Jay-Z Wears One of Patek Philippe’s Most Fascinating Watches

When you’re Jay-Z, there is no shortage of reasons to show off your world-class watch collection. He busts out $1 million Patek Philippes for the Grammys, and the brand’s most interesting vintage Nautilus at the Super Bowl. What to wear, then, to the Las Vegas Grand Prix? In keeping with the Patek Philippe theme, Jay-Z strapped on his trusty rose-gold ref. 5961R, a watch that serves as a window into the history of both the storied maison and horology itself.

The story of Jay’s 5961 starts in the early 1990s, after the watch world was recovering from the devastation of the Quartz Crisis that dominated the ‘70s. Despite its storied history, even Patek Philippe felt the effects of this era, and with sales of its ultra-complicated perpetual calendars flagging, the Stern family looked for a solution. In 1996, Patek debuted the ref. 5035 “annual calendar,” a watch that needs manual adjustment just once per year, at the end of February. Less complicated than its perpetual calendar cousins, it was significantly more affordable, and quickly proved to be one of the maison’s most popular innovations.

A decade after the annual calendar’s debut, Patek dropped the ref. 5960, a highly contemporary model with both an annual calendar and a flyback chronograph In 2011, the maison followed up this release with the ref. 5916,, a gem-set version featuring a diamond-encrusted bezel and indices available in several configurations. Jay-Z’s version, the ref. 5961R-010, is a rose gold execution with a diamond bezel and baguette-cut diamond indices.

Powered by the Patek Philippe cal. CH 28-520 IRM QA 24H automatic movement with a 55-hour power reserve and paired to a leather strap, the 5196R might seem like simply an upscale version of the 5960, but Jay-Z’s particular example takes things one step further. The watch immediately earns its grail bona fides because it was retailed at Tiffany & Co. and features a rare double-signed dial. So what happened to the whole “affordable version of the perpetual calendar” thing? With the Quartz Crisis long in the rearview mirror, the 5961 wasn’t afraid to make annual calendar watches that folks like Jay—who are never worried about affordability—would covet. The non-Tiffany signed, catalog version of the 5196R-010 retails for $205,851—well above the price of many perpetual calendars, including several from Patek itself.

All this to say: The 5196R is a baller watch. Though it might not house the maison’s most complicated calendar compilation, its mix of annual calendar and flyback chronograph—combined with an outrageously cool dial, a gem-set bezel and indices, and the coveted Tiffany stamp—make it one of the most fascinating references in the modern Patek catalog.

Naomi Campbell’s Cartier Diabolo

Naomi Campbell also made a strong showing in Las Vegas by rocking a vintage Diabolo, a ’90s-era round-cased dress watch from Cartier. Available in numerous configurations and metals, Campbell—who rather famously once wore a snake-shaped Cartier necklace fitted with several hundred carats’ worth of emeralds—chose a yellow-gold version with a diamond-set bezel, a matching flat-link bracelet, and a white dial with typical Cartier chemin de fer minute track, Roman numerals, and a blued steel Breguet handset. Named for a circus prop—which the watch’s crown resembles—the Diabolo hasn’t been part of the brand’s contemporary collection for many years. With Campbell’s co-sign, it’s ready for a comeback.

Alton Brown’s Brew Metric Digital Blend

Snarky chef, TV presenter, and avid watch collector Alton Brown appeared on his new YouTube series rocking the Metric Digital Blend, a unique combination of an analog watch and a digital espresso timer from microbrand Brew. Founded by Jonathan Ferrer, Brew is a watch-world favorite, offering distinctly affordable timepieces inspired by coffee culture. Measuring 37 mm in stainless steel, paired to an integrated bracelet, and fitted with an analog-digital module to control its unique timekeeping display, its thoughtful design is perfect for someone like Brown, who deftly combines his loves of cooking, television, and horology into a successful career.

Bradley Cooper’s Louis Vuitton Tambour

Appearing at the 39th Annual American Cinematheque Awards, Bradley Cooper wore a familiar timepiece: the Louis Vuitton’s Tambour. Revived in 2023 as an integrated-bracelet sports watch powered by an in-house movement, the modern take on LV’s early-2000s Tambour is inspired by the shape of a traditional double-skinned drum. Cooper—a Louis Vuitton brand ambassador—has been spotted wearing other Tambour executions before, most notably a steel version with a matching dial. The execution he wore to the Cinematheque Awards—which features a handsome, multi-tone blue dial—has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it pop delightfully on the wrist.