Watch Paparazzi

Musician Mark Ronson spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Mark Ronson, the Grammy-winning British-American producer behind records for Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, and Lady Gaga, was recently spotted wearing a vintage Audemars Piguet Royal Oak reference 14790BA in 18k yellow gold — a piece that rewards closer inspection far more than a casual glance might suggest.

The Royal Oak ref. 14790 emerged as Audemars Piguet systematically refined Gerald Genta's original 1972 blueprint across successive generations. Where the foundational ref. 5402 established the octagonal bezel, integrated bracelet, and 'tapisserie' dial language, the 14790 represented a considered evolution: a 36mm case diameter that made the watch more versatile for a broader range of wrists, paired with the in-house Calibre 2225 — a 36-jewel automatic movement with a 40-hour power reserve. The BA suffix confirms the 18k yellow gold construction, lending the watch a warmth that stainless steel references simply cannot replicate.

Among collectors, the 14790BA occupies a nuanced position. It lacks the raw scarcity of the earliest 'Jumbo' Royal Oaks, yet its yellow gold execution and mid-generation status make it increasingly attractive to those who find the contemporary Royal Oak oversized and overexposed. Dial variants — including salmon, black, and the classic petite tapisserie — each carry their own premium, and overall condition of the integrated bracelet remains critical to valuation. Original service papers elevate desirability considerably.

Ronson's affinity for considered vintage gold watches is well established. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 14790BA fits his aesthetic precisely: it reads as understated to the untrained eye while signalling serious horological literacy to anyone who knows what they're looking at. For a musician whose production work is similarly layered — accessible on the surface, technically meticulous underneath — the choice feels entirely coherent.

On the secondary market, yellow gold Royal Oak references from this era have appreciated steadily as collector sentiment shifts toward pre-'grande complication' AP pieces. The 14790BA in yellow gold currently trades in a range reflecting both metal value and growing vintage Royal Oak demand, sitting well above its original retail positioning and showing no signs of softening.