“I came to LeBron’s house in Miami several times before we could finally agree on the design,” François-Henry Bennahmias admitted before revealing the 600-piece Royal Offshore Chronograph LeBron James edition in pink gold and titanium featuring a single diamond set on the start/stop chronograph pushpiece at 2 o’clock. In other words, it took a lot of effort to make it just right and LeBron himself acknowledged having felt as if the very fact of working on a watch that would have his name on it meant it had better be perfect. “And that is why I was so heavily involved in the whole design process,” LeBron told the largely US crowd on top of a garage building in downtown Miami, where he plays for the Miami Heat team.

LeBron “King” James became an Olympic champion in 2008 and repeated the feat in 2012 – the same year he was once again named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, thus becoming the fifth player in the history of professional basketball to have won the trophy four times or more..

“I really got into replica watches UK when I met Jay Z,” LeBron said. “And he always talked warmly about Audemars Piguet. I got affected by his passion for the brand and soon after I decided to purchase my first Audemars Piguet.”

“My favourite collection is the Royal Oak Offshore, but on special occasions I also wear my Royal Oak Skeleton, the Millenary Quincy Jones, the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Arnold Schwarzenegger The Legacy and many more,” Lebron told the guests. His collection also contains the Volcano which he has been seen wearing on numerous occasions as well as the limited Offshore Las Vegas Strip. An impressive collection indeed, especially compared to his first watch. “My first watch was a Ninja Turtle watch, if I remember correctly.”

LeBron is obviously the right guy to represent the family-owned Swiss watch brand and it was just a matter of time before a watch with his name on the back was due. Moreover, the release could not have come at a better time, since LeBron had just returned from his honeymoon. “My wife very much likes AP as well”, he told me and when asked which models were in favour he smiled “Mine. She likes to wear my watches”.

Now LeBron’s wife will also be able to sport the 44-millimetre pink gold and titanium version that has her husband’s signature on the see-through caseback and options between either a luxurious light grey alligator or a soft grey rubber strap fitted with a pink gold pin buckle

Surprisingly the bezel is made of titanium and not cermet like many of the former limited editions AP has released. “I wanted to keep the light grey tone,” LeBron said, explaining the choice of titanium. “And I stressed from the very beginning that I did not want a black watch.”

He did however opt for a diamond on the start/stop chronograph pushpiece, an option that has not been seen on a limited edition AP before. “I wanted to add minimal bling,” said LeBron before François-Henry Bennahmias invited journalists to get a closer look at the new member of the Offshore family.