Footballer Eduardo Camavinga spotted wearing a Audemars Piguet

Eduardo Camavinga, the French midfielder for Real Madrid and the French national team, was photographed at the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26240CE in black ceramic. The sighting followed France's match against AEK FC, capturing the young footballer in understated luxury—a 41 mm black-ceramic sports chronograph paired with navy trousers and a cream wool henley.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26240CE debuted in 2022 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Gerald Genta's iconic integrated-bracelet design. This reference represents the brand's commitment to contemporary material science: the entire case, bracelet, bezel, and crown are rendered in black ceramic, a technically demanding medium that offers superior scratch resistance and thermal stability compared to steel. The Grande Tapisserie dial—Audemars Piguet's signature textured finish—appears in black with applied hour indices and chronograph registers in contrasting tones. The case measures 41 mm in diameter with a thickness of 12.4 mm, positioning it squarely within modern sports-watch proportions.

Internally, the ref. 26240CE houses the calibre 4401, an in-house self-winding chronograph movement developed collaboratively with Jaeger-LeCoultre. The movement features a vertical-clutch system and column-wheel mechanism, hallmarks of high-grade chronograph engineering. Notably, it incorporates flyback functionality, permitting instant restart of the chronograph without first stopping the running seconds hand—a feature once reserved for pilot's watches and racing chronographs. Water resistance stands at 100 metres, adequate for leisure diving and splash resistance.

The black-ceramic Royal Oak Chronograph occupies a rarefied position within Audemars Piguet's contemporary catalogue. While steel versions of the Royal Oak Chronograph remain comparatively accessible, the ceramic ref. 26240CE commands collector attention due to its restricted production run and material exclusivity. Ceramic does not command the secondary-market premiums of platinum or white gold; rather, it signals a deliberate aesthetic choice and underscores the brand's technical mastery in ceramic case finishing. Limited editions and specific ceramic colorways have historically achieved modest appreciation on the grey market.

Camavinga's choice reflects the modern athlete's preference for high-horological instruments that transcend sport. The black-ceramic Royal Oak Chronograph projects understated confidence—neither ostentatious nor anonymous—a sensibility increasingly adopted by professional footballers and emerging luxury consumers. The retail price for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26240CE.OO.1225CE.02 hovers around USD 75,000–80,000, with grey-market examples typically trading within 10–15 percent of retail depending on condition and provenance. Waitlists at authorized dealers remain substantial for this reference.