Footballer Mesut Özil spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Mesut Özil was recently photographed wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diamond Set in 18k white gold, reference 26067BC — one of the most extravagant configurations in the entire Offshore catalogue. At a retail price of around $90,000, this is not a watch that makes quiet statements.

The Royal Oak Offshore was introduced in 1993, designed by Emmanuel Gueit as a deliberate amplification of Gerald Genta's original 1972 Royal Oak. Where the classic Royal Oak measured a restrained 39mm, the Offshore arrived at 42mm — larger, thicker, more assertive. The Ref. 26067BC takes that ethos further still. The 42mm case is hewn from 18k white gold, the octagonal bezel is fully set with brilliant-cut diamonds, and the tapisserie dial continues the gem-setting across its surface. Powering the watch is the Calibre 3126/3840, an automatic movement with a 50-hour power reserve, offering both date and chronograph functions — technical substance beneath the diamonds.

From a collector's standpoint, diamond-set Offshore references occupy an interesting niche. They are not the references that dominate auction headlines — those tend to be the stainless steel chronographs or limited-edition collaborations — but they represent Audemars Piguet's craft at its most labour-intensive. The gem-setting on a 26067BC requires hundreds of individual stones to be matched for colour and cut and hand-set by specialist artisans in Le Brassus. That process justifies the price premium over a standard metal-bracelet Offshore in a way that pure brand positioning alone cannot.

Özil is a credible watch enthusiast. Throughout his career at Real Madrid and Arsenal he was consistently photographed with significant timepieces, and the Royal Oak Offshore has appeared on his wrist on multiple occasions. The 26067BC, however, is a step up in both commitment and expenditure — a watch that signals he is buying for personal taste rather than simply brand recognition.

On the secondary market, white gold diamond Offshore references tend to trade at or slightly below retail, reflecting stronger collector demand for sportier steel variants. The 26067BC nonetheless holds its value with reasonable stability, supported by the enduring prestige of the Royal Oak Offshore name and the intrinsic value of its gold and diamond content.