Fashion’s biggest night, the Met Gala, has been responsible for seismic trends in red carpet fashion. Thanks to the ongoing partnership between the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Vogue, the annual Gala has celebrated stylistic risks, and bold statements on the grandest stage.
What constitutes a ‘great’ outfit on the night is hard to define. The Met Gala’s most stylish men balance creative flair with an understanding of the trends of the time. One of the great constants of the Met Gala ensemble is a great watch. The best time to debut a timepiece, amongst your absolute finest clothing, watch spotting at the Met Gala is a horological goldmine of rare birds, vintage classics, and sometimes unreleased or custom timepieces that may never be seen again.
Take Michelle Yeoh, a longtime Richard Mille ambassador, balances her exquisite gowns with the futuristic shape iconic to the Swiss watchmaker, year after year. Or Kim Jones, who debuted an incredibly rare Rolex “Pre-Daytona” Chronograph at the 2023 Met Gala. Corey Gamble, one of the few owners of the Patek Phillipe x Tiffany & Co. Nautilus, who understandably, busted out his watch just a few months after it was released.
As the Met Gala became a little more, shall we say, conspicuous, the watches on display followed suit. Old-school tuxedos worn with dress watches, gave way to extravagant looks that needed the bling to match. For the voracious watch-spotters amongst us, the diversification of watches on display at the Met Gala, year after year, makes for great viewing.
So with one eye on the couture, and another on the watches, here are the greatest watches we’ve ever spotted on the Met Gala red carpet.
