Luka Dončić Starts His Lakers Career With a Bananas Royal Oak
WatchesHe’s ready for showtime.By Oren HartovFebruary 4, 2025Photographs: Getty Images, Audemars Piguet; Collage: Gabe ConteSave this storySaveSave this storySaveOver the weekend, the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers completed the most shocking trade in NBA history. The swap saw the Lakers land yet another generational hooper in the 25-year-old Dončić. Dončić came to the press conference dressed on his best behavior with a grey sweater and white button-up, but there was a small nod to his new team’s gold-and-purple. On Dončić’s wrist was a yellow-gold version of Audemars Piguet’s iconic Royal Oak.Dončić’s watch is a supercharged version of the RO. The new LA resident wore an openworked version that retails for $101,100—the type of watch Mavericks GM Nico Harrison might trade away for, say, a standard version of the watch and a first-round pick. This is far and away not first-fancy watch territory, and the freshly minted Laker has plenty of other ROs in heavy rotation. Michael Jordan is a fan of the RO and Dončić’s new running mate LeBron James has a sizeable collection of them, too.Harry How/Getty ImagesDončić’s ref. 15407BA.OO.1220BA.01 is an 18k-yellow-gold model. Measuring 41 mm and featuring the Royal Oak’s signature integrated bracelet, it’s not a wildly complicated watch like John Mayer’s perpetual calendar or his Concept Tourbillon Spider-Man. Rather, it’s the openworked dial that makes this one stand out. A blackened inner bezel with applied yellow gold hour markers frames the automatic Audemars Piguet cal. 3132 movement, from which material has been removed such that one can view its componentry beneath the sapphire crystal. Openworked dials can sometimes appear shoddily designed or forced—such is most certainly not the case here. Blackened bridges and visible jewels contrast beautifully with the vertically brushed gold of the case and bracelet, making for a striking look. Furthermore, the entire watch measures just 10.1 mm tall—which is why it could easily disappear beneath Dončić’s cuff.The Royal Oak was originally designed as a stainless steel sport watch, one that might be able to fly under the radar. Dončić’s yellow-gold reference…does not. But the beauty of the Royal Oak is that its sporty-yet-elegant, genre-bending design conforms beautifully to a variety of complications, configurations, sizes, and more. Case in point: Doncic himself has been spotted in an 18K white gold Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra Thin ref. 15202BC with a salmon dial as well as an understated ref. 15510ST in stainless steel with the classic blue dial. The Double Balance Wheel Openworked, on the other hand, is the watch you strap on when you’re making a statement. It seems that despite the tumult of this weekend, Dončić, with this RO, is ready for showtime.
Over the weekend, the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers completed the most shocking trade in NBA history. The swap saw the Lakers land yet another generational hooper in the 25-year-old Dončić. Dončić came to the press conference dressed on his best behavior with a grey sweater and white button-up, but there was a small nod to his new team’s gold-and-purple. On Dončić’s wrist was a yellow-gold version of Audemars Piguet’s iconic Royal Oak.
Dončić’s watch is a supercharged version of the RO. The new LA resident wore an openworked version that retails for $101,100—the type of watch Mavericks GM Nico Harrison might trade away for, say, a standard version of the watch and a first-round pick. This is far and away not first-fancy watch territory, and the freshly minted Laker has plenty of other ROs in heavy rotation. Michael Jordan is a fan of the RO and Dončić’s new running mate LeBron James has a sizeable collection of them, too.
.png)
Dončić’s ref. 15407BA.OO.1220BA.01 is an 18k-yellow-gold model. Measuring 41 mm and featuring the Royal Oak’s signature integrated bracelet, it’s not a wildly complicated watch like John Mayer’s perpetual calendar or his Concept Tourbillon Spider-Man. Rather, it’s the openworked dial that makes this one stand out. A blackened inner bezel with applied yellow gold hour markers frames the automatic Audemars Piguet cal. 3132 movement, from which material has been removed such that one can view its componentry beneath the sapphire crystal. Openworked dials can sometimes appear shoddily designed or forced—such is most certainly not the case here. Blackened bridges and visible jewels contrast beautifully with the vertically brushed gold of the case and bracelet, making for a striking look. Furthermore, the entire watch measures just 10.1 mm tall—which is why it could easily disappear beneath Dončić’s cuff.
The Royal Oak was originally designed as a stainless steel sport watch, one that might be able to fly under the radar. Dončić’s yellow-gold reference…does not. But the beauty of the Royal Oak is that its sporty-yet-elegant, genre-bending design conforms beautifully to a variety of complications, configurations, sizes, and more. Case in point: Doncic himself has been spotted in an 18K white gold Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra Thin ref. 15202BC with a salmon dial as well as an understated ref. 15510ST in stainless steel with the classic blue dial. The Double Balance Wheel Openworked, on the other hand, is the watch you strap on when you’re making a statement. It seems that despite the tumult of this weekend, Dončić, with this RO, is ready for showtime.
