« The Watches Worn by Heads of State and Stars »
For many watch enthusiasts, there is something special about wearing the same watch as a public figure or politician who has made a lasting impression on them. Luxury watchmakers such as Omega and Rolex are well aware of this effect, and they are especially keen to sign stars from film, television, music, and sports as brand ambassadors and endorsers for their products. But the really interesting question, of course, is which watches these stars actually buy and wear privately – without an endorsement deal, away from the spotlight and the red carpet. Here in our magazine, we introduce a few of them.
Stars and Presidents – Their Taste in Watches Brings Coveted Publicity
Even the great Breguet, one of the pioneers of haute horlogerie and the reputed inventor of the wristwatch, understood the promotional power of prominent figures – and counted a whole host of crowned heads among his exclusive clientele.
In doing so, he set off a trend that continues to this day. Renowned watchmakers such as Rolex, Omega, and others still keep a close eye on who wears their products, and they are delighted when one of their men's or women's watches shows up in as many press photos as possible on the wrist of a particularly famous personality.
For the makers of high-end wristwatches, this matters not least because it allows them to subtly reach a highly relevant, affluent target group that is hard to address through targeted product placement in the usual channels, such as films or music videos.
From Affordable and Understated to Luxurious and High-End: Which Stars Wear Which Watches?
Incidentally, there is no simple answer to which watch brands are most popular among heads of state, stars, and other prominent figures. Brands with a strong market presence, such as Omega and Rolex, are certainly popular in these circles, but the spectrum is considerably broader. Some public figures make a point of showing modesty and wear a watch that costs far less than what their income would allow. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for example, chose a Boccia Titanium – a model that is entirely affordable for the general public far beyond the realm of top-level politics. Much the same could be said of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who opted for Casio.
Internationally famous film stars and top athletes, on the other hand, often prefer men's and women's watches from the very highest price brackets. The wrists of Adrien Brody, Brad Pitt, and Clint Eastwood, for instance, are graced by fine timepieces from A. Lange & Söhne – a brand also appreciated by entertainer Harald Schmidt.
Boris Becker, by contrast, wears an IWC Portugieser Tourbillon, making him a fan of the same brand as Günther Netzer, Heiner Lauterbach, Heinz Hoenig, Zinedine Zidane, and Vitali Klitschko – as well as former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
Sometimes, a preference for a particular brand is shared by personalities who at first glance seem to have little in common. The clean, understated watches from NOMOS, for example, are said to have been spotted on the wrist of feminist writer Alice Schwarzer as well as on that of Rocky and Rambo star Sylvester Stallone and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Omega fans include Hollywood actor George Clooney, German talk show host Thomas Gottschalk, comedian Mario Barth, and pop mogul Dieter Bohlen, as well as Britain's Prince William, who – very much in the tradition of Britain as a former maritime world power – wears an Omega Seamaster.
Naturally, no discussion would be complete without Rolex women's and men's watches, which are likewise worn by a large and diverse following of celebrities and rank among the most popular watches of the stars. A refined yet rugged Rolex Submariner, for example, accompanied communist revolutionary icon Che Guevara through the class struggle, and actor Bruce Willis, soccer coach Christoph Daum, Die Zeit editor-in-chief Giovanni di Lorenzo, and former German President Christian Wulff have all frequently been seen wearing a Rolex. Gérard Depardieu – French actor, Putin admirer, and now also a Russian citizen – tells the time with a steel Rolex GMT Master, which no doubt serves him well when switching between the time zones of France and Russia.
Dyed-in-the-wool politician and amateur pilot Franz-Josef Strauß, on the other hand, fittingly preferred a Breitling Navitimer, a brand preference he shared with Hans Meiser and John Travolta.
President's Watches – A Particularly Exclusive League Among Celebrity Watches
In the eyes of many watch enthusiasts, President's Watches – wristwatches worn by a U.S. president or a comparable figure – form a particularly exclusive league among the watches of the stars.
An early example of men's watches that became known as a President's Watch is the Vulcain brand, whose timepieces were prized by U.S. President Harry S. Truman for their alarm complication and have since been presented to every subsequent president. That said, other watches can also rightfully claim the title of President's Watch.
John F. Kennedy, for example, liked to rely on Omega wristwatches, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mikhail Gorbachev, the initiator of "perestroika," also appreciated a luxurious Omega Constellation.
This naturally raises the question of which watch brand U.S. President Barack Obama actually wears. The answer: the TAG Heuer Series 1500. If nothing else, this makes it clear that the brand – also favored by Werner Baldessarini, among others – of course deserves a place on any list of celebrity watches.