Basketball player Anthony Davis spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Anthony Davis was spotted on the court during a Los Angeles Lakers game wearing one of Audemars Piguet's most architecturally ambitious pieces: the Royal Oak Offshore 25th Anniversary Tourbillon Chronograph in 18k rose gold, reference 26421OR. Far from a casual flex, this is a watch that demands attention from anyone who understands what AP was attempting with the Offshore's milestone release.

Introduced in 2018 to celebrate 25 years of the Royal Oak Offshore — itself launched in 1993 as a larger, sportier descendant of Gérald Genta's original Royal Oak — the 26421OR represented a genuine departure from established design language. Most strikingly, AP abandoned the Offshore's signature octagonal bezel for the first time, replacing it with a cut-out case architecture where the sapphire crystal sits flush within the opening and the traditional screws are repositioned beneath the crystal plane and at the caseback. The result is cleaner, more sculptural, and architecturally closer to fine watchmaking than sport-watch convention.

The dial construction is equally considered. Sandblasted titanium bridges are skeletonized to reveal the calibre 2936 movement beneath, with satin-brushed chamfered edges providing contrast and depth. The movement itself is no afterthought: a manual-winding calibre incorporating a flying tourbillon at 6 o'clock and a column-wheel-controlled chronograph, with a 65-hour power reserve. The 18k rose gold 45mm case is paired with a brown ceramic crown and pushers, and the integrated rubber strap echoes the Offshore's athletic origins.

For collectors, the 26421OR occupies a specific and respected position. It was produced as a numbered limited edition — scarcity is genuine rather than manufactured — and the combination of a complication hierarchy (tourbillon plus chronograph), a radical design pivot, and a significant anniversary milestone makes it resistant to the kind of market indifference that affects more conventional references. AP's decision to redesign the case architecture specifically for this piece, rather than retooling an existing shell, signals institutional commitment to the anniversary rather than a cosmetic exercise.

Davis, known for collecting across multiple luxury categories, surfaces regularly with serious references on his wrist. The 26421OR in rose gold retails at the upper tier of AP's Offshore range, and grey-market values have held firm given the edition's limited availability and the sustained global demand for AP's tourbillon complications.