The Most Popular Watches of 2022 Are…

Each 12 months since 2019, I’ve sifted by a 12 months’s value of movie star watch sightings on  red-carpets, VIP events, speak exhibits, and papped-up espresso runs to search out the most well-liked items and types in famous-people-dom. I do it as a result of I feel it helps us perceive which watches are effervescent into the mainstream. It’s additionally an index of need: which watches most attraction to an viewers with limitless entry, plenty of funds, and loads of occasions on the schedule? These are the folks luxurious watches are virtually made for—and these are the watches they wore most. 

The Most Widespread Watch of the Yr

For the primary time in 4 years, the most well-liked watches amongst celebrities has modified. A bit of bit, not less than. Prior to now, the record was caught in stasis: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus, and a Rolex. This 12 months, the ultimate tally offers us a brand new, if much less various, high three.

1. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
2. Rolex GMT-Grasp II 
T-3. Rolex Daytona
T-4. Rolex Day-Date

The Royal Oak was far and away 2022’s hottest timepiece—so many celebs wore it I truly needed to add columns to the Google Sheet I’ve used to maintain observe of the watches through the years. The explanation for all of the RO love this 12 months? The watch was celebrating its fiftieth anniversary and AP turned out a big handful of various special-edition watches—that wound up on the wrists of LeBron James, John Mayer, Serena Williams, Anthony Davis, and Ben Simmons. The blue-ceramic Royal Oak was additionally a large hit amongst celebrities. All these particular editions pushed the watch to unprecedented recognition. 

In the meantime, the GMT-Grasp was the spotlight of Rolex’s new releases from this 12 months. The Crown put out a brand new destro (left-handed) model of the mannequin with a green-and-black “Sprite” bezel. Of us like Russell Westbrook and Roger Federer wore that piece, whereas many others felt the necessity to showcase their very own GMTs. This isn’t only a celebrity-collector phenomenon, both. Every time Rolex places out a brand new model of a mannequin, it all the time creates demand for adjoining fashions from the previous. Apparently celebrities are simply as simply persuaded. Out of all of the watch’s flavors, the favourite was the black-and-brown Root Beer. 

It’s not stunning that the Day-Date and Daytona are well-liked, however it’s stunning to see which watch they got rid of the rostrum. The Nautilus, after a three-year run of being a part of the favored crowd, has been unceremoniously dumped. In fact, it’s much less prefer it misplaced standing and extra like its household pulled them out of faculty totally. Patek discontinued its hottest model of the Nautilus, the straightforward 5711, as a result of it was hogging an excessive amount of of the highlight. Ever since that call, the watch’s numbers on this unscientific rating have decreased. I don’t need to overstate the Nautilus’s decline an excessive amount of, although. If we had been to take away Rolex from this train, the Nautilus could be the following hottest watch after the Royal Oak. 

The Model of the Yr 

Rolex, once more, was miles forward of the competitors. I counted 64 Rolex items on movie star wrists this 12 months, and AP was subsequent with 33—solely two of which weren’t a Royal Oak, Royal Oak Idea, or Royal Oak Offshore. That’s what makes Rolex’s dominance so spectacular: it will get the job finished with large range. After the Royal Oak, the following most-spotted items had been completely different items from Rolex: the GMT, the Daytona, and the Day-Date. 

The consistency of those outcomes through the years hides among the adjustments occurring within the background. Celeb wristwear has undoubtedly diversified since 2019. I’m recognizing manufacturers like Omega, Cartier, IWC, Tag Heuer, and even Vacheron Constantin rather more than I used to be simply a few years in the past. 

Robust run for Richard Mille, although. What was one of many high manufacturers in 2019–35 spots!—is in freefall. I solely noticed the model’s watches six occasions in 2022. 

Greatest Riser 

Pictures: Getty Photographs, Tag Heuer; Collage: Gabe Conte

I noticed twice as many Tag Heuer watches as I did final 12 months. And, better of all, the model is doing it with out one killer watch sopping up all the eye. Celebrities are spreading the wealth round to watches just like the Monaco, Carrera, and Aquaracer. Clearly, partnerships with of us like Ryan Gosling, Jacob Elordi, and Jimmy Butler are paying off. Now, I simply want to search out out which A-lister is courageous sufficient to put on the model’s new Mario Kart watch. 

The Glad-You-Made-It Award 

Vacheron Constantin went from the unenviable goose egg to 6 spots this 12 months. Fairly good! And each time the model reminded us why it’s so particular, and why you won’t see it on the wrists of that many celebrities. The model’s watches are purposefully not flashy—however celebrities like Tom Cruise, Steph Curry, and Michael B. Jordan confirmed why they’re nice red-carpet companions.