Watch Paparazzi

Actor Nicolas Cage spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Nicolas Cage was recently photographed wearing his Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Reference 15202ST with characteristic nonchalance, stacking it against beaded bracelets on the same wrist. The image will simultaneously delight watch fans who appreciate his taste and unsettle those who know exactly what those beads could do to a brushed-and-polished AP case.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 15202ST occupies a specific and revered position in the Royal Oak lineage. It is the 'Jumbo' — the direct descendent of the original 5402ST released in 1972 and designed by Gerald Genta. At 39mm in stainless steel, with a case thickness of just 8.1mm, it wears like almost nothing on the wrist. Inside sits the Calibre 2121, a movement that traces its roots to the Jaeger-LeCoultre 920 and remains one of the thinnest automatic movements ever made at 3.05mm. The stepped blue dial with its 'Grande Tapisserie' guillochage and integrated bracelet are exactly as Genta drew them over five decades ago.

Among collectors, the 15202ST holds near-mythological status. Audemars Piguet discontinued it, eventually replacing the reference with the Ref. 16202ST — a subtle evolution that introduced an in-house movement but shifted proportions slightly. Whether the 16202 ultimately surpasses the 15202 in collector desirability remains an open question. Many purists argue the 15202 has irreplaceable historical integrity as the last true link to the original specification. Waiting lists for the 16202 at authorised dealers are measured in years, which tells its own story.

Cage's collecting instincts are well documented. He has owned dinosaur skulls, castles, and comic books, but his watch choices demonstrate a genuine eye for significant pieces rather than mere ostentation. The Royal Oak 15202ST is not a watch you stumble into — it is a deliberate acquisition, and wearing it with beaded bracelets suggests a man who owns it on his own terms.

On the secondary market, discontinued 15202ST references have climbed considerably above their already substantial retail price. Expect to pay a meaningful premium over list price for a clean example with box and papers today.