Royal Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Crown Prince of Ajman Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi was recently photographed wearing one of the most technically singular timepieces in modern watchmaking — the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher, reference 26221FT.OO.D002CA.01. The sighting, shared via his official Instagram account, places a watch valued at over £175,000 list price firmly in the spotlight.

The Royal Oak Concept Laptimer ref. 26221FT.OO.D002CA.01 was unveiled in 2015 as the fruit of a genuine collaboration between Audemars Piguet and seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher. The movement at its core, Calibre 2917, delivers a function Schumacher specifically requested: the ability to time individual laps independently of the main chronograph, without stopping the overall elapsed-time reading. AP engineers achieved this through a proprietary instantaneous reset mechanism — a column-wheel architecture that snaps the lap hand back to zero in under one millisecond, eliminating the creep associated with conventional rattrapante designs. The case is forged titanium, measuring 44mm, and the dial is a dark grey carbon fiber-patterned surface that frames the sapphire exhibition windows revealing the movement architecture beneath.

Production was capped at exactly 221 pieces, a deliberate reference to the original Royal Oak ref. 5402ST introduced by Gérald Genta in 1972 — a numerological touch that collectors recognized immediately. Each piece was individually numbered and supplied with personalized documentation, reinforcing its status as a purpose-built limited edition rather than a marketing exercise. The combination of a genuinely novel complication, an iconic sporting ambassador, and a meaningful production limit has cemented ref. 26221FT.OO.D002CA.01 as one of the most collectible Royal Oak Concept references ever issued.

Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, is one of the Gulf region's most visible royal watch collectors, regularly photographed with pieces from Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, and Audemars Piguet's most rarefied offerings. His choice of the Laptimer Schumacher is consistent with a collecting philosophy oriented toward mechanical complexity and limited availability rather than decorative excess.

On the secondary market, examples of the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Schumacher ref. 26221FT.OO.D002CA.01 trade well above the original UK list price of £175,000, with grey-market activity reflecting sustained demand from collectors who missed the initial allocation. With all 221 units long distributed through AP's network, supply is structurally fixed — a dynamic that continues to support strong resale performance.