Beyond gowns and tuxedos, the Oscars’ red carpet is as much a stage for horological artistry as it is for fashion. From limited editions to one-of-a-kind complications, the watches worn by Hollywood’s biggest names tell a story all on their own. From Leonardo DiCaprio’s platinum Rolex Perpetual 1908 to Connor Storrie’s vintage TAG Heuer S/El Chronograph and Timothée Chalamet’s artisanal Urban Jürgensen UJ-2, LUXUO explores how both established ambassadors and rising stars curate their timepieces for the red carpet spotlight, revealing the strategic interplay between luxury watchmaking, celebrity influence and cultural visibility.
Rolex’s Presence at Hollywood’s Biggest Night
As Hollywood gathered at the 98th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre, the spotlight extended beyond film to the wrists of the industry’s biggest names. A longstanding partner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Rolex returned as Proud Sponsor of the Oscars® and official host of the Greenroom — an integral space within the ceremony where nominees, presenters and winners gather off stage. The partnership forms part of the brand’s broader Perpetual Arts Initiative and reflects decades of involvement with cinema, both through institutional support and its association with leading figures in the film industry.
Against this backdrop, it was expected that Conan O’Brien — as host of the ceremony — would wear Rolex. Appearing in the latter half of the broadcast, he was seen wearing the Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller, the brand’s most significant recent launch. Introduced in 2025, the model is defined by a new-generation movement and a series of patented innovations, with more than 30 patent applications associated with its development. Its integrated case and bracelet architecture, combined with a high-frequency calibre, positions the Land-Dweller as a technically forward addition to Rolex’s portfolio, marking a rare expansion of the brand’s core collections.
Similarly, Leonardo DiCaprio’s choice of watch aligned directly with his long-standing role as a Rolex Testimonee. He wore the Perpetual 1908 in platinum (reference 52506), a model that represents Rolex’s contemporary interpretation of classical watchmaking. The 1908 is conceived as a dress watch within the brand’s Perpetual collection, combining traditional design codes with modern mechanical performance. Its 39 mm platinum case is paired with an ice-blue dial — a colour reserved exclusively for Rolex platinum watches — featuring a guilloché “rice-grain” motif and a small seconds display at 6 o’clock. The selection was therefore consistent not only with DiCaprio’s ambassadorial role, but also with the positioning of the 1908 as Rolex’s flagship expression of classic horology.
Raising Brand Awareness: Emerging Talent as Visibility Drivers
Red carpet watch visibility is no longer solely driven by established A-list figures. Increasingly, brands are aligning themselves with a new generation of actors gaining rapid cultural traction through breakout roles and high-profile projects. These up-and-coming “men of the moment” may not yet command legacy status, but their visibility across press photography and entertainment media makes them highly effective vehicles for brand exposure.
Case in point: Connor Storrie, who attended the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party wearing a vintage TAG Heuer S/El Chronograph (Ref. S25-706, circa 1988). Originally introduced in the late 1980s, the S/El (Sports Elegance) line — designed in collaboration with Eddy Schöpfer — was defined by its distinctive bracelet architecture and dual emphasis on performance and refinement. The chronograph configuration — housed in a 39 mm case — reflects TAG Heuer’s longstanding focus on precision timing and its deep association with motorsport. The decision to place a vintage model on an emerging actor is instructive. Rather than pushing current-production pieces, TAG Heuer leverages archival design to signal heritage while differentiating the wearer from peers opting for more predictable contemporary references.
Storrie’s growing visibility — driven in part by his role in Heated Rivalry, one of the season’s most talked-about releases — further amplifies this effect. What he wears is consistently captured, catalogued and redistributed across fashion and watch media and for TAG Heuer, this association with a rising figure at the point of peak attention, achieved without reliance on traditional ambassador scale.
Strategic Brand Ambassador Appearances: Visibility at Peak Cultural Moments
Red carpet appearances are carefully calibrated to align product visibility with moments of maximum media saturation — this not only applies to the awards themselves but on the individuals attending them. This dynamic was particularly evident with Timothée Chalamet at the 98th Academy Awards. In the lead-up to the ceremony, Chalamet had already dominated headlines following widely circulated comments on ballet and theatre — demonstrating the enduring industry adage that no press is bad press. While the remarks generated debate, they also ensured that his appearance on the red carpet would be subject to heightened scrutiny. That scrutiny extended — predictably — to his wrist.
Chalamet wore the UJ-2 from Urban Jürgensen, a platinum-cased model with a white dial from the brand’s newly relaunched collection. The UJ-2 represents a significant technical and philosophical statement for the historic maison. Each piece is entirely hand-finished, requiring approximately 565 hours of work by a master watchmaker and is equipped with a double-wheel natural escapement. The hand-turned guilloché dial and flame-blued hands further underscore the brand’s commitment to artisanal production at the highest level.
The placement is notable. For a house in the process of re-establishing its position within the upper tier of independent watchmaking, securing visibility on the wrist of an Oscar-nominated actor — particularly one at the centre of ongoing media attention — represents a strategic inflection point. Chalamet’s current position — situated between award-season recognition and public controversy — becomes part of a broader visibility strategy, where cultural relevance and media momentum are leveraged to reintroduce a historic name to a contemporary audience.
The strategic timing of appearances extends beyond mere red carpet moments. Returning to the Oscars after his 2025 Best Supporting Actor win, Kieran Culkin wore the Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph King Gold 42mm as he arrived and prepared to present the award for Best Supporting Actor. Placing a statement timepiece on the wrist of a highly visible actor at the exact moment he would appear onstage ensured maximum exposure. The broadcast and close-up of the watch while the envelope opened to announce the winner only amplified both the actor’s presence and Hublot’s visibility, turning a ceremonial duty into a showcase of horological prestige.
Cultural Impact of Celebrity Endorsement: Reframing Brand Identity
For many, Chanel remains synonymous with fashion first — ready-to-wear, couture and accessories forming the core of its global identity. The Oscars, however, present a different challenge: how does a Maison more readily associated with style compete (in horological terms) alongside established watchmaking houses? The answer lies in strategic cultural placement.
At the 98th Academy Awards, Pedro Pascal — widely referred to as the “internet’s boyfriend” — appeared wearing the Chanel BOY·FRIEND watch in BEIGE GOLD — a choice that seemed apt and deliberate. Introduced as part of Chanel’s contemporary watch portfolio, the BOY·FRIEND collection draws on masculine design codes — clean lines, a rectangular case and restrained dial execution—reinterpreted through the Maison’s aesthetic language. Crafted in BEIGE GOLD, Chanel’s proprietary alloy positioned between yellow and pink gold, the Large model is paired with an alligator-pattern calfskin strap, reinforcing its role as a refined dress watch as opposed to a technical-focused creation.
The naming itself — BOY·FRIEND — is not incidental. When placed on the wrist of a Hollywood personality such as Pascal, the watch becomes both a product and a cultural signifier. Chanel does not have to compete on traditional watchmaking metrics such as complication or mechanical innovation. Instead, the brand leverages cultural capital — aligning product, personality and narrative to result in a watch derives its relevance not from horological positioning alone, but from its ability to resonate within contemporary popular culture.
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