Watch Paparazzi

Singer Usher spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Usher, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, was recently spotted on the wrist-watch radar wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak reference 26068BC — a white gold, diamond-bezel variant finished with a crocodile leather strap. It is a configuration that sits at the quieter, more refined end of the AP Royal Oak spectrum, trading the model's trademark integrated bracelet for something that reads closer to a grand complication dress watch than the sport icon it technically remains.

The Royal Oak 26068BC is built around a 41mm case in 18k white gold, paired with a matching white gold octagonal bezel set with 40 brilliant-cut diamonds. The dial — typically in a Grande Tapisserie pattern — is framed by lugs and case flanks that retain the bevelled, hand-finished architecture Genta originally sketched on a napkin for AP in 1971. Power comes from the manufacture Calibre 3120, a 281-component automatic movement beating at 21,600 vph with a 60-hour power reserve and a solid track record for reliability. The crocodile strap swap softens the watch's sporting DNA, making it viable across formal contexts where the integrated bracelet version might feel out of place.

For collectors, the 26068BC occupies a niche position. The steel Royal Oak commands headlines and grey-market premiums, but the white gold diamond-bezel references appeal to a buyer less interested in waitlists and more focused on craftsmanship and discretion. These pieces move more quietly through the secondary market, yet hold value well given their precious metal content and the enduring strength of the Royal Oak name.

Usher has a well-documented affinity for high-horology and luxury goods, and the 26068BC fits his aesthetic — polished, purposeful, and aware of its own status without requiring explanation. For an artist whose commercial and critical profile spans three decades, wearing a Royal Oak in this configuration rather than, say, a diamond-paved hip-hop staple signals a maturing, considered taste in watches.

At a UK retail price of approximately £55,000 — translating to roughly $68,000 USD at current exchange — the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 26068BC is priced firmly within AP's non-complications precious metal tier. Grey-market availability is limited but not scarce, with examples typically trading near or slightly above retail given white gold spot prices and residual Royal Oak brand heat.