The wrist game was strong on the night—here are the 17 best watches at the Met Gala
This year’s annual Met Gala theme was “The Garden of Time” inspired by J.G. Ballard’s 1962 short story by the same name. It tells the tale of an aristocratic couple whose home is under siege. Each night, they use their enchanted garden to turn back time and delay their fate, until the magic runs out. With the poetic nature of the gala’s motif and its direct ties to the passage of time, we couldn’t wait to see how it would translate into the garments and onto the wrists of tonight’s attendees. Some, unsurprisingly, took it quite literally with clock-inspired couture. Sabrina Harrison wore a Chrishabana clock dress, Tyla carried an hourglass, and Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons even came with a briefcase clock by Thom Browne in addition to his Patek Philippe Aquanaut with a rainbow set bezel. Still, others came with more serious wrist game—here are 17 of the best watches at the met gala.
Chris Hemsworth in a Chopard Alpine Eagle
Chris Hemsworth solidified his place in the cultural zeitgeist as Thor, god of thunder. For the Met Gala, Hemsworth and his wife, Elsa Pataky, hit the red carpet with a similar Nordic god energy, this time with a softer side. Hemsworth dressed in monochromatic neutrals and topped off the look with Chopard’s Alpine Eagle in rose gold with a diamond bezel. Over the years, the Marvel actor has been known to rock some bold timepieces, from a Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton to an AP Royal Oak. His choice of a more refined and elegant model for the Met Gala feels fitting with the nature and time inspired theme.
Dwayne Wade in a Cartier Santos de Cartier
Dwayne Wade was one of the most successful shooting guards in NBA history. Since retiring from the game, the former Miami Heat star never hesitates to bring the heat when it comes to style. A red carpet regular, Wade is known for his dapper fashion, always punctuated by the perfect accessories. Watches are a regular part of his rotation, from ultra-classic models such as Rolex to more avant garde pieces from Hublot. For the Met Gala, he opted for a Cartier. His particular Santos de Cartier features a rose gold build and black leather strap with just the right touch of bling on the bezel.
Usher in a Jacob & Co. Ruby Billionaire III
Usher made a major comeback at the Super Bowl halftime show earlier this year, and it’s as if he never left. His music and style has transcended through the decades, and so has his watch collection. Usher is in fact a major collector with a wide variety of pieces from Chopard, Rolex, Panerai, Breitling, Cartier, and AP, but for the Met Gala, he knew he needed something special. Enter Jacob & Co. There’s no better watchmaker to give your wrist some serious flair. Usher chose a particularly opulent model set with loads of rubies across the case, crown, and bracelet framing the gorgeous, skeletonised tourbillon movement.
Lil Nas X in a 1970s Vintage Piaget from Analog:Shift
Piaget is having a major moment, and for good reason. The brand has been at the forefront of bold and playful watchmaking, which is a spirit the industry is embracing with the next generation of collectors. In its 150th anniversary year, Piaget is primed to shine, and the brand did just that on the wrist of Lil Nas X at the Met Gala. The Grammy award winning rapper is known for his audacious style choices and wrist game, rocking brands like Roger Dubuis and Jacob & Co. This year, his choice of a vintage Piaget from Analog:Shift may seem slightly more subdued but nevertheless clearly embodies the essence of the brand. The white-gold model features a malachite dial and integrated bracelet with a distinctive bark pattern.
Serena Wiliams in an Audemars Piguet Sand Gold Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon Openworked
Tennis legend Serena Williams and AP are a classic match. Over the years, Williams has been known for sporting watches from the powerhouse brand both on and off the court. Unsurprisingly, she switches up her look based on the occasion, opting for sportier pieces during the game and more sparkly ones for the red carpet. No matter which AP Williams wears, the choice is always bold, and for the Met Gala, this was no exception. She wore one of the hottest new models from the brand: the Sand Gold Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon Openworked.
Taika Waititi in a Jacob & Co. Royal Tourbillon
Filmmaker, actor, and comedian Taika Waititi has been making a name for himself both on and offscreen. His work has earned him numerous accolades including an Academy Award, and in the watch community, he’s also earned some serious credit for his collection. Waititi is a lover of all watches through and through. His tastes are diverse, from classics like Rolex, Cartier, and IWC to sportier brands like Seiko and Doxa. For the Met Gala, he pulled out all the stops with a watch fit for the red carpet: the Jacob & Co. Royal Tourbillon. This fully blinged-out timepiece packs a punch with the complication surrounded by a slew of diamonds on the dial, bezel, case, and crown.
Eddie Redmayne in an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Shades
Eddie Redmayne needs no introduction: he’s an Oscar, Golden Globe, and Tony Award winner—need we say more? In addition to his impressive career, he’s also served as an Omega ambassador since 2016. Since then, he’s proven to be an Aqua Terra fan, sporting several variations of the model over the years. For this year’s Met Gala, he hit the red carpet showing off the watchmaker, this time with the Seamaster Aqua Terra Shades.
Jerry Seinfeld in a Chanel J12
When you think of Jerry Seinfeld, you immediately picture a smile. He’s fun, playful, and always in it for the laughs. Yet, his watch taste seems to skew rather serious. Seinfled is often sporting some heavy hitting models from brands like Breitling, Rolex, Cartier, and Breguet. That said, his choice for this year’s Met Gala comes as a bit of a surprise. Seinfeld hit the red carpet proudly rocking a timepiece from Chanel, and honestly, we couldn’t be happier. We love seeing a guy like Jerry Seinfeld making a solid case for the J12.
Jeremy Strong in a Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari Ultra-Thin
Jeremy Strong turned heads on the Met Gala red carpet in 2023 for his playful ensemble featuring a green button down complete with a flower necklace and topped off with the pink and green Richard Mille RM UP-01. The look was such a success, he kept a similar spirit for the 2024 event. This time, he opted for a monochromatic all-white colour scheme and a super sleek model from Richard Mille: the Ferrari Ultra-Thin. Though it’s since been ousted once again by Bulgari, the model was the world’s thinnest when it debuted in 2022.
Alexandra Daddario in a TAG Heuer Aquaracer
Alexandra Daddario is one of TAG Heuer’s newest ambassadors, joining the family about a year ago. She starred in the brand’s campaign for its 36 mm Carrera Date in honour of the iconic model’s monumental 60th anniversary in 2023. So, it comes as no surprise she hit the red carpet at the Met Gala sporting a TAG Heuer. For the occasion, she opted for a more petite model: a 27 mm two-tone Aquaracer.
Michael Shannon in a Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921
Michael Shannon is a multi talented actor, notching Tony, Golden Globe, and Academy Award nominations for his roles on stage and on screen. For the most part, he seems to keep a low profile and have a more restrained taste when it comes to fashion. From what we can tell, he’s not a big watch guy—maybe he’s a little too shy to show off his wrist game. At the Met Gala, he was rocking a gorgeous Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921. However, the watch unfortunately got overshadowed by his Balenciaga potato chip bag.
Barry Keoghan in an Omega Trifecta
Barry Keoghan has burst onto the Hollywood scene as a powerhouse, most recently in the hit film Saltburn. Alongside his colourful career, Keoghan has a colourful watch collection. For the Saltburnpremiere, he sported a two-tone TAG Heuer Aquaracer. He’s also been spotted in a Vacheron Constantin Overseas, Cartier Santos-Dumont, and even IWC’s bold Top Gun “Lake Tahoe.” However, if there’s one watch brand Keoghan has a particular affinity for, it’s Omega. We’ve seen him wearing a Planet Ocean Black Ceramic, Speedmaster 57, and even a fully blinged-out Aqua Terra in Sedna gold. For the Met Gala, he continued this trend with an Omega trifecta: one diamond-accented piece in rose gold, one classic in yellow gold, and a rare stainless ‘Staybrite’ steel pocket watch with two-tone dial from the 1930s.
Colman Domingo in an IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 44
Colman Domingo has proven himself to be a style icon time and time again. He often opts for something more classic and tailored when it comes to his ensembles. However, he never fails to bring his sense of personal style into his accessories, from jewellery to watches. Domingo isn’t a one watch guy. He likes to switch it up depending on the occasion. At this year’s Academy Awards, we saw him sport an Omega De Ville Prestige, but for the Met Gala he chose an IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 44 in rose gold.
Brooklyn Beckham in a Piaget Polo 79
When your parents are David and Victoria Beckham, you’re born with a keen sense of style and serious access. Brooklyn Beckham’s fashion choices tend to be more minimalist while remaining edgy, and accessories are always part of the look. His collection has some heavy hitters from Rolex, Patek, and Cartier. However, for the Met Gala, Beckham opted for one of the hottest watches to drop this year: Piaget’s Polo 79. The model pays tribute to the original Polo from 1979 in celebration of the brand’s 150th anniversary. It boasts the same all-gold build and integrated bracelet that solidified the Polo as the Maison’s flagship model.
Michelle Yeoh in a Richard Mille RM 07-02
If you plan to be diehard for a single brand, go big or go home. This is clearly Michelle Yeoh’s approach to watches. She has a longstanding relationship working with Richard Mille, one of the most highly coveted brands on the market. (Her husband, Jean Todt, is a former CEO of Ferrari and has close ties to Richard Mille.) Over the years, she’s hit countless red carpets sporting some pretty incredible timepieces from the watchmaker, and the Met Gala is no exception. This year she rocked a blinged out RM 07-02 on a mint green strap.
Nicholas Galitzine in a TAG Heuer Carrera 60th Anniversary
Nicholas Galitzine is a young rising star, gracing the big screen in a slew of romantic comedies. Yet, it’s clear the heartthrob has an old soul based on his choice of timepiece for this year’s Met Gala. He opted for the TAG Heuer Carrera 60th Anniversary, a vintage-inspired homage to the original Carrera from 1963. While it doesn’t seem Galitzine is a big watch guy (yet), the actor does have a bit of history with the Carrera. In his film, The Idea of You co-starring Anne Hathaway, Galitzine’s boy-band character lands a TAG Heuer campaign, and from that moment forward, his Carrera plays a small but significant role in the film.
Corey Gamble in a Patek Philippe Ref. 5160/500G
When it comes to watches, Corey Gamble has proven his loyalty to one brand. And if you’re going to devote yourself to one watch brand, he certainly chose wisely. You can’t go wrong with Patek, and Gamble’s taste within the brand’s catalogue spans across all styles, from the rose gold Nautilus Travel Time with a blue dial to the rare Grand Complication Celestial Emerald in platinum. He even snagged one of the impossible-to-find Tiffany Blue Ref. 5711s. At the Met Gala, he wore a Ref. 5160/500G.
This story was first published on Robb Report USA
