the revised Royal Oak design language introduced with the generation — slightly slimmer lugs, a more fluid integration between the case middle and the octagonal bezel, and pushers relocated toward the 4 and 8 o'clock positions for a cleaner side profile. The dial is finished in khaki green Grande Tapisserie, a contemporary twist on the original 1972 chequerboard texture that plays differently under light depending on the gold case's warm reflection. The chronograph subdials sit at 3 and 9 o'clock, with a date aperture at 6.

Mechanically, the 26240OR represents a true turning point. Audemars Piguet retired the venerable calibre 2385 — itself a derivative of the Nouvelle Lemania base used since the 1990s — and replaced it with the manufacture calibre 4401. Developed entirely in-house, the 4401 features a column wheel, vertical clutch, and flyback function, oscillating at 4Hz with a 70-hour power reserve. It is thinner and more architecturally coherent with the modern Royal Oak case, and collectors widely regard it as the movement AP should have built decades earlier.

GMK has established a reputation as one of the most serious watch collectors operating publicly today. His acquisitions consistently skew toward low-production, high-complication references in precious metal, and the 26240OR fits that profile precisely. AP produced this specific dial and case combination in very limited numbers, making secondary market access genuinely difficult regardless of budget.

On the grey market, the reference 26240OR.OO.1320OR.04 trades well above six figures, with documented sales and asking prices in the $550,000 range and beyond. Official retail was never publicly confirmed for this configuration, reflecting the allocation-only nature of AP's rarest anniversary references. For collectors tracking GMK's wrist, this sighting reinforces what the market already knows: this is not a watch you simply buy.