Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Ronaldinho spotted wearing Audemars Piguet

Carnival crowds, a Mocidade Independente sash, and one of the rarest Royal Oak Offshores in existence — only Ronaldinho could assemble that combination. The Brazilian icon was spotted at Rio de Janeiro's Sambódromo wearing what is arguably the most opulent configuration of Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph: a white gold case smothered in brilliant-cut diamonds, shortly before his detention in Asunción in March 2020 on charges related to fraudulent passports.

The reference in question is almost certainly the 26067BC.ZZ.D002CR.01 — the white gold, full-pave Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph. The 42 mm case is hewn from 18-carat white gold and then hand-set by AP's in-house gem-setters with 341 brilliant-cut diamonds across the case, integrated lugs, octagonal bezel, and folding clasp buckle. A further 104 diamonds cover the dial itself, leaving only the applied sub-register rings and applied hour indices to interrupt the glittering surface. The watch rides on a hand-stitched black alligator strap, providing a deliberate tonal contrast that allows the stones to breathe visually.

Powering this jewellery-grade instrument is Calibre 2226/2840 — AP's proven column-wheel integrated self-winding chronograph movement, offering a 40-hour power reserve, 21,600 vph beat rate, and 59 jewels. The movement architecture traces its lineage to the Lémania 2310 but has been heavily reworked and finished to manufacture standards. Functions include a flyback-style chronograph (hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o'clock), and a date window at 3 o'clock behind a blue-tinted sapphire cyclops.

From a collector standpoint, fully-set Offshore references occupy a particular niche: they are bought less for technical appreciation and more as statements of extreme affluence. Production volumes are limited, secondary market liquidity is consequently thin, and pricing is volatile. The piece nonetheless carries genuine horological substance beneath the stones — the same movement and case architecture as the sport-spec Offshore references beloved by watch enthusiasts.

At a retail price of $118,000, this is not a watch purchased casually. On the grey market, pristine examples with box and papers have been observed trading between $95,000 and $130,000 depending on condition and provenance. Ronaldinho's sighting — set against the bittersweet backdrop of his final public appearance before imprisonment — gives this already extraordinary reference an additional layer of cultural footnote that collectors and journalists alike will not forget.