Rapper Stormzy spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Stormzy has never been shy about serious horology, and his latest sighting confirms a taste that goes well beyond celebrity watch collecting — the British rapper was recently photographed wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar All Black Ceramic Openworked, reference 26585CE, one of the most technically and aesthetically demanding watches in the entire Royal Oak catalogue.

The 26585CE is built around AP's calibre 26586, a self-winding openworked movement measuring 4.31mm thick and beating at 21,600 vph. The perpetual calendar mechanism accounts for the varying lengths of calendar months automatically, requiring manual correction only at the turn of a century year that is not a leap year — an event practically irrelevant in a human lifetime. The case is constructed from black ceramic, a material that demands exceptional tooling precision and offers outstanding scratch resistance and a depth of colour no PVD coating can replicate. The octagonal bezel, integrated bracelet, and the movement architecture itself are all executed in the same uninterrupted black, producing an effect that is simultaneously understated and visually arresting.

Among collectors, the all-ceramic openworked perpetual calendar occupies a specific position: it is regarded as a summit complication within the Royal Oak family, combining Gerald Genta's iconic 1972 case architecture with one of the most demanding calendar mechanisms in Swiss watchmaking. Production numbers are tightly controlled, and the piece rarely appears on secondary market platforms — when it does, it commands an extraordinary premium that few other contemporary references can match.

Stormzy's affinity for high-complication watches is well documented. The south London artist has previously been seen with significant AP and Patek Philippe references, and the 26585CE sits naturally within a collection that prioritises substance over surface-level status dressing. It is a watch that rewards scrutiny.

At list, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar All Black Ceramic Openworked 26585CE carries a retail price of approximately $115,800. On the grey market, demand has driven valuations to an estimated $680,000 — a premium of roughly 487 percent over retail — placing it firmly in the category of financial asset as much as timepiece.