He’s the famously down-to-earth Mullingar lad who achieved global fame with One Direction and as a solo star – but behind his carefully cultivated boy-next-door charm, Niall Horan has developed a taste for high-end wristwatches.
The 32-year-old sent the internet into meltdown this week after he confirmed the June release of his fourth studio album, Dinner Party.
In a slick Instagram reel teasing the drop, Horan debuted a vintage Patek Philippe Calatrava with the hands set to 6:12.
But in the rarefied world of luxury watch photography, hands are almost universally positioned at 10:10, to frame the logo perfectly.
So by choosing 6:12, Horan was sending a covert message – and his diehard fanbase, known as ‘Lovers’, believe that this is a romantic nod to Horan’s girlfriend, Amelia ‘Mia’ Woolley.
The couple’s anniversary falls on June 12, while Horan has revealed the title track of Dinner Party tells the story of the gathering where they first met six years ago.
Horan’s prized Patek Philippe Calatrava, with its yellow gold case, manual-wind movement and small ‘sub-seconds’ dial at the bottom, is believed to be from the 1950s or ‘60s and is considered a serious collector’s piece.
The watch face is paired with a sleek black alligator leather strap, a break from his usual chunky metal bracelets, which perfectly captures the ‘Old Hollywood dinner party’ aesthetic of the music video for his newest track.
Amelia Woolley and boyfriend Niall Horan at Wimbledon last summer. Amelia’s wristwatch looks as though it might have cost a pretty penny too
Depending on reference and condition, a vintage Patek of this calibre can fetch between €14,000 and €21,000 at auction.
And while Horan appears to largely eschew the more ostentatious trappings of the rock ‘n’ roll multi-millionaire lifestyle, he has splashed serious cash on expanding his designer watch collection.
While big brands dominate his personal collection, Niall also has specific pieces for every occasion.
An avid golfer, Horan is a regular guest of Swiss watchmaker Omega at their Celebrity Masters tournament in Crans-Montana, where he hangs out with his golf buddy and Omega brand ambassador Rory McIlroy.
When on the fairway, Horan usually pitches for a €52,200 Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light as his on-course companion, which was actually designed with McIlroy’s input, and is crafted from Gamma Titanium.
Horan’s watch collection also includes more than a handful of Rolexes and several other top-end watches and is believed to be worth in excess of €500,000.
The collection also includes a rose-gold Rolex Day-Date, worth €40,600, which he wore as he played for former US President Joe Biden in the White House on St Patrick’s Day 2023.
The singer is also the proud owner of the notoriously hard-to-source Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711, which costs a whopping €116,000. Niall was spotted wearing the Patek during his stint as a coach on The Voice US.
He also owns a classic Rolex ‘Pepsi’ GMT-Master II, which comes with a price tag of €19,700 and is his jet-setter’s choice at the Monaco Grand Prix.
And at the tennis, Horan has frequently been pictured wearing the Rolex Daytona – woth a cool €34,800 – courtside at Wimbledon.
But it’s not just pricey watches that adorn the star’s guitar-playing arm – he also has a penchant for cheap-and-cheerful accessories.
Throughout his 2024 The Show Tour, Horan stacked his wrists with €5 beaded friendship bracelet thrown to him by fans in the crowd, worn alongside his watches worth tens of thousands.
Off-stage, his one constant bangle is a Buddha-to-Buddha silver chain, a handmade Balinese piece worth around €470 that he’s worn since the One Direction days. It’s a detail that says he’s never lost touch with his beginnings.
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The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711: €116,000
The super-swish Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 doesn’t come cheap
The holy grail of his collection, it cements Horan’s status in the six-figure watch owners’ club.
The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra ‘Ultra Light’: €52,200
The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra ‘Ultra Light’ watch is understated yet eye-catching
This ‘ultimate athlete’s watch’, as dubbed by Omega, is thought to be his dearest leisure ticker.
The ‘Presidential’ Rolex Day-Date: €40,600
This sumptuously Presidential Rolex will set you back a pretty penny – but it gets our vote
Horan’s rose-gold masterpiece, with its signature deep olive-green dial, is the ultimate power move.
The Rolex Daytona: €34,800
Niall’s old-reliable everyday go-to accessory, which he has been photographed sporting courtside in a box at Wimbledon.
Rolex ‘Pepsi’ GMT-Master II: €19,700
The Rolex ‘Pepsi’ GMT-Master II beats all challengers when it comes to colour… and class
The racy jet-setter favourite, seen trackside in Monaco, shows the time in two different time zones.