Watch Spotting The Collectors

David and Victoria Beckham

“As soon as we got money, it was like, ‘I want to buy a nice watch’.” —David Beckham

MAKING A PITCH

David Beckham is one of the most beloved footballers of all time. As the first English player to win league titles in four different countries – England, Spain, the United States and France – his fame as a player and later a team owner is unparalleled internationally. Largely based on his good looks and blend of casual cool, DB7 (as Beckham is sometimes known) is also considered a modern style icon, which is why Tudor signed him as a brand ambassador in 2017. But the biggest asset the football legend brought to the brand is his authentic passion for horological history.

While contractual obligations now keep tight reins on Beckham’s impressive watch collection, pre-Tudor the sports legend was frequently photographed wearing some of the most beautiful examples of haute horology, including a Patek Philippe Grand Complications Celestial. This choice of watch feels very apt for a celebrity whose place in pop culture lives in the intersection between natural athletic ability, hard work and marketing savvy.

The Celestial’s dial displays hours and minutes of mean solar time, a sky chart and the phases and orbit of the Moon. To do this, the face is formed by layering different colours of metalised sapphire crystal. The black base level depicts the heavens (as seen from Geneva) and the Moon’s phases. While the transparent sapphire-crystal disks depict the sky chart and the Milky Way.

Not only is the Celestial stunning to look at, but it’s also even more luxurious on the wrist. Beckham’s model has a 44mm case made of platinum. The hand-stitched, navy-blue strap is made of alligator with a platinum fold-over clasp. It’s posher than Victoria Beckham! But he has also used his association with Tudor and this timepiece as a platform to promote his goals as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador dedicated to the health and education of children in Africa.

Orlando Bloom

“The best way to look stylish on a budget is to try second-hand, bargain hunting, and vintage.”

—Orlando Bloom

What drives a person to collect watches in the first place? For some it’s the thrill of the chase – researching a specific brand or model of watch and then going to any lengths necessary to get their hands on it. The adrenaline rush of finding a dream piece is addictive. English actor Orlando Bloom is one such hunter, best known for appearing in thrilling adventure films, such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003) and Pirates of the Caribbean film series of the aughties. In his private life, he has been investing in watches since he started making movies, usually buying one to commemorate each project. Among watch spotters, he is noted for his astute collection of rare Rolexes, most attained by research, networking and globetrotting – things that an actor’s life is well suited for.

He knows what he wants, and he knows how to get it. His collection includes a green-bezelled Rolex Explorer Ref. 1016, ‘Kermit’ Submariner, a GMT-Master ‘Pepsi’ Ref. 1675, an Explorer II Ref. 1655, a Submariner Ref. 6538 ‘James Bond’, and a first edition Milgauss Ref. 6543.

An upside of Bloom’s networking and knowledge base is that he has also discovered newer timepieces. While British watchmakers Bremont aren’t as well known as Rolex, Bloom has an emotional attachment to the brand and owns multiple pieces.  Founded in 2002 by brothers and aviation fans Giles and Nick English, the British brand appeals to Bloom’s English sensibilities. One of his favourite examples is especially meaningful: the P-51 Limited Edition which features original parts from the legendary 1944 Mustang aircraft P-51K-10 from the Second World War. Flown by RAF pilots in the Pacific, it was also known as ‘Fragile but Agile’.

Ryan Gosling

“Generally the watch is a symbol that you’re busy and you have important things to do and cool places to be.” —Ryan Gosling

HE SAID

Above. This one-of-a-kind TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Gold, tailor-made for Ryan Gosling, features an 18K 3N yellow-gold 39mm case with a custom gold Milanese bracelet and a glass-box crystal. Image courtesy of TAG Heuer.

Opposite. Gosling sporting an unidentified vintage wristwatch at a photo call for his directorial debut Lost River at the 67th Cannes Film Festival in 2014.

Ryan Gosling has emerged as one of the most watchable actors of his generation. From the anti-hero getaway driver in Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 film Drive, to the everyman stuntman in The Fall Guy (2024), Gosling exudes a laid-back chill even when his body is getting beaten up on screen.

Gosling’s taste in timepieces also reflects this essence of cool. In Drive, playing a character known simply as Driver, he wears a satin bomber jacket with a Scorpion embroidered on the back that became a cinematic icon all its own, on the level of Chris Evans’s Aran knit sweater in Knives Out (2019) or Madonna’s vintage gold jacket from Desperately Seeking Susan (1985).  But what caught the cognoscenti’s eye was an ultra-minimalist vintage Patek Philippe that Driver wore. The watch even has a backstory (it belonged to Driver’s father).

In an interview in GQ when the film came out, prop master Will Blount revealed that the timepiece used in the movie was a fake: “You can’t use the real watch or you’re going to break it,” said Blount. “So, we used five or six replicas.” As for where they are now, Blount said Gosling asked if he could keep one of the prop watches. Blount’s response: “You definitely deserve it, brother.”

In 2021, Gosling signed up with TAG Heuer, bringing his modern take on masculinity to the role. The watch made an appearance in director Greta Gerwig’s 2023 hit Barbie, with Gosling playing Ken opposite Margot Robbie’s title character. If you haven’t seen the movie, the dolls experience an existential crisis, and Ken suddenly starts wearing an oversized pink fur coat and not one but three different gold TAG Heuer Carreras at the same time. Since the

Lewis Hamilton

“Timepieces align really well in my life because I’m literally chasing every millisecond when I’m on track.” —Lewis Hamilton

Opposite. Sir Lewis Hamilton wearing an IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph. Photography Chris Coe courtesy of IWC.

FAST TIMES

Sir Lewis Hamilton knows how to make headlines. The seventimes Formula One champion is equally admired for his abilities on the track and his sartorial skills when he’s off duty.

Expressing himself through watches has been a big part of his style DNA – his first timepiece was a Mickey Mouse watch purchased at Disneyland when he was a kid, but he quickly jumped into the deep end of exclusive horology when he signed with the IWC-sponsored Mercedes-AMG Petronas team in 2012.

Even though his collection isn’t exceptionally diverse (Hamilton was an ambassador for IWC for over 10 years), his loyalty to the brand is more than contractually obligated. He uses his collection to make statements, which in turn have been noted by his large following of watch spotters. Drivers are not supposed to wear watches in the cockpit, but Mercedes-AMG Petronas teammates Hamilton and George Russell all had sponsor IWC’s watches embroidered on their racing gloves.

In 2022, Hamilton arrived in the paddock of the Miami Grand Prix wearing as much jewellery as he could fit on his body and alluding to the fact that he was willing to sit out races over the no-jewellery issue. Sporting at least four stacked necklaces, four rings on each hand, earrings, a nose ring and at least three watches, he told the press, “I couldn’t get any more jewellery on today”.

One of the watches Hamilton wore in protest was the IWC Pilot’s TOP GUN ‘Mojave Desert’. Originally an enormous 55mm timepiece with a pocket-watch-sized Calibre 52 T.S.C. movement, the Big Pilot’s history dates to 1940 when it was made for the German

“It’s aspiration really. Complicated timepieces are a lot more interesting than giant gold chains or diamonds.”

—Jay-Z

Opposite. The blueprint. Jay-Z and his one-of-a-kind Richard Mille 56, customised with a blue sapphire case. It reportedly cost $2.5 million and took 3,000 hours to make.

MR NICE WATCH

Before Jay-Z, brands would try and appeal to buyers by signing on adventurers like top pilot Chuck Yeager (Rolex) or racing-car driver Michael Schumacher (TAG Heuer). Buying a timepiece endorsed by an athlete or celebrity brought you one step closer to racing in Monte Carlo or walking a red carpet. What has changed in the last 20 years or so is how luxury brands have used pop culture to reach a younger, more diverse audience. Jay-Z and his incredible collection of watches opened the door to a whole new generation and showed them that, along with cars, sneakers and jewellery, watches are an important part of living the good life.

Born Shawn Corey Carter in 1969 in New York City, Jay-Z first made chart history with his debut album Reasonable Doubt in 1996. One year later, he began collecting watches, and timepieces would go on to frequently figure in his lyrics as a symbol of how far he has come. His hip-hop persona is that of a man who has transcended the ‘Hard Knock Life’ to become both a mogul (he cofounded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1994 and served as president and chief-executive officer of Def Jam Recordings from 2004–2007) and a cultural spokesman.

He’s also a born collaborator and his work with other artists has yielded number-one hits like Mariah Carey’s ‘Heartbreaker’, Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy in Love’, Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’, and ‘Empire State of Mind’, featuring Alicia Keys. Collaboration is also key in his watch collecting. As a self-described ‘businessman’, Jay-Z has parleyed his passion into some impressive partnerships.

In 2005, to celebrate his 10th anniversary in the music business, Jay-Z introduced the hip-hop nation to a new notion of

Ed Sheeran

“My favourite thing in the world is to give people watches and see them turn into watch people.” —Ed Sheeran

Opposite. At the Heart and Armor Foundation benefit concert in 2023 in Los Angeles, California, Sheeran and his friend John Mayer wore matching Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon ‘Spiderman’ watches.

…IS ADDICTED

Most people think of singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran as an everyday bloke. And while his signature look is a T-shirt, a pair of jeans and multiple tattoos, you will never see him without a watch on his wrist.

Because he is so relatable to his millions of fans, Ed’s influence is a gateway to wearing a watch every day. But even the most hardcore Sheeran fans might be surprised that he has amassed a collection estimated to be worth over $6 million. The English pop star can always be seen sporting some of the world’s most luxurious watch brands, including Patek Philippe, Rolex and Richard Mille. However, his collection has much more humble beginnings.

In an interview with the blog Hodinkee, Sheeran said his entry point into watch addiction was an inexpensive quartz ToyWatch timepiece. “It was pre signing my record deal. I hadn’t made any money, I made about £500 doing a gig and a friend of mine had a ToyWatch and I always liked it because you could mix and match it with straps,” said Sheeran. “I went out and I bought the watch, and I bought a green strap, a black strap, a white strap and an orange strap.” Look at photos of Sheeran on his second tour and you’ll see him wearing this ToyWatch. As Sheeran told Hodinkee, “I would cry if I lost this watch”.

But Sheeran couldn’t stop at just one watch. To commemorate the release of his first album + (as in, ‘plus’), he bought a TAG Heuer Monaco. The collection quickly multiplied when, one month later, he bought a Hublot Big Bang. And just as there’s a story behind every one of Sheeran’s tattoos, there’s a personal connection to every piece in Sheeran’s watch wardrobe, too.

Taylor Swift

“Nothing is permanent. So I’m very careful to be grateful every second that I get to be doing this at this level.”

—Taylor Swift

Opposite. Taylor Swift arrives for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards wearing a Lorraine Schwartz choker with a Concord watch set to 12 o’clock in reference to her 2022 studio album Midnights

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

There’s no denying that Taylor Swift is one of the most watched women in Western culture. Since the American musician first appeared on the Country Music scene when she was 16, her impact on culture has been seismic. She has blurred the lines between musical genres, fought for artists’ rights, and built a multigenerational community of fans that follow her from city to city, bringing an economic boost to each region that economists call ‘The Taylor Effect’. Yet, for all her pop-cultural power, Swift has never been much of a watch influencer. That is, until 2024.

Sure, the mega star had watches. Swift’s watch collection is rumoured to include a rose-gold Bulgari Serpenti, a Rolex Oyster Lady-Datejust Everose Gold Ref. 279381RBR, a rose-gold Cartier Tank Américaine Ref. W2620030, a stainless-steel Omega Constellation, a black-ceramic Chanel J12 Ref. H5699, and a Chopard Happy Sport Stainless Steel Rose Gold Ref. 278582-6001. These are all classics, and maybe that’s why Swift’s horological adventures weren’t shaking up the watch world.

Then, at the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swift walked the red carpet wearing a vintage Concord set on a black diamond-studded Lorraine Schwartz necklace around her neck. The songwriter is known for seeding her liner notes with hidden messages to her fans, and for this event, Swift wore the watch set to 12am in reference to her album Midnights (2022).

This left-of-centre move prompted much media coverage of jewellery timepieces – an underappreciated section of the industry. But it was her next wrist move that converted the most snobbish watch spotters into Swifties. At an American football

Pharrell Williams

“You sort of have to become what you’re wearing.”

—Pharrell Williams

THE ULTIMATE WATCH N.E.R.D.

Celebrities and fashion go together. When fashion week takes over a city, the stars we see seated in the front row are an essential part of a brand’s marketing strategy – sometimes generating more buzz than the new collection itself. The fame game also applies to watchmaking as well. Pharrell Williams, the American musician and producer, took celebrity to the next level when he became the creative director for Louis Vuitton menswear in 2023. The announcement (via Instagram) of Williams’ appointment came about 16 months after the sudden death of the fashion brand’s previous director Virgil Abloh. In the post, LVMH stated that “[Williams] is a visionary whose creative universes expand from music to art, and to fashion—establishing himself as a cultural global icon”.

Williams has always had a passion for fashion (he founded the streetwear label Billionaire Boys Club and has also designed for Adidas and Chanel), but he is also a well-known watch enthusiast.

A true polymath, Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, along with his musical partner Chad Hugo, showed his first flashes of genius as part of the production duo The Neptunes in the 1990s. One of the team’s most famous tracks was 1999’s ‘Caught Out There’ by Kelis. Williams was a horological trailblazer at the time, appearing at the end of the video wearing a bold gold watch, and championing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak way before most sports stars and musicians. One of the most notable models in Williams’ collection from this era was the skeletonised Perpetual Calendar Ref. 25636. Williams had two of these ultra-rare models, one in gold and one in platinum (one of which is now owned by Frank Ocean).

© 2025 Rhonda Riche

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