Footballer Bruno Fernandes spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Bruno Fernandes, the Portuguese midfielder who arrived at Manchester United with considerable fanfare, was recently photographed wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in stainless steel, reference 26331ST.OO.1220ST.01 — a watch that matches his on-pitch reputation for technical brilliance with an equally sophisticated mechanical statement.

The Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26331ST is built around the in-house calibre 2385, an integrated column-wheel flyback chronograph movement that represents decades of AP movement development. Beating at 21,600 vph with a 40-hour power reserve, the movement sits behind a distinctive Grande Tapisserie dial framed by the hallmark eight-bolt octagonal bezel Gerald Genta designed in 1972. The 41mm stainless steel case with integrated bracelet remains one of the most recognizable silhouettes in luxury watchmaking. Chronograph counters sit at 3 and 6 o'clock, with the date aperture at 3, maintaining the clean, architectural dial layout that defines the Royal Oak line.

From a collector's standpoint, the 26331ST occupies a sweet spot in the Royal Oak family. It delivers genuine flyback chronograph functionality — a complication that allows the chronograph to be reset and restarted in a single pusher action — in the sport-luxury package that made the original Royal Oak a cultural landmark. Steel Royal Oak Chronographs are notoriously difficult to obtain at retail, with authorized dealer waiting lists stretching years in most markets.

Fernandes has built a reputation as one of football's sharper dressers, and his choice of the Royal Oak Chronograph is consistent with the watch culture that permeates elite European football. The 26331ST sits confidently alongside the Pateks and Richard Milles that populate the wrists of his contemporaries, without shouting — a quality, much like Fernandes himself, that understated observers tend to respect most.

At UK list price of £26,200, the ref. 26331ST is already a significant investment. On the grey market, steel Royal Oak Chronographs consistently command premiums well above retail, reflecting persistent demand and constrained supply — a market dynamic that shows no sign of cooling.