Why Celebs Make Absolutely Sure You Can See Their Watch on the Red Carpet

Never in the history of Hollywood have A-listers — particularly the men — worked harder to flash the hardware on their wrist than during the 2026 awards season. Actors have indeed become adept at ensuring their pricey timepieces are easily seen beyond the jacket sleeves of their suits and tuxedos. And it’s not a coincidence. Ever since the pandemic, when interest in watches (along with other collectibles) blossomed, “the wrist became valuable real estate,” says Fernanda Zapata, founder and president of Gigantem, a boutique agency that represents status timepiece brands that include Zenith and H. Moser & Cie, which have been worn by the likes of Will Ferrell and Keanu Reeves.

Multimillion-dollar brand ambassador contracts usually spell out requirements to display a timepiece at high-profile red carpets. Meanwhile, Zapata says she’ll often alert agencies employing red carpet photographers that she’s interested in purchasing any images that include wrist shots. “That’s why a star might hear, ‘Show us your watch!’ on the carpet,” she adds.

Who has succeeded at upping their watch game this awards season? THR looks at 10 stars who placed their status timepieces squarely in the spotlight.

---

With his Valentino suit, Adam Brody wore Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds watch at the Critics Choice Awards — a manual-winding piece in 18-karat pink gold with a golden grained dial, small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock and a Milanese bracelet; $44,000, at Jaeger-LeCoultre, Beverly Hills

Sinners co-star Miles Caton chose Hublot’s Spirit of Big Bang King Gold 42mm, pairing the futuristic watch with Louis Vuitton at the Grammy Awards. The self-winding chronograph movement features a fully skeletonized dial in a satin-finished and polished case of 18-karat pink gold with titanium screws; $49,300, at Hublot, Beverly Hills

At the BAFTAs, TAG Heuer ambassador Patrick Dempsey paired his Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo with the watch brand’s Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon, an automatic model limited to 200 pieces and highlighting a tourbillon on a purple sunray brushed dial in a 42mm steel case; $37,200, at TAG Heuer, Westfield Century City

Since being named a Rolex “Testimonee,” the brand’s word for its ambassadors, Leonardo DiCaprio has ensured his watch is visible on red carpets. At the Globes and BAFTAs, he wore his personal Cosmograph Daytona “Le Mans,” featuring a reverse-panda dial and released in 2023 to celebrate the iconic race’s centennial; similar styles at Rolex at Gearys, Beverly Hills

While hosting the Golden Globes, Nikki Glaser sported Jacob & Co.’s Diamond Boutique Timepiece, which highlights a diamond-set dial in an oval case and is crafted of fancy-shaped diamonds totaling 27.74 carats set in 18-karat white gold; $450,000, at Jacob & Co., New York

Oscar nominee Michael B. Jordan wore his own vintage Piaget with a Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann suit at the Actor Awards, where he picked up the night’s trophy for best actor in a film. The 2005 timepiece is crafted with a checkerboard dial offsetting onyx and mother-of-pearl in a white gold oval case fully embellished with diamonds; similar styles at Piaget, Beverly Hills

Heated Rivalry’s Connor Storrie accessorized his Saint Laurent tuxedo with pieces by Tiffany & Co., including the house’s Union Square self-winding watch, which highlights a white dial with gold numerals and “skyscraper” hands in a 30mm yellow gold case on a chocolate alligator strap; $18,000, at Tiffany & Co., Beverly Hills

Jeff Goldblum’s strong watch game on carpets includes the Blancpain Villeret Squelette 8 Jours he wore with his Valentino tuxedo at the Grammys. Offering an eight-day power reserve and housed in a 38mm case of 18-karat white gold, the fully skeletonized dial is set against a sapphire back to showcase the intricacy of the movement; $93,400, at Westime, Beverly Hills

Sentimental Value Oscar nominee Stellan Skarsgard had fun with his Omega, paired with a Burberry tuxedo, on the BAFTAs red carpet — his 37mm Seamaster Milano Cortina in the brand’s proprietary Moonshine Gold, highlighting a grand feu enamel dial, is a special edition commemorating the 2026 Winter Olympics; $23,000, at Omega, Beverly Center, Los Angeles

Tramell Tillman chose Audemars Piguet to complement his Zegna tuxedo at the Golden Globes — the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked, a self-winding watch that’s just 8.1 mm thick and features a skeleton dial in a 39mm case with bracelet, both in 18-karat white gold; price upon request at Audemars Piguet, Beverly Hills

This story appeared in the March 11 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.