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Basketball player Kevin Durant spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Kevin Durant, the Brooklyn Nets forward who operates his off-court life under the Instagram handle @easymoneysniper, has been spotted wearing one of Audemars Piguet's most technically ambitious Royal Oak references — the Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 26730OR. In rose gold with a smoked blue dial, this is not a watch you wear casually; it is a deliberate declaration of taste and purchasing power in equal measure.

The Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon reference 26730OR houses Calibre 2950, an in-house automatic movement featuring a flying tourbillon — meaning the regulating organ operates without an upper bridge, creating an unobstructed view of the rotating cage from the dial side. The tourbillon sits at 6 o'clock, positioned symmetrically within the signature AP tapisserie dial executed here in a deep smoked blue that shifts tone under different light conditions. The 41mm case and integrated bracelet are crafted entirely in 18-karat rose gold, as are the applied hour markers and hands, all carrying luminescent coating for low-light legibility. Power reserve stands at 65 hours.

The flying tourbillon is a complication that demands exceptional hand-finishing and micromechanical precision. Unlike a standard tourbillon, the flying variant eliminates the upper jewel bearing, requiring tighter tolerances throughout the cage assembly. AP has been producing tourbillon variants of the Royal Oak since the 1990s, but the 26730OR represents the contemporary pinnacle of that tradition — sporty architecture meeting grand complication execution in a single reference.

Durant is no stranger to fine horology. The two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP has built a public profile as a collector with range, appearing at events and on social media with pieces spanning sports watches to high complications. Choosing the 26730OR signals a collector who has moved well beyond entry-level luxury into territory where complications and precious metal references become the primary language.

At an official retail price of $192,000 USD, the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 26730OR sits in rarefied air. On the secondary market, rose gold Royal Oak complications consistently hold value and often trade at premiums above retail given AP's controlled production volumes. For collectors tracking this reference, Durant's visibility wearing it publicly only reinforces its desirability.