Footballer Lionel Messi spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Lionel Messi's fifth Ballon d'Or win in 2015 was a landmark moment in football history, and on his wrist sat an equally singular object: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Leo Messi', reference 26325OL.OO.D005CR.01. The sighting placed one of watchmaking's most exclusive athlete tributes squarely in the public eye at its most culturally resonant moment.

The Royal Oak ref. 26325OL is built around AP's calibre 3120, an in-house automatic movement offering 60 hours of power reserve, beating at 21,600 vph with a 40-jewel construction. The case measures 41mm in 18k pink gold — AP's warm 'Oro Rosa' alloy — and features the Royal Oak's signature octagonal bezel secured by eight hexagonal screws, a design language conceived by Gérald Genta in 1972 that remains one of the most recognizable silhouettes in luxury watchmaking. The dial carries a rich fumé treatment with subtle personalized engravings referencing Messi directly, while the brown crocodile strap with pink gold AP folding clasp rounds out the reference designation D005CR.

From a collector's standpoint, athlete-specific Royal Oaks occupy a peculiar and coveted niche. Unlike broad limited editions sold through retail networks, pieces such as the 26325OL exist in genuinely tiny quantities — some reports suggest fewer than a handful were produced — making them effectively uncirculated on the open market. The Royal Oak lineage itself needs no introduction to serious collectors; the ref. 15400 and subsequent 15500 anchor the line commercially, but bespoke commissions in pink gold represent its most rarefied expression.

Messi's relationship with Audemars Piguet has been longstanding and well-documented. As a brand ambassador, he has appeared in multiple AP campaigns, but the 26325OL stands apart as something personal rather than promotional — a watch made for him rather than around him. Wearing it publicly at the peak of his athletic career gave it a provenance that no marketing budget could manufacture.

Retail pricing for the 26325OL was listed at approximately £35,000 in the UK market at time of release, translating to roughly $53,000 USD at prevailing rates. Given its near-mythical scarcity and the continued global elevation of Messi's legacy, any grey-market appearance of this reference would command a substantial premium over original retail — though in practice, examples almost never surface publicly.