Are Men Sizing Down? Bad Bunny’s 37mm Malachite Royal Oak

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In our inaugural 2026 newsletter, we cover Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime appearance wearing the yellow-gold malachite Royal Oak in 37 mm, a focused preview of New York Fashion Week Fall 2026, and more on how intent and craftsmanship are shaping culture right now.

In Case You Missed it

1. Gold Soars Back Up To Over $5000/Oz

2. Pieter Mulier to Exit Alaia

3. Kering Misses With Another Tough Quarter

On this week’s agenda:

1. Are Men Sizing Down? Bad Bunny’s 37mm Malachite Royal Oak

2. The Insider Scoop to NYFW 2026

3. Tiffany & Co.’s Vince Lombardi Trophy

Are Men Sizing Down? Bad Bunny’s 37mm Malachite Royal Oak

While Super Bowl LX featured no shortage of notable wristwear, the most consequential watch sighting occurred during the halftime show. As Bad Bunny performed onstage, one watch stood apart—not because of excess, but because of precision, rarity, and timing. On his wrist was the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15553BA, a 37 mm yellow-gold model fitted with a green malachite stone dial.

The watch became especially visible during a key moment in the performance, when he handed his Grammy award to a young boy onstage. As his wrist turned toward the camera, the malachite dial caught the light, producing a sharp flash of green that was unmistakable to anyone watching closely. In a broadcast seen by tens of millions, a hard-stone Royal Oak appearing during a live halftime show was already unusual. The specific reference made it more significant.

The Watch Itself

The Royal Oak ref. 15553BA is a factory-produced model that sits outside the mainstream Royal Oak conversation. At 37 mm, it is notably smaller than the 41 mm Royal Oak references that have become the default choice for men over the past decade. The case and bracelet are yellow gold, finished with the Royal Oak’s signature combination of brushing and polished bevels, while the dial forgoes the familiar “Grande Tapisserie” pattern in favor of solid malachite.

Malachite is a naturally occurring stone, meaning each dial is unique. The material produces layered green striations with depth and variation that read clearly even on broadcast footage. Unlike lacquer or sunburst dials, malachite does not rely on reflection—it absorbs and refracts light in a way that feels organic and immediate.

A Deliberate Size Statement

The decision to wear the 37 mm Royal Oak was as intentional as the choice of dial. In a landscape where male celebrities overwhelmingly default to 41 mm or larger Royal Oaks—often in oversized, gem-set, or customized configurations—the smaller case functioned as a quiet counterstatement. The watch sat proportionally on the wrist, closer to vintage Royal Oak dimensions, reinforcing restraint rather than dominance.

Several news outlets quickly reported that Bad Bunny was wearing a 41 mm Royal Oak during the performance. That assessment was incorrect. Direct confirmation from Audemars Piguet verified that the watch was, in fact, the 37 mm ref. 15553BA. The distinction matters. The difference between 37 mm and 41 mm in a Royal Oak is immediately apparent to anyone familiar with the line, and the smaller case fundamentally changes how the watch reads—both visually and culturally.

Why It Mattered

Hard-stone dials have historically been reserved for dress watches or low-production precious-metal references. Seeing one integrated into a Royal Oak—and in its smaller case size—during the most-watched musical performance of the year elevated the moment beyond routine celebrity watch spotting.

Elsewhere during the game, familiar references appeared: Rolex Submariner Date ref. 126610LN models among players, the new stainless steel Rolex Land-Dweller on Roger Federer, Jay-Z’s Patek Philippe Celestial ref. 6102P-001, and Tom Brady’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ref. 26585XT.

All were notable. None matched the precision of timing, scale, and intent of the malachite Royal Oak.

An Insider’s Scoop on NYFW 2026

New York Fashion Week Fall 2026 is scheduled to run February 11 through February 16, with more than 60 runway shows and presentations across Manhattan. The official calendar reflects a mix of established houses, new creative visions, and anticipated debuts that collectively shape the city’s ready-to-wear season.

The week opens with Rachel Scott’s debut runway show for Proenza Schouler on February 11, marking her first formal outing as the brand’s creative lead. Her placement at the start of the schedule signals both industry confidence and a renewed spotlight on a label that has helped define American fashion in recent years.

Across the six days, designers will present fall/winter collections that range from classic tailoring to conceptually driven looks. The preliminary list includes Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Altuzarra, Khaite, Carolina Herrera, Sergio Hudson, Public School, Meruert Tolegen, and Sandy Liang—a balance of commercial powerhouses and influential contemporary designers.

The inclusion of Public School by Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow underscores the continued relevance of culturally attuned American labels, while Robert Rodriguez’s debut collection for Derek Lam on February 13 highlights ongoing leadership transitions within iconic brands.

There are, as always, a few off-calendar shows beginning just before the official dates—such as presentations by Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren. We’ll be back next week with firsthand insights straight from the runway.

With winter weather shaping both the collections and the styling seen in the front rows, trends impacting Fall 2026 include functional layering, statement outerwear, and tailored classics reinterpreted for contemporary audiences.

Tiffany & Co.’s Vince Lombardi Trophy

For decades, the trophy presented to the Super Bowl champion has been more than a symbol of victory—it has been a product of meticulous craftsmanship by Tiffany & Co. Since the NFL championship’s inception in 1967, when it was first awarded as the “World Professional Football Championship Trophy,” Tiffany has been responsible for its design and manufacture. By 1970 it was officially renamed the Vince Lombardi Trophy in honor of the coach who led the Green Bay Packers to triumphs in the first two Super Bowls.

Every year the trophy is created in sterling silver at Tiffany’s hollowware workshop in Cumberland, Rhode Island, a facility that has been producing it since 2017. The design features a regulation-sized football in kicking position mounted atop a three-sided stand, standing 22 inches tall and weighing around seven pounds. Unlike many mass-produced awards, each trophy is handmade by skilled silversmiths, with the process spread over approximately four months and involving a total of roughly 72 hours of detailed labor—from spinning and hand engraving to polishing.

The Rhode Island workshop’s role is unique in major American sports. While many championship trophies are manufactured overseas or produced in bulk, the Lombardi Trophy remains rooted in traditional metalworking techniques carried forward by specialist artisans. Each piece is individually engraved with the names of the competing teams, the date, and the final score after the game before being returned to the winning franchise to keep permanently.

Beyond football, Tiffany’s craftsmanship extends to other major sports trophies, underlining the brand’s long-standing relationship with championship culture.

Glad we could help indulge your weekly craving of all things luxury.