The unmatchable superstardom of LeBron James became apparent during his recent visit to his home city. As the 39-year-old attended the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 4 against the Boston Celtics with his wife, Savannah, all eyes remained glued to him.
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Unsurprisingly, this led to a thorough inspection of his appearance, with a particular exquisite accessory garnering the fans’ attention.
James was witnessed wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin on his left wrist. The 4x champion embraced the watch’s rose gold version, consisting of a smoked blue dial with a ‘Tapisserie Evolutive’ pattern. Additionally, the dial possessed white gold hour markers, and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, making it easier to view the time in low light.
However, the watch’s uniqueness remained in its platinum case. With a diameter of 41 millimeters, thickness of 8.85 millimeters, and water resistance of 50 meters, its case made it stand out amongst its competitors. On top of this, 32 baguette-cut blue sapphires were engraved into the bezel of this version, making the watch even more distinctive.
An Instagram handle, INSANE LUXURY, shed light on these features, adding further significance to James’ visit to Cleveland. At the same time, it also highlighted the cost of acquiring such an accessory. Apparently, the watch had a retail price of $185,000 while its market price was reportedly $500,000.
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This provided a glimpse into James’ lavish off-court lifestyle. Simultaneously, it yet again put into the spotlight the variety of his watch collections. After all, since making a name for himself as a watch snob, the 4x MVP has embraced every opportunity to display his admiration for this accessory.
Undoubtedly, it also captured how special the occasion of visiting Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse was to him. It marked his first visit to the arena as a mere spectator in over a decade. So, James grabbed this chance with both hands to showcase the renowned aspect of his character.
Was this a strategic move from LeBron James?
In 2013, James signed a deal with Audemars Piguet to advertise their products publicly. The 20x All-Star signed a deal with the Swiss watchmakers regarding this, kickstarting a remarkable collaboration.
Soon after that, the company released a special edition watch, Audemars Piguet Lebron James, to initiate this partnership. The NBA star’s name was carved into its back, paving the way for lasting collaboration. Additionally, to add to its rarity, the company only created 600 exclusive pieces of the watch, each having a retail price of $51,500.
Ever since then, their partnership has displayed loyalty and understanding. Thus, the recent instance only extended that aspect of their collaboration. James continues to endorse Audemars Piguet’s products with pride while the company relies on him to garner major traction.
This has played a major role in their collaboration lasting for over a decade. At the same time, it aided in James setting a benchmark for his peers, while displaying his global influence.
