Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Kevin Prince Boateng spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

When Kevin Prince Boateng sat down at the Camp Nou for his FC Barcelona presentation press conference, the cameras naturally gravitated toward the club crest on his chest. Sharp-eyed watch spotters, however, locked on to his left wrist — where an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked Selfwinding 39mm in 18K rose gold was catching the press room lights with unmistakable authority.

The watch in question is reference 15407OR.OO.1220OR.01, a 39mm case crafted entirely in 18-karat rose gold — case, bezel, bracelet and crown. The defining feature is the slate grey anthracite openworked dial, which eliminates the traditional dial plate almost entirely, exposing the calibre 3132 automatic movement beneath. That movement delivers approximately 60 hours of power reserve and beats at 21,600 vph. Applied rose gold hour-markers and the iconic Royal Oak hands — both coated in Super-LumiNova — provide legibility across the mechanical landscape below. The signature eight-hexagonal-screw bezel and integrated bracelet, hallmarks of Gérald Genta's 1972 original design, remain intact and as architecturally pure as ever.

From a collector's perspective, the Royal Oak Openworked occupies a compelling niche. It demands the same premium as a solid-dial Royal Oak while delivering a level of movement finishing — beveled bridges, circular-grained plates, blued screws — that rivals far more expensive complications. In rose gold, the warm metal tones play beautifully against the dark, industrial skeleton movement, creating a chromatic tension that the steel version simply cannot replicate. Collectors regard this reference as an underappreciated technical achievement within the Royal Oak family.

Boateng has long been one of football's most confident watch wearers, with a personal collection spanning multiple high-complication pieces. Choosing an openworked Royal Oak for a globally televised press conference speaks to a collector sensibility rather than mere status signaling — this is a watch for someone who understands what they are wearing.

At an official retail price of $72,000, the 15407OR sits firmly in AP's upper-mid tier. On the secondary market, rose gold Royal Oak variants have held value exceptionally well through recent market corrections, with grey-market prices tracking close to or above retail. This reference remains a sound acquisition by any measure.