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Perpetual calendars, tourbillons, jewellery watches, and at least one Daytona all made an appearance across the red carpet of the 98th Academy Awards. But beyond the mechanics, what stood out most was the variety. Traditional dress watches shared the spotlight with bold, unconventional picks, and there was a noticeable shift toward watches that might once have been labelled feminine, now worn with complete confidence.
Here are the watches that caught our eye.
Michael B. Jordan — Vintage Piaget Ref. 9297
The night’s biggest winner arrived with the night’s most quietly compelling watch. Rather than reaching for a contemporary piece, Jordan wore a vintage Piaget reference 9297 from the 1970s, a slim, rectangular dress watch in 18-karat yellow gold with a pavé diamond dial and black alligator strap. The warm gold case frames a glimmery pavé diamond inset dial in perfect contrast with a black alligator strap. Jordan selected it from his personal collection, sourced from a private vintage dealer, a collector’s instinct over a brand obligation. As he walked off with the Best Actor statuette for Sinners, the gold of the watch and the gold of the Oscar were very much in conversation.
Shaboozey — Chopard L’Heure du Diamant
The singer arrived in a black-and-white Campillo suit with Christian Louboutin shoes and multiple diamond and pearl accessories, and the statement piece was his $91,600 white-gold Chopard L’Heure du Diamant watch. Technically positioned within Chopard’s women’s collections, the fully pavé diamond bracelet-watch worn with complete conviction was one of the red carpet’s defining jewellery moments.
Pedro Pascal — Chanel BOY·FRIEND
Pascal arrived in custom Chanel, in a white poplin shirt, black tuxedo pants, a sleek cummerbund, and a Chanel Boy·Friend watch, tied together by a white silk and feather Camélia brooch. The BOY·FRIEND in Beige Gold, Chanel’s proprietary alloy between yellow and pink gold, is paired with an alligator-pattern calfskin strap, reinforcing its role as a refined dress watch. Head-to-toe Chanel, from brooch to wrist, is a rare and considered move.
Kumail Nanjiani — Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton
Nanjiani selected one of the technically most demanding pieces of the entire evening: the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton in rose gold, with a skeletonised dial and a tourbillon whose cage is shaped after the brand’s Maltese cross emblem. The movement is just 5.65mm in height, a remarkable feat of engineering. A serious collector’s choice from an actor who has quietly become one of Hollywood’s most knowledgeable watch enthusiasts.
Hudson Williams — Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas
The Heated Rivalry star wore the Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas Lunar New Year edition, with a distinctive ruby guilloché dial, the real stars of the show alongside his Balenciaga suiting. Williams has been building toward this moment all awards season, earlier this year he wore a Serpenti necklace to the Golden Globes. On his wrist at the Oscars, the coiled snake felt less like a provocation and more like a natural evolution of his red carpet identity.
Joe Alwyn — Hublot Classic Fusion Essential Grey
Alwyn arrived with the Hublot Classic Fusion Essential Grey in 42mm, an e-commerce exclusive, a monochromatic statement in grey that presents the Classic Fusion design language in its most reduced form. Supporting Hamnet across eight nominations, Alwyn’s watch matched his restraint: no chronograph, no complications, just a clean, considered piece that let the tailoring lead.
Miles Caton — Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Titanium King Gold
The Brooklyn-born breakout star of Sinners wore a two-tone Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Titanium King Gold 45mm on a black rubber strap, paired with a monochromatic maroon Amiri suit. The tonal pairing, warm gold against deep burgundy, was one of the most visually cohesive watch-and-outfit combinations of the night.
Adam Pearson — Montblanc Star Legacy
Pearson’s monochromatic look featured a Star Legacy timepiece from Montblanc, the subtle blue against grey from the moonphase display made this bold 42mm watch a quiet style statement. One of the evening’s more understated choices, and all the more memorable for it.
