Yahoo Lifestyle The 22 Best Watches of the Paris Olympics
Paris pulled out all the stops for this year’s Summer Olympic Games. The city has been totally transformed, offering spectators everything imaginable from premium seats to Michelin-star meals. As a result, The City of Lights has become the place to see and be seen, and everyone from spectators to athletes have been bringing their A-game by brushing up at the poshest spas and rocking killer uniforms. With Omega as the Official Timekeeper, the watch community has also been a big part of the Games, with an Omega House pop-up boutique in the heart of the city and, of course, the gorgeous Bronze Gold Edition watch designed just for the occasion, and two special edition Speedmasters for the Olympics. The Olympic uniforms were mostly superb and colorful, yet Paris—which is loaded with great watch boutiques full of great French watches to commemorate the games—has become prime for watch spotting from A-list celebs to the top athletes. Here are the 20 best watches from The Paris Olympic Games.
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Noah Lyles’ Omega Speedmaster Apollo 8 Dark Side of the Moon
In one of the closest races of the Olympic Games—so close officials had to review the footage from Omega’s photo-finish camera to discern Lyles’ head crossing the finish line mere fractions of a second before Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson—the USA track star and Omega ambassador took home a massive victory with his Apollo 8 Dark Side of the Moon right by his side. This particular version is the second generation of the Dark Side of the Moon, with a 44.25 mm black ceramic case, a black bezel with a tachymeter scale, and a partially skeletonized dial.
Novak Djokovic’s Hublot Big Bang Unico Ceramic
The Paris Olympic Games marked a major moment for top ranked tennis star Novak Djokovic. An Olympic Gold was the last notch the Serbian player needed to add to his roster of wins at each of the major tournaments. At 37 years old and with the Summer Olympics only coming around every four years, Djokovic knew this might be his last chance to secure the coveted accolade before retirement. Up against the sport’s latest rising star and Rolex ambassador, Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic knew he had to bring everything he had to land the win, and he did just that. To commemorate the well-deserved victory, the Hublot ambassador strapped on his trusty Big Bang Unico Ceramic as he took the quintessential photo with his gold medal.
Tara Davis-Woodhall, Rolex Datejust 29 Two-Tone
Did husband and wife both wear Rolexes while celebrating Davis-Woodhall’s gold-medal-winning long jump? We are fairly certain they did. To our eye, she was sporting the smaller 29 mm Datejust when she lept to victory this week, a perfect compliment to her husband’s 36 mm solid-gold Day-Date. What a duo!
Hunter Woodhall, Rolex Day-Date 18063
Paralympics champion Hunter Woodhall—husband to Tara Hunter-Woodhall—was wearing what we believe is an older Rolex Day-Date reference 18063 when he and his wife celebrated her gold medal leap. We sluthed a bit and saw both thinner baton markers on the dial as well as spaces between links on the “President” bracelet, suggesting a vintage five-digit piece. Perhaps a family watch?
Tom Cruise’s Rolex Day-Date Meteorite Dial
Tom Cruise has brought his big personality to the stands of this summer’s Paris Olympic Games all while showing off a major wrist flex: a Rolex Day-Date Meteorite Dial to be exact. Over the years, we’ve seen the film legend and avid watch collector sport a slew of different watches, including models from Cartier and Vacheron Constantin while on tour promoting the latest installment in the Mission Impossible franchise last year. For this summer’s Olympic Games, he opted for a classic model from The Crown with a twist in the form of stunning meteorite dial. Cruise is slated to perform a stunt at the Closing Ceremonies this Sunday, and you can bet we’ll have our eyes on his wrist to see what he chooses for the occasion.
LeBron James’ Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ‘Extra-Thin’ Tourbillon
LeBron James is no stranger to the Olympics, appearing at four different Games over the years and taking home a total of three medals for the USA Men’s Basketball Team. This summer in Paris, the iconic athlete made history following USA’s win over Puerto Rico, putting him fourth all time in Olympics history for the most assists with 110. Perhaps the incredible watch he wore at the Opening Ceremonies brought him good fortune. He opted for an AP with loads of bling and technical prowess to boot. The Royal Oak ‘Extra-Thin’ Tourbillon features a 41 mm pink-gold case, a bold blue dial with a “Tapisserie Evolutive” pattern, and a bezel set with 32 baguette-cut sapphires.
Serena Williams’ Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked
Tennis legend Serena Williams has gotten to enjoy this summer’s Paris Olympic Games from the sidelines cheering on team USA. The longtime AP ambassador was, of course, fitted with an incredibly gorgeous model at the Opening Ceremonies. Over the years, her collection has run the gambit from fully blinged out models to sporty ones on the court. For this occasion, she opted for one of the newest models from the Maison, the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked launched just last month. Williams chose the stainless steel variant with a contrasting rose gold dial, which perfectly complemented her bold red dress.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Richard Mille RM 07-04 Automatic Sport
Sprint powerhouse Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce brought some sunshine to the track this week with her large, peachy-colored Richard Mille RM 07-04 Automatic Sport. It’s the first Mille sports watch dedicated to women, with 5,000 gauss shock resistance, titanium and quartz TPT construction to keep it lightweight despite its bulk and 50-meter water resistance. It is powered by a skeletonized automatic movement. $380,000
Thierry Henry’s Patek Philippe Nautilus x Virgil Abloh x MAD Paris
Thierry Henry has devoted his life and career to the sport of soccer, playing professionally for over 15 years then transitioning to coaching after retiring following the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Over the past decade, he’s coached several teams, but this year marks his first time coaching the French Olympic Team at this summer’s Games. Henry is also a watch collector with a particular affinity for Patek Philippe, often sporting models like a classic Nautilus. However, for the Paris Olympics, he pulled out all the stops, rocking one of the most rare limited editions from the brand: the Nautilus x Virgil Abloh x MAD Paris. The exclusive model was co-designed by a powerhouse trio back in 2019 and features a distinctly stealthy black DLC coating. It was the perfect choice for the Opening Ceremonies, where the iconic Olympic torch was presented in a Louis Vuitton trunk.
Spike Lee’s Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
Acclaimed director Spike Lee is another A-list celebrity who’s been proudly supporting Team USA at this summer’s Olympic Games. His model of choice comes as no surprise. The Rolex devotee is a self-proclaimed Daytona fanatic, sporting a number of different versions of the beloved model over the years, from a sleek and sporty gold and black version to the unique meteorite dial iteration in Paris. The watch features an 18-karat yellow-gold case, a black Cerachrom bezel, a black Oysterflex bracelet, and, of course, a striking meteorite dial front and center. The model is a particular flex, as Rolex discontinued meteorite dials for Daytona models last March.
Shaun White’s Omega Speedmaster Moonshine Gold
Shaun White is a Winter Olympic legend. During his career, he appeared at five different Games and landed three gold medals in half-pipe snowboarding, making him the world record holder for the most X Games gold medals and most Olympic gold medals won by a snowboarder. This year, he’s been enjoying the Summer Olympics from the sidelines sporting his go-to timepiece: the Omega Speedmaster Moonshine Gold. White is a longtime Omega ambassador, and this particular model has been in his regular rotation, rocking it since the Oscars in 2022. The watch made its debut that year and takes design cues from the fourth-generation Speedmaster, with a 42 mm case in 18-karat Moonshine Gold, a sun-brushed green PVD “step” dial, a green ceramic bezel with a tachymeter scale, and a manual-winding chronograph movement.
Pharrell Williams’ Richard Mille RM Up-01 Ferrari
Pharrell Williams is not only a music industry icon but a major fan of Richard Mille. The 13-time Grammy Award winner has sported watches from the brand for years. He even went on to notch his own collab with the famed watchmaker back in 2019, resulting in the RM 52-05 Tourbillon Pharrell Williams. Pharrell has been enjoying the Paris Olympic Games as a spectator this summer, and of course, he’s worn an RM for the occasion. This time, he’s opted for the RM Up-01 Ferrari, which debuted in 2022. The timepiece was launched as part of a multi-year partnership between the Swiss watchmaker and Ferrari, with its 55 mm cushion-shaped dial designed to look like the dashboard of a Prancing Horse. Upon its initial release, it was the thinnest watch in the world, later being bested by the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra. The RM Up-01 Ferrari has been a favorite of Pharrell’s over the past couple years, rocking it since his debut Louis Vuitton show at Paris Fashion Week in 2022.
Devin Booker’s Cartier Tank Asymetrique
Devin Booker made his USA Basketball national team debut in 2020, winning a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. At this summer’s Paris Olympic Games, he’s played alongside LeBron James hoping to make it to the finals and take home another gold medal. The four-time NBA All-Star is also an avid watch collector, typically sporting models from Rolex and AP. However, for the Opening Ceremony in Paris, Booker opted for something a little different: The Cartier Tank Asymetrique The model first debuted in 2020, updating the original 1936 design with modern elements. Offered in an array of metals and style options, Booker chose the rose gold version with a sleek black dial and black strap.
Jayson Tatum, Audemars Piguet Code 11.59
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, one of the top-paid players in the NBA, made an appropriately upscale statement at the Olympics with an Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph. The architecture of the openworked movement is as complicated as any court play diagram, and the 18k pink gold mixed with black ceramic is a defining look in high-end sports watches right now. Price on request.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Breitling Chronomat B01
The basketball superstar and Breitling ambassador collaborated on a line of Chronomat B-01 limited editions earlier this year, and has been wearing his custom, all-gold version of the watch, with Arabic numerals. The rose gold limited edition with a rubber strap is priced at $23,000. Giannis-centric details include a “GA” monogram on the seconds hand counterpoint, a basketball emblem in the hour totalizer and a dial shade matched to the star’s Milwaukee Bucks team color.
Emmanuel Macron, Merci Paris
President Emmanuel Macron looked very Presidential in the stands during the games in his home country, donning a suit and tie each day, surrounded by intense body guards. He rolled his sleeves up just enough to show off his Paris-based, Swiss-made timepiece, a three-hand, minimalist, all-business Merci Paris LMM-01 field watch. It does have a Swiss movement, however, the Sellita SW210-01. €590 ($645)
Angel Reese, Rolex Lady Datejust
Women’s basketball champion Angel Reese may favor flashy footwear in her Reeboks collaboration (launching in late August), but her wrist is adorned with a classic Crown: a diamond-studded, two-tone Rolex Lady Datejust. The six-foot-two-inch Chicago Sky forward is a pop-culture symbol of the modern, strong women and what she can achieve, which makes the Datejust, which can take you from the court directly to the after party, fittingly aspirational. $19,200
Naomi Osaka, TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Naomi Osaka Limited Edition
It’s a brat-green summer for tennis prodigy Naomi Osaka, with this customized Aquaracer that Osaka had a hand in designing. She chose light green for the dial and a darker green for the rubber strap, partly as a statement about her love of nature and all things green. An additional strap is made from 100% recycled and recyclable fishing nets. The 36 mm case is steel with a ceramic bezel, and the watch is water resistant to 300 meters. $4,050.
Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra-Light
As an Omega ambassador, the 24-year-old Swedish-American pole vaulter has the full backing of the main sponsors of the Olympics. He sported an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra-Light while beaming from ear to ear after winning gold and breaking his own world record. The 41 mm titanium watch was designed with Mondo in mind: the yellow seconds hand is shaped like a pole vault. $12,000
Anthony Davis, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph
If flexing were an Olympic sport, the gold medal would go to Lakers power forward and nine-time NBA Allstar Anthony Davis, with this 18k gold Royal Oak openworked chronograph tourbillon. The 45 mm wide x 16.3 mm thick watch makes a big statement on a big guy (6 feet, 8 inches) in black and red gold, with an openworked design inspired by contemporary architecture. Price on request.
Miles Chamley-Watson, Richard Mille RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph
Fencer, Olympic medallist and Richard Mille ambassador Miles Chamley-Watson brought his best wrist-game to the piste this month. His yellow RM 65-01 Automatic Split-Seconds Chronograph matches his hair and glows like a beacon against his white uniform. The caliber RMAC4 is Mille’s most complicated automatic movement: A split-seconds column-wheel chronograph that runs at a high frequency of 36,000 vph. The quartz TPT case is made of silica fibers saturated with resins. $380,000
Rafael Nadal, Richard Mille RM 27-05
The Olympics may have been the tennis great’s farewell tour – he lost to Djokovic in the 60th match of their rivalry – but Rafa Nadal has won the respect of every tennis fan on earth. He is known almost as well for wearing his Richard Mille RM 27-05 tourbillon on the court as he is for his fearsome forehand. It was designed to withstand a g-force of 14,000, yet the titanium and carbon case make it the lightest mechanical tourbillon on record. $1,150,000
