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Tennis player Serena Williams spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Serena Williams was recently photographed wearing the Audemars Piguet Millenary Hand-Wound in rose gold, reference 77247OR.ZZ.A812CR.01 — a ladies' complication that occupies a genuinely unusual corner of the Le Brassus catalogue, sitting between fine jewellery and serious watchmaking.

The Millenary line dates to 1995, when Audemars Piguet introduced an oval case as a deliberate counterpoint to the Royal Oak's octagonal dominance. The 77247OR measures 39.5 mm × 35 mm in 18-carat rose gold with a diamond-set bezel, and it is powered by the in-house calibre 5201 — a manually wound movement that beats at 21,600 vph and delivers a 65-hour power reserve. The movement's most distinctive feature is its skeletonised, off-centre architecture: the mainspring barrel, gear train, and balance wheel are arranged so the escapement sits visibly at 6 o'clock, leaving the upper dial free for a subdial that reads hours and minutes slightly off-axis. It is one of the more intellectually honest ways to present a complication on a dressed-down wrist.

For collectors, the Millenary Hand-Wound occupies a niche that the market has historically undervalued relative to the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore. That makes references like the 77247OR interesting propositions: genuine in-house hand-wound movements, precious metal cases, and diamond settings at price points well below comparable complications from Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin. The cream dial and rose gold palette of this particular reference give it a warmth that the stainless steel variants cannot replicate.

Serena Williams needs little introduction as a watch enthusiast. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has been spotted across the spectrum from Audemars Piguet to Richard Mille, and her choices tend to reflect personal taste rather than brand obligation — she has worn AP pieces long before any formal ambassadorial arrangement. The Millenary suits her off-court aesthetic: architectural, feminine without being decorative, and technically grounded.

At UK RRP of approximately £18,500 — translating to roughly $23,000 USD at current rates — the 77247OR sits at an accessible entry point for an 18-carat rose gold, diamond-set, in-house hand-wound complication. Grey market supply is limited, and pre-owned examples have held value steadily, typically trading within ten percent of retail.