Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Virgil van Dijk spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Virgil van Dijk, the Liverpool and Netherlands footballer, appeared at Centre Court during the 2026 Wimbledon Championships wearing an Audemars Piguet Bamboo—a reference that commanded immediate attention from the watch enthusiast community. While Royal Oak sightings populate the celebrity sphere regularly, the Bamboo remains a distinctly uncommon sight, lending an air of refined knowledge to the wearer's choice.

The Audemars Piguet Bamboo draws its DNA from the same integrated-bracelet philosophy as the Royal Oak but reinterprets it through an Art Nouveau sensibility. The case measures 35 mm in diameter and employs yellow gold as its primary material, a choice that warms the champagne dial and amplifies the watch's vintage elegance. The octagonal bezel, AP's signature geometric anchor, sits atop a sculpted, bamboo-stalk-inspired bracelet that flows with organic grace rather than the Royal Oak's crisp, modernist angles. Van Dijk's example features diamond hour markers set into the dial, a refinement that elevates the aesthetic and rarity. The movement inside is the Caliber 2121, a self-winding mechanism with a 42-hour power reserve, water-resistant to 20 meters—suitable for formal occasions but not diving.

The Audemars Piguet Bamboo has enjoyed episodic production runs since its introduction, with diamond-dial variants remaining significantly scarcer than standard dial versions. Collectors prize the Bamboo for its departure from Royal Oak orthodoxy; it occupies a unique position in AP's catalogue, neither as universally recognized nor as readily available. References with full diamond hour markers command premiums in the secondary market, as the dial work requires precision finishing and material cost.

Van Dijk's choice reflects a deeper watch sensibility than surface-level brand recognition. The Bamboo signals familiarity with AP's full catalogue depth and an appreciation for Art Deco and Art Nouveau design language. For a public figure at a major sporting event, wearing a Bamboo demonstrates restraint—no oversized sports chronograph, no diving watch theatre, just a 35 mm integrated-bracelet dress watch of uncommon provenance.

On the grey market, yellow gold Audemars Piguet Bamboo references with diamond dials typically command prices between $28,000 and $36,000 USD, well above the original retail of approximately $22,000. Availability remains sporadic; these pieces do not cycle frequently through auction or dealer inventory, and waitlists at authorised Audemars Piguet retailers are non-existent—production is controlled and unpredictable. Van Dijk's sighting underscores the Bamboo's enduring collector appeal and its role as a gateway into AP's deeper, more design-conscious offerings.