Watch Paparazzi

Chef Alessandro Borghese spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Alessandro Borghese, one of Italy's most recognisable faces in food television, was recently spotted wearing a stainless steel Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph — specifically the reference 25860ST.OO.1110ST.01, a discontinued model that continues to attract serious collector attention well after its production run ended.

The Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 25860ST measures 39mm in stainless steel and features the iconic black grande tapisserie dial with contrasting subdials and AP's signature integrated bracelet. Beneath the sapphire crystal beats the calibre 2385, an automatic integrated column-wheel chronograph movement developed in collaboration with Jaeger-LeCoultre. At just 6.05mm thick, the 2385 remains one of the most elegant solutions to housing a chronograph in a slim case — a genuine feat of horological engineering that gave the Royal Oak Chronograph its distinctive, flat profile. Water resistance is rated to 50 metres.

The reference 25860ST occupies a meaningful chapter in the Royal Oak's history. Introduced as part of AP's efforts to expand the Royal Oak family beyond the core time-only ref. 15202 and 15300, it brought Gerald Genta's 1972 octagonal bezel design into chronograph territory without compromising the case proportions that made the original so compelling. The 39mm diameter, now considered modest by contemporary standards, actually reads very well on the wrist and is a key reason vintage and transitional-era Royal Oak Chronographs have found renewed appreciation among collectors who prefer restrained sizing.

Borghese is a known watch enthusiast, and his choice here is telling. The 25860ST is not an obvious flex — it requires some knowledge to appreciate. For followers of Italian culinary television, spotting a discontinued AP Royal Oak Chronograph on his wrist adds another layer to a persona already built around craft, precision, and considered taste.

On the secondary market, clean examples of the ref. 25860ST in stainless steel with box and papers command prices comfortably above the original €23,100 list price. Grey market values have climbed steadily as integrated-bracelet chronographs from AP's pre-modern era attract broader collector demand, making this a watch that has aged as well as a properly rested Barolo.