The Oscars is arguably the biggest and most prestigious awards ceremony in the world of show business. With its roots in real old Hollywood glamour, those lucky enough to walk the Oscars red carpet are dressed in the most luxurious and sought-after clothing and accessories. This year, more than $30million worth of jewellery and watches were worn by guests, who are usually loaned clothing, jewellery and watches for the night by the high-end brands that create them.
The calibre of celebrities and industry executives in attendance - teamed with the huge viewing figures - creates the perfect showcase for these exclusive brands. This week, 26 million people tuned in to enjoy the 90th Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Millions more watched various news and entertainment outlets as they covered the red carpet arrivals both online and on television.
Here at HandT - Shop Online, we have been checking out the luxury watches worn by both male and female attendees of this year’s Academy Awards. One of the large sponsors of this year’s awards was Rolex, so we were interested to see if they made a big appearance on the red carpet too. Here’s a run-down of some of the best luxury watches we spotted, and the lucky celebrities who got to wear them…
Rolex
We spotted just one Rolex among the big stars in attendance this year – and we think it may have brought luck to its wearer, Sam Rockwell, as he won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. This is the first time Sam Rockwell has been nominated for an Oscar, despite his long history of fantastic acting in both lead and supporting roles.
It is believed that Rockwell was wearing his own watch, rather than one which had been borrowed for the evening. His Rolex is a GMT-Master II – a hugely popular and timeless design. Originally created with pilots in mind, this watch allows you to set a fourth hand to show what time it is in a different time zone. For jet-setting celebrities who travel a lot for their work, this watch is both a functional and glamorous must-have accessory.
Omega
While wristwatches have always been a popular accessory for both men and women, females walking the red carpet tend to opt for decorative bracelets and bangles over watches. One exception this year was Hollywood stalwart Nicole Kidman, who wore a beautiful vintage Omega watch from 1953. The design, which includes a variety of both round and emerald-cut diamonds, is delicate and understated, whilst also being a stand-out example of high-end glamour.
IWC Shaffhausen
The most popular watch brand of the evening was undoubtedlyIWC Shaffhausen, a Swiss watch brand which has been designing and engineering luxury watches since 1868. A number of high-profile celebrities were seen wearing IWC Shaffhausen designs, which have a timeless, simple look.
Daniel Kaluuya, star of Get Out and nominee for Best Actor in a Leading Role wore the IWC Ingenieur Chronograph watch in black and gold, which was also the colour of his tuxedo; the perfect pairing for such a prestigious event.
Richard Jenkins, nominee for his supporting actor role in The Shape of Water, wore a classic IWC Portofino Eight Day watch. This is a popular design with both women and men, due to its understated, elegant and timeless look.
Willem Dafoe, nominated for his supporting role in Florida Project sported the stunning IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Edition “Sport for Good Foundation” watch. Although its name is a bit of a mouthful, this stunning design features a midnight blue face with simple, elegant hands and a central date display.
Donald Glover and Garrett Hedlund were also spotted wearing IWC Shaffhausen designs at Oscars after parties, proving it to be a popular brand with a wide appeal.
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Rising star Timothée Chalamet, who was nominated for his lead actor role in Call Me By Your Nameand also starred in the Best Picture nominated Lady Bird, wore a rose gold Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface. Jaeger-LeCoultre is a Swiss luxury watch and clock company who have been manufacturing beautiful precision timepieces since 1833.
At 22, Timothée is one of the younger nominees at this year’s ceremony and his choice of watch is extremely on-trend, with rose gold being dubbed ‘millennial pink’ for its surge in popularity among younger generations. This modern twist is offset nicely by the classic design of the Reverso Tribute Duoface, with its rectangular dial and retro detailing.
Montblanc
Arguably the biggest success of the evening was Guillermo del Toro, who wrote, produced and directed Best Picture winner The Shape of Water. The film went on to pick up statuettes for Best Score and Best Production Design, as well as the highly celebrated Best Director Oscar. It was certainly a very good night for del Toro, who was wearing a Montblanc Sport Chronograph Automatic Date.
As a hugely creative writer and director, it’s understandable that Guillermo del Toro would choose a Montblanc design. Montblanc was founded in 1906 and originally produced fountain pens. Their fine craftsmanship and attention to detail soon lead to them producing luxury watches, with stunning creative designs hiding that all important precision engineering on the inside.
Guillermo del Toro’s Montblanc Sport Chronograph Automatic Date watch features a black dial with white accents. The design is almost art deco in nature, with a functional modern twist. It certainly reflects del Toro’s trademark style, and has many hidden charms.
Here at HandT - Shop Online we off a wide range of luxury pre-owned watches at affordable prices. If you’re looking for a specific model and you can’t see it on our site, please get in touch on 0800 169 0780 or via info@handt.co.uk as we may be able to source what you’re looking for.
