This just in: Justin Bieber has rejoined the Swiss watch party.
That’s right. After spending a healthy period away from his timepiece collection—the “juice cleanse” of horology—everyone’s favorite Canadian heartthrob is once again rocking his trusty Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. Having purchased the watch way back in 2013 at the ripe old age of 19, he’s given it plenty of wrist time since then, but lately, has been electing to go watch-free. Now, the solid-gold chronograph is back in all its COSC-certified glory, ready to convince budding collectors that yes, every serious watch collection needs a Daytona.
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Don’t remember this particular watch? Allow us to jog your memory: Housed in a 40mm 18K yellow gold case, it features a champagne dial, diamond indices, and a matching gold Oyster bracelet. A reference 116508, it’s the timepiece watch that, in its green-dial iteration, has been nicknamed the “John Mayer” Daytona after the singer-songwriter waxed poetic about it on an episode of HODINKEE’s Talking Watches. Powered by the COSC-certified Rolex Caliber 4130, it’s got a power reserve of 72 hours, is water resistant to 100m, and will set you back about $50,000 on the secondary market.
A solid-gold Daytona is always a power play. Serious collectors have a tough time shying away from Rolex’s famous chronograph collection, and precious-metal models invariably command the room. A subtly diamond-adorned dial doesn’t hurt either, and is far less garish than the “rainbow”-bezel models that have become so popular of late. It’s also frankly endearing to see this particular watch make the rounds again: It was seemingly Bieber’s first luxury watch purchase from back when he was still a teenager, and he’s still rocking it today.
That being said, the Grammy Award-winning singer has plenty of other prized pieces in his personal lineup, and seems to have—all alliteration aside—a particular proclivity for precious-metal Rolex, from a green “Stella”-dial Rolex Day-Date to a diamond-studded Day-Date II. (He’s also got an iced-out Patek Philippe Nautilus, a two-tone Cartier Santos, and a wide smattering of G-Shocks, and a fire Audemars Piguet Royal Oak that he bought to celebrate his wedding back in 2019.)
Are there other Daytonas in Bieber’s future? Collectors (and musicians in particular) from Mayer to Adam Levine seem to have a tough time owning just one. Or maybe each kid in the future Bieber brood will get his or her own chronograph? Time will tell.
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Tyler the Creator’s Cartier Obus
Tyler the Creator is no stranger to a great watch—especially a daintier, dressier watch. This week, he was spotted at the premier of The Bear’s third season in LA wearing a vintage Cartier Obus. Released in 1929, the square Obus has a bit more in common, with respect to case shape, with the very first Tank than with the maison’s modern production. The version Tyler wore, which looks like a quartz-powered model from the 1980s, features a solid-gold case with a large bezel featuring black Arabic indices and a railroad minute track. The dial, seemingly ultra simple, is actually champlavé enamel and features a set of simple, blued steel sword hands. A distinctive watch even by Cartier’s artful standards, it’s a watch that Tayler wore with aplomb.
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Jayson Tatum’s Richard Mille RM 67-02
What does one do to celebrate an NBA Championship if one happens to play for the Celtics? A duck boat parade, that’s what. Star power forward and noted watch collector Jayson Tatum wore a Richard Mille RM 67-02 for the celebratory occasion, which puts him firmly in the upper echelon of haute horlogerie adherents among the current crop of pro hoopers. The RM 67-02—which’ll run you several hundred-thousands—is the lightest watch in RM’s high-tech collection, weighing in at just 32 grams. Fashioned from advanced TPT, Grade 5 titanium, elastic, and endless amounts of Swiss ingenuity, it’s made to be used and abused by the world’s best athletes.
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Kyle Kuzma’s Gerald Charles Squelette
Wizards power forward Kyle Kuzma hit Paris Fashion Week in a watch that gains him at least 10 Originality Points with the Horological Grand Council. (All of which I just made up.) Decked out in head-to-toe white, Kuzma topped off his blinding fit with the Maestro 8.0 Squelette, a (vaguely) octagonal watch with an automatic, skeletonized movement with gray anthracite bridges. If you don’t recognize the brand, you might be more familiar if we were to add in the founder’s last name: Genta. That’s right—Gerald Charles is one of famed watch designer Gérald Genta’s brands. Taking a closer look at the Maestro 8.0 Squelette’s shape, there are clear throughlines to his other designs, especially watches made for the likes of the eponymous Gérald Genta company as well as for Bulgari.
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Alex Sarr’s IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40
The Ingenieur, which IWC relaunched to much fanfare back at Watches & Wonders 2023, may not be the first timepiece that comes to mind when one thinks of Gérald Genta—but the “SL” version that he designed in the 1970s has become a luxury sports watch staple in its own right. French-born Wizard Alex Sarr rocked a white-dial version during the NBA Draft, which features a well sized 40mm stainless steel case with an integrated bracelet and a time-and-date display. Available in a smattering of colors, this is a watch that frankly looks excellent in every iteration—although the blue-green Aqua version is particularly beautiful. (Maybe we can convince Sarr to wear this one next?)
