From the Oscars to Monaco: Luxury Watches That Stole the Spotlight
A watch worn on the right wrist at the right moment can define a brand’s decade. It can send collectors scrambling, push secondary market prices skyward, and turn a reference number into cultural shorthand.
The world’s most prestigious events, from Hollywood’s awards season to the streets of Monte Carlo, have become something of an unofficial showcase for fine watchmaking, where craftsmanship meets global attention in real time.
Why Luxury Watches Remain a Defining Accessory at Major Events
The numbers reflect what anyone watching a red carpet broadcast can already sense. The global luxury watch market was estimated at USD 16.86 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 24.48 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 4.8%, driven by strong brand heritage and consistent demand for premium timepieces.
That sustained growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s shaped, in part, by visibility, and few platforms deliver visibility like a live, globally televised event.
1. The Oscars: Classic Elegance Meets Fine Watchmaking
Brands like Cartier, Patek Philippe, and Rolex appear consistently on Oscar night, often in understated references that communicate connoisseurship rather than noise. Patek Philippe represents the ultimate prestige tier, worn by serious collectors, while Audemars Piguet, especially the Royal Oak, appeals to athletes and artists who want something with a stronger visual identity.
The choices made on Oscar night carry weight beyond the ceremony itself. For many brands, getting their product worn by a high-profile individual can drive sales beyond what traditional advertising could achieve, and this effect is amplified when the celebrity is known for their distinct taste in fashion.
2. Cannes Film Festivl: Where Vintage and Modern Icons Shine
Cannes runs on a longer, looser timeline than the Oscars. Ten days of screenings, press events, and parties create multiple opportunities for watch spotting, and the styling tends to be more experimental. Vintage pieces do particularly well here. The relaxed formality of the Croisette suits a slim 1970s Cartier Tank or a vintage Rolex Datejust in a way that a strict black-tie setting might not.
Chopard jewelry and watches have appeared prominently during the Cannes Film Festival, with artists choosing the brand for major public appearances. The festival’s pull on global luxury trends is real because the images it generates circulate for weeks and feed directly into collector conversations online.
Neo-vintage watches are experiencing rapid growth in the pre-owned market, with sales surging by 123% since 2023, making them the fastest-growing segment in the secondary market. Cannes, with its celebration of cinema history and visual artistry, is a natural accelerant for that trend.
3. Monaco Grand Prix: Precision, Performance, and Prestige
Named in honor of the Formula One race, the original TAG Heuer Monaco was introduced simultaneously in Geneva and New York City in 1969. The watch used the mechanism of the Calibre 11 and was the first automatic micro-winding chronograph. It gained broader recognition after Steve McQueen wore it in the 1971 film Le Mans, which over time has closely associated it with the actor.
That legacy continues today. TAG Heuer considers Monaco to be its second home, thanks to a legacy of wins by iconic drivers over the years. In 2025, the partnership went further: TAG Heuer became the first-ever Title Partner of the Monaco Grand Prix, cementing its position as the watch synonymous with motorsport.
What Drives the Motorsport-Watch Connection
The appeal runs deeper than sponsorship. Racing drivers and their audiences are drawn to watches that reflect the same values as the sport itself: precision engineering, reliability under pressure, and a design language that communicates performance.
Timepieces Built for Speed
Richard Mille has taken this philosophy to its logical extreme. The brand frequently collaborates with athletes, producing ultra-lightweight, limited-edition models that hold value because of their scarcity. The RM 50-03 McLaren F1, tied to the racing world, was limited to just 75 pieces. Instant collector’s item.
4. Wimbledon: Timeless Style on and off the Court
Wimbledon’s dress code, its white-on-white aesthetic, and its long tradition of understated British formality make it a natural setting for classic watchmaking. Players, guests, and commentators all contribute to the visual record. The connection between Rolex and tennis is one of the most enduring in sport, with the brand’s Datejust and Oyster Perpetual appearing consistently across the grounds.
Rolex has traditionally stayed away from explicit celebrity endorsements, but its association with sporting legends like Roger Federer has shaped interest in specific references. The Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” soared in demand when Federer was seen wearing it post-retirement.
5. The Met Gala: Watches as Fashion Statements
The Met Gala is the one event where the expected rules of watch styling get set aside entirely. Themed dressing and high-concept fashion create space for unconventional timepiece choices, and the results tend to generate considerable conversation.
Celebrity watch enthusiast Tyler the Creator is known for his extensive collection of vintage women’s Cartier watches. At the Met Gala, actor Jeremy Strong was seen wearing a Richard Mille RM 07-04 women’s watch. These choices signal a broader shift in how watches are understood as personal expression rather than category-bound accessories.
Celebrity influence has altered how people collect. There is a growing crossover between fashion, film, and horology, and an appetite for story-driven purchases rather than just technical specifications. Younger collectors are more likely to buy based on cultural relevance than movement complications.
6. International Film Premieres and Global Press Tours
A film premiere is a controlled environment with guaranteed media coverage. Watch choices made during a press tour can span weeks and dozens of cities, generating a sustained stream of imagery that feeds collector interest long after the tour ends.
With 71% of the global population using the internet in 2024, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube transform celebrity appearances into immediate demand signals. When Rafael Nadal wore the Richard Mille RM 27-05, it led to a sharp rise in online searches and secondary market inquiries within hours.
This is the mechanism that turns a press-tour wrist shot into a market event. The watch becomes a talking point that outlasts the film’s opening weekend.
7. Why Event-Worn Watches Capture Collectors’ Attention
The impact of high-profile exposure on watch demand is measurable. The clearest example may be musician John Mayer, whose endorsement of the green-dial Rolex Daytona drove prices from $68K to $90K+. That kind of price movement doesn’t come from advertising. It comes from genuine cultural association.
For those exploring this space, resources like discover luxury watches for collectors and enthusiasts offer a useful reference point for understanding which references carry genuine long-term appeal versus those riding a short-term wave of attention.
A January 2024 Deloitte report noted that 20% of consumers intended to buy a second-hand watch within the next year, twice the figure from 2020. Event-worn models, particularly those with documented provenance, sit at the intersection of that growing pre-owned appetite and the collector’s desire for pieces with a story.
8. Bringing Red Carpet and Monaco Style Into Your Collection
Building a collection inspired by iconic public moments doesn’t require chasing the exact references seen on screen. It requires understanding what those references represent and finding pieces that carry the same design language or heritage.
A few principles worth keeping in mind:
- Prioritize heritage over hype. Brands with decades of consistent design identity tend to hold value better than those whose visibility is tied to a single cultural moment.
- Understand the pre-owned opportunity. The global pre-owned luxury watch market is expected to reach USD 63.7 billion by 2034, up from USD 24.9 billion in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 9.9%. The secondary market offers access to discontinued references and vintage pieces that no longer appear in brand catalogues.
- Match the watch to your context. A dress watch worn at the Oscars and a chronograph worn at Monaco represent different design philosophies. Both are valid. The question is which one fits the life you actually live.
- Younger collectors continue to shape the market, with millennials and Gen Z drawn to it through social media and the investment potential of pre-owned models. Entry points exist across a wide range of price levels.
The Takeaway
Luxury watches have always been more than accessories. At the Oscars, Cannes, Monaco, and the Met Gala, they carry meaning, communicate identity, and shape how entire categories of timepieces are perceived by the broader public. A watch becomes something more than metal and movement when worn by someone who captivates millions.
