Between ostentation, discretion and mechanical obsession
You can buy islands, private jets, or Basquiat's works. But a watch? It doesn't cheat. It doesn't always show itself. It has to be experienced.
And yet, at the top of the economic world, where numbers have more zeros than meaning, watches tell a story. A lot. More than just a style, they reveal an intimate relationship with time, power, and ego.
Because while some fortunes flaunt 260-carat diamonds, others opt for a $69 Casio . Why? Because in watchmaking, as in strategy, there are two schools of thought: noise — and silence .
On one side, there are collectors who transform their wrists into mobile safes, with Patek Philippe Grand Complications or Jacob & Co Billionaire Watches costing $18 million.
On the other hand, there are those who hate watches like we hate interruptions: Bill Gates, Mark Cuban, Elon Musk—ultra-wealth without the tie or the complication.
This divide isn't a question of style. It's a philosophy. The jewel or the tool. The symbol or silence.
LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault isn't wearing just any Patek. He's wearing the Nautilus Perpetual Calendar 5740 with a Tiffany dial. A unique piece estimated at $6.5 million.
©Photo: hypebeast.com
Anant Ambani , heir to Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani, owns one of the craziest collections in the world: Sky Moon Tourbillon, Grandmaster Chime, for more than 16 million euros combined.
© Photo: gq.com
Floyd Mayweather doesn't do things by halves. His Jacob & Co. Billionaire Watch is set with 260 carats. Value: $18 million. It doesn't tell the time; it announces a fortune.
© Photo: ablogtowatch.com
Bill Gates has never been interested in prestige. His $69.99 Casio Duro follows him everywhere. Waterproof, simple, functional.
© Photo: hodinkee.com
Warren Buffett remains loyal to his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date , a $23,000 watch he's worn for decades.
© Photo: gq-magazine.co.uk
Mark Cuban stopped wearing a watch the day he sold his first company. "Because I don't need someone telling me what time it is anymore."
© Photo: Disney/Christopher Willard I Mark Cuban on "Shark Tank"
Elon Musk , once a fan of Richard Mille or TAG Heuer Carrera SpaceX, now seems to prefer the absence of a watch.
© Photo: gq-magazine.co.uk
Jeff Bezos opts for a Ulysse Nardin Dual Time. Elegant, discreet, perfectly suited to his intercontinental travels.
© Photo: gq-magazine.co.uk
Larry Page and Sergey Brin favor connected technologies over mechanical watches. Tradition isn't always compatible with the algorithmic worldview.
Mukesh Ambani wears a Vacheron Constantin Patrimony or a Rolex Cellini. Two understated models despite his colossal fortune.
© Photo: Vacheron-Constantin.com
Prince Joaan of Qatar owns a Richard Mille RM-056 sapphire watch, limited to 5 pieces, valued at $1.6 million.
© Photo: richardmille.com
Patek Philippe remains an absolute reference, notably with the Grandmaster Chime 6300A ($31 million).
Richard Mille appeals to fans of extreme mechanics. Aggressive lines, ultra-limited editions, futuristic materials.
Rolex embodies reassuring stability. Timeless, resalable, identifiable. And a frequent choice among major investors.
When a watch is worth several million—or simply a lot in your opinion—the question of maintenance becomes central. How can you avoid malfunctions? Congealed lubricants? Shocks?
President – Smart Winder with Biometric Lock
More and more collectors are opting for an automatic watch winder : a discreet accessory, but crucial for keeping the most demanding movements alive.
And for those who want to combine security and care, secure watch winders for collectors offer a double guarantee: physical protection and mechanical continuity.
A clear trend is emerging: fewer display cases, more drawers. Less glitter, more minimalism. Among young billionaires, watches are no longer systematically displayed. They are chosen, lived in... or kept silent.
Because in a world saturated with signals, silence becomes the most precious signature.
Casio or Patek. Rolex or nothing at all. Each top watchmaking choice reflects more than just an aesthetic preference.
The watch is not just a measuring tool. It's an idea, a symbol, an intimate narrative. And for the richest, it remains one of the rare objects that doesn't lie. Just turns.
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