Yahoo Lifestyle 9 of Tom Brady’s Most Eye-Popping Watches
Tom Brady is now navigating the watch game with as much skill and precision as he did the football field.
The seven-time Super Bowl champ, who retired in February 2023 after 23 prolific years in the NFL, has curated an impressive watch collection over the past two decades that is up there with the best of them.
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Brady says his parents ignited his passion for horology, gifting him his first watch to celebrate his high school graduation and acceptance into the University of Michigan in the late 1990s. It wasn’t until he became a New England Patriot that he started seriously collecting, though. (One needs that sweet professional quarterback cash to take up what can be quite an expensive hobby.) The quarterback famously purchased an IWC GST Automatic Alarm, an IWC GST Chronograph Rattrapante, and a Panerai Luminor Marina from the Tourneau store in Manhattan after winning his first Super Bowl in 2002, proving that he was ready to enter the horological big leagues.
Brady, who notched 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and another three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has since become a poster boy for high horology and has been spotted in some incredible timepieces over the past few years. The 47-year-old served as an IWC ambassador from 2019 to 2023, counting at least 20 of the Swiss watchmaker’s timepieces in his collection. He has also acquired vintage Rolex Daytonas, ultra-rare Pateks, six-figure Richard Milles, and a one-of-a-kind Audemars Piguets. He has even snapped up the iconic Cartier Crash much to the dismay of purists.
With a sharp eye for quality timepieces, Brady is building a collection that could become as legendary as his deep pass.
Below are nine of the best Brady watch flexes we’ve seen in the past year.
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September 2023
Brady wore a suitably iconic Rolex as he was honored by the New England Patriots in September 2023. This particular Daytona (Ref. 6241) features a striking dial that has been nicknamed the “John Player Special” after British outfit John Player & Sons. The Nottingham-based tobacco and cigarette manufacturer, often referred to simply as Player’s, sponsored the Lotus Formula One team in racing during the 1970s and created an iconic livery for the cars. The dial showcases the same black and gold hues as the autos and three chronograph subdials with square lollipop hash marks. Brady’s case appears to be attached to a matching gold jubilee bracelet.
September 2023
One way to improve a selfie is with ultra-rare wrist candy. Brady showed off his Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 in a snap last September, executing the ultimate watch flex. Released in 1951 as the successor to the Ref. 1518, the 18-karat yellow-gold perpetual calendar with moon phases is considered a holy grail among collectors. Only 10 or so examples were produced each year during the model’s 35-year production run. The highly complicated timepiece can easily attract over a million at auction.
October 2023
Brady sported a swish Patek Philippe Nautilus to the 2023 WNBA Playoffs in October. First released in 1976, the Nautilus was a truly innovative design for the time with a porthole-shaped case, octagonal bezel, horizontally embossed dial, and integrated bracelet. Forty years on, the sports watch has been artfully reimagined a myriad of times and remains one of the most coveted models in watchmaking. This particular example, Ref. 5980/1R, is distinguished by a rose-gold case, a contrasting black dial, and a screw-down crown. The watch also features a self-winding flyback chronograph, with a date aperture at three o’clock and a 60-minute and 12-hour monocounter at six o’clock. This iteration of the Nautilus is priced at a cool $108,820.
November 2023
Our former Patriot was spotted wearing a dazzling Richard Mille next to Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in November. Released in 2020, the RM 72-01 is the elegant successor to the Swiss watchmaker’s landmark RM 11 chronograph. The signature curved tonneau case spans 38.4 mm by 47.3 mm and is held together with 20 spline screws. The model comes in various materials and colorways, but the GOAT opted for a titanium case and a black rubber strap.
In true Richard Mille fashion, the dial showcases skeletonized bridges and plates, as well as three unconventionally placed subdials with colorful hands. The watch retailed for $188,000 at the time of release, but can now sell for over $300,000 on the second-hand market.
December 2023
Brady went all in on a Patek Philippe timepiece for the Fontainebleau’s Las Vegas grand opening in December. The Sky Moon Tourbillon (Ref. 5002J-001) stems from the manufacturer’s introduction of the Star Caliber 2000 at the start of the new millennium. That 21-function pocket watch inspired Patek to launch a wristwatch spin-off in platinum by 2001. Brady’s 18-karat yellow-gold iteration was released afterwards and was discontinued by 2014, along with the rest of the Sky Moon Tourbillon series. As such, the rarity can cost as much as $1.35 million on the secondary market.
April 2024
Brady wore an elegant Cartier Crash to the Laureus World Sports Awards in April, proving that this quirky timepiece has definitely made it to the mainstream. Released in 2023, the modern reference (CRWGCH0050) takes design cues from the 1960s original but showcases a flashy new platinum case and an updated in-house movement (Caliber 1917 MC). Platinum gives the case a contemporary feel while rendering it durable and scratch-resistant. The gray calfskin strap complements the cool tones of the metal while contrasting the clean white dial and ruby cabochon on the crown.
May 2024
Our star quarterback celebrated his own dedicated night of comedy by getting his own custom Audemars Piguet. Made especially for Netflix’s Greatest Roast of All Time: The Roast of Tom Brady, the unique Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon showcases a white-gold case, a matching gold bracelet, a glitzy diamond-set bezel, a salmon tapisserie dial, and, of course, multiple nods to the football great. The standard indices have been replaced with diamond letters that spell “Tom Brady” and the Roman numeral “VII” in honor of his Super Bowl wins, while the movement has been engraved with Brady’s signature. The one-off, which Brady wore during the roast, will be auctioned off this December (estimate: $400,000 to $800,000) along with several of Brady’s other timepieces.
August 2024
The GOAT rocked one of the greatest new Rolexes at Fanatics Fest in August. Launched at Watches & Wonders earlier this year, the GMT-Master II “Bruce Wayne” (Ref. 126710GRNR) features a fresh “gris noir” or “gray black” colorway. (That explains the addition of “GRNR” to the reference number and the nod to Batman.) The newcomer showcases all the classic hallmarks of the model, such as a large 40 mm Oystersteel case, a black dial with a date window at three o’clock, and an Oyster bracelet. The distinguishing element is the rotating Cerachrom bezel, which uses gray and black inserts to differentiate between daytime and nighttime hours. Powered by an in-house automatic movement (Caliber 3285), the watch offers 70 hours of power reserve. It will set you back $17,150, but good luck getting one at retail.
September 2024
Brady decided a soccer match is as good a time as any to wear a rare, one-of-two Audemars Pigue. He casually flexed a Royal Oak Grande Complication as he watched his team Birmingham City FC play Wrexham AFC in England in September. Featuring a sizable, 44 mm stainless steel case and a striking sapphire dial, the timepiece is equipped with a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, and a split-seconds chronograph.
