Footballer Chris Smalling spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Chris Smalling, the England international and Manchester United defender known for his composed reading of the game, was photographed wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in 18-carat rose gold — reference 25940OK — a watch that carries considerably more horological weight than its bold exterior might initially suggest.

The 25940OK is built around a 44mm 18-carat pink gold case paired with a matching rose gold bracelet, giving the watch a monochromatic warmth that distinguishes it from the more commonly spotted steel or two-tone Offshore variants. Powering it is the AP calibre 3126/3840, an integrated automatic chronograph movement with a column wheel mechanism, 50 hours of power reserve, and a 21,600 vph frequency. The dial typically presents in a rich brown or slate tone with contrasting subdials, reinforcing the cohesive rose gold aesthetic across case, bracelet, and colour palette.

The Royal Oak Offshore lineage traces back to 1993 and Gerald Genta's original Royal Oak DNA, amplified by Emmanuel Gueit into something deliberately oversized and confrontational for its era. The 25940OK represents a mature, precious-metal chapter of that story — less about provocation, more about wearing serious money with architectural intention. Among collectors, rose gold Offshore references command respect precisely because they are expensive enough to be unambiguous yet restrained enough not to shout.

Smalling has long been associated with premium watch choices, and the 25940OK fits the profile of a footballer who approaches acquisitions with some deliberation. At a UK RRP of approximately £25,000, this is not an impulse purchase — it is a considered entry into AP's precious metal tier, where waitlists and allocations apply with the same force as they do for far more headline-grabbing references.

On the secondary market, rose gold Royal Oak Offshore chronographs in this reference family have held value reliably, with clean examples in full set frequently trading at or above retail depending on condition and provenance. For collectors tracking celebrity-owned timepieces, Smalling's 25940OK is a quietly significant sighting — understated by Offshore standards, but anything but ordinary.