Actor Patrick Ball spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Patrick Ball, known for his role as Dr. Langdon in the Emmy-winning series *The Pitt*, attended the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards in a black velvet blazer paired with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ref. 26674ST.OO.1320ST.01. The stainless steel sports watch, visible on his wrist throughout the evening, represents one of contemporary watchmaking's most complex mechanical achievements and underscores Ball's refined taste in haute horlogerie.

The ref. 26674ST.OO.1320ST.01 is powered by Audemars Piguet's calibre 7138, a redesigned perpetual calendar movement that builds on the technical foundation of the RD2 and RD4 calibres. The 7138 operates via a 39.5mm stainless steel octagonal case with integrated tapisserie-patterned dial in two-tone blue—a dial finish exclusive to Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak line. The movement eliminates the traditional recessed correctors on the case band; instead, all calendrical functions—including month, leap-year cycle, day, date, and moonphase—are adjustable through different crown positions. Water resistance reaches 20 metres, sufficient for occasional splash resistance but not intended for aquatic use.

What distinguishes the calibre 7138 among perpetual calendar movements is its uni-directional crown-adjustment system. Previous perpetual calendar watches required either separate pusher buttons or back-case access to set complications; the 7138 allows collectors to advance or reverse each calendar function independently by turning the crown in different directions and at specific positions. This engineering refinement has earned collector enthusiasm, particularly for the tactile and audible feedback—the mechanism's distinctive clicking—when adjusting the moonphase display.

Ball's choice of the stainless steel Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar reflects a broader trend among entertainment industry figures toward sport watches at formal events. The ref. 26674ST.OO.1320ST.01 debuted in 2021 and has maintained strong demand among collectors despite an official retail price of approximately $110,000 USD. Its pairing with Emmy Awards formal wear demonstrates that perpetual calendars have transcended their jewellery-house reputation to become contemporary icons of understated technical prowess.

On the grey market, examples of the ref. 26674ST.OO.1320ST.01 typically command $120,000–$135,000 USD, reflecting sustained collector appetite. Audemars Piguet maintains significant waitlists for all Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar references, making authorized retail purchase substantially difficult for new clients. Ball's timepiece, worn publicly at one of television's most prestigious ceremonies, exemplifies why this reference has become a bellwether for modern perpetual calendar design.