Tennis players have long been ambassadors for luxury watch brands, sporting the world’s most coveted timepieces on and off the court. Serena Williams‘ Royal Oak Black Panther Flying Tourbillon, a collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Marvel launched in 2021, remains the most expensive watch in the WTA world.
View this post on Instagram
The 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams began her partnership with Audemars Piguet in 2014. The American’s impressive collection includes some of the most expensive watches, with the standout being her 42mm Royal Oak Black Panther Flying Tourbillon, created in a limited-edition of 250 pieces. The unique model boasts a sandblasted titanium case and a black ceramic bezel. The inner bezel in purple mimics the color of vibranium – a fictional purple metal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics – straddling a pulsating tourbillon.
The most remarkable feature is the 3D depiction of the superhero Black Panther, comprised of white gold. Laser technology was used to carve out the texture of the suit, while the intricate details of the hero’s hands, claws, muscles, and facial features were sculpted by hand, adding to the watch’s exquisite design.
The Royal Oak Black Panther Flying Tourbillon is adorned with a purple rubber strap and features a titanium AP folding clasp. Additionally, the watch comes with an extra black rubber strap, providing the wearer with the option to switch up the look of the timepiece.
The Royal Oak Black Panther Flying Tourbillon had a retail price of $176,000. However, Christie’s auction house has estimated its current worth to be up to $650,000. In 2021, a unique version of this watch was created with an 18k white gold case and bezel to raise funds for charity, and it sold for an impressive $5.2 million, making it the priciest Audemars Piguet model ever sold. (source: South China Morning Post)
