2026 Met Gala Watches: Timepieces for Fashion’s Biggest Night
The 2026 Met Gala watches didn’t hold back. On a night where fashion gets theatrical, the watches usually follow, and this year delivered a full spectrum — from multi-million-dollar, diamond-covered showpieces to rare vintage picks and high complication pieces. The biggest names in watchmaking were all on the carpet, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Omega, and others, each showing up in different ways. Some celebrities went for pure spectacle, others pulled from the archives, but across the board, the watches played a role in the overall look. This year’s theme was “Costume Art,” and the dress code was officially “Fashion as Art,” so we knew things were going to get a little wilder than usual. Here’s a closer look at some of the 2026 Met Gala watches spotted on the “red carpet” (or steps to the museum).
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Dwayne Johnson went full Met Gala with the Jacob & Co. Billionaire III, a watch that’s essentially a solid block of emerald-cut diamonds wrapped around a skeletonized tourbillon.
The white gold case, bracelet, and even parts of the movement are invisibly set with over 129 carats of diamonds, with a hand-wound tourbillon movement tucked underneath. At around $3.3 million, it’s about as over-the-top as it gets, but on a night like this, it fits.
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson paired his white and gold Met Gala 2026 outfit with a Jacob & Co. Astronomia Meteorite. The 50mm rose gold case houses a triple-axis tourbillon with the brand’s signature rotating display, set against a meteorite dial and surrounded by triangle-cut diamonds.
You’ve also got a miniature globe, a time display, and a bright orange sapphire spinning through the movement. It’s a one-off piece priced around $1.5 million.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams kept things sharp and coordinated, pairing her silver Marc Jacobs look with a Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked, which was part of the 2026 Audemars Piguet releases. This comes as no surprise, given her long-standing relationship with AP.
The 41mm case is done in titanium with Bulk Metallic Glass accents on the bezel and caseback, giving it that slightly brighter, almost liquid-looking contrast against the brushed titanium. The sapphire dial puts the Caliber 7139 on full display, with the full perpetual calendar layout and an astronomical moonphase worked into the openworked design.
It’s a technical piece, but on the carpet, it reads more like a styling choice — clean, monochromatic, and right in line with the overall look. This Audemars Piguet watch is priced at CHF 180,300 or roughly $200,000 USD.
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade went all in on the jewelry-watch direction with a Tiffany Eternity, a piece that’s all about diamond-setting and design.
The cushion-shaped white gold case and bracelet are fully set, while the aventurine dial is punctuated by 12 different diamond cuts — each hour marker using a different shape, which is a nice nod to Tiffany’s diamond heritage.
What’s interesting is the broader red carpet trend this fits into. We’ve been seeing more men opt for traditionally “feminine” or jewelry-forward watches, and Wade, who, alongside his wife Gabrielle Union, is a Tiffany & Co. ambassador, fits right into that shift. This bejeweled Tiffany cocktail watch retails for $138,000.
Rami Malek
Rami Malek wore a 1992 Cartier Crash in platinum, paired with a black YSL suit and oversized fur collar.
First introduced in 1967, the Crash remains one of Cartier’s most unconventional designs, defined by its warped, asymmetrical case.
Platinum examples from the 1990s are especially rare, with only a small number produced and even fewer appearing publicly (it’s estimated that only around 10 examples have shown up at auction). One similar platinum Cartier Crash sold at Phillips in 2024 for over $275,000.
Lauren Wasser
Lauren Wasser made her Met Gala debut wearing the Hublot Big Bang Integrated King Gold Pavé 42mm, paired with a gold Prabal Gurung look as part of the 2026 host committee.
The case and bracelet are fully set with diamonds, built around Hublot’s proprietary King Gold alloy, which has a warmer tone than traditional 5N gold. At 42mm, it carries the familiar Big Bang presence, while the integrated bracelet gives it a more continuous, jewelry-driven profile. Inside is the Unico 2 automatic chronograph caliber with a 72-hour power reserve, redesigned to be thinner than the original movement.
The Hublot Big Bang Integrated King Gold Pavé 42mm retails for $121,000.
Luke Evans
Luke Evans took a more theatrical route on the Met Gala carpet, stepping out in a head-to-toe burgundy leather look by Palomo Spain. The outfit, inspired by the work of artist Tom of Finland, played directly into the evening’s “Fashion Is Art” theme.
On his wrist, Evans wore the equally dramatic Hublot Big Bang Unico High Jewelry. The 42mm white gold case is set with 334 diamonds totaling 17.2 carats, extending across the bezel, case, and dial. There’s also the skeletonized dial, paired with a black alligator strap.
While Hublot no longer lists this reference on its website, this high jewelry Hublot retailed for over $400,000.
Connor Storrie
Connor Storrie opted for the Constellation Observatory in 39.4mm 18K Moonshine Gold, a model that nods to the brand’s long-standing focus on precision and was part of the 2024 Omega Watch Releases lineup.
The case features the signature “dog-leg” lugs and a faceted bezel, paired with a multi-row Moonshine Gold bracelet. On the dial, the classic “pie-pan” shape returns, executed here with a sun-brushed center, opaline outer sections, and hand-guilloché detailing, finished with diamond-polished hands and indexes. Given its full gold construction, Omega has priced this reference at a cool $59,100.
Colman Domingo and Nicole Kidman
Colman Domingo and Nicole Kidman (both Omega Ambassadors) turned to the old-school Constellation Manhattan, pulling from the same 1980s design language, but in slightly different executions.
Domingo wore a vintage 33mm version in stainless steel and 18K yellow gold with a black dial, keeping things relatively understated. Kidman, on the other hand, opted for a smaller 23mm model in white and yellow gold, fully set with diamonds — 34 on the bezel, 178 across the bracelet, and 12 marking the hours.
Introduced in 1982, the original Constellation Manhattan was defined by its half-moon case facets and the four signature claws securing the sapphire crystal — details that remain on today’s versions.
Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci kept things classic with the Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42, pairing it with a hunter green velvet tuxedo by Etro.
The watch sticks to a straightforward chronograph layout, with a stainless steel case, twin-register black dial, applied Arabic numerals, and rectangular pushers. It’s fitted on a black alligator strap, which keeps the whole thing in line with the formal look.
Powered by Breitling’s in-house Caliber B01, it’s one of the more traditional picks of the night, less about spectacle, more about getting the details right. Price wise, this Breitling retails for $9,750.
Russell Westbrook
There weren’t too many Rolex watches on the red carpet at the 2026 Met Gala, but there was one particular one that caught our eye — the Rainbow Daytona on Russell Westbrook’s wrist. While Rolex makes the Rainbow Daytona in three flavors of gold, Westbrook opted for the yellow gold version, the ref. 126598RBOW, which debuted in 2024 as the latest generation.
These Rolex Rainbows are off-catalog pieces, so the retail price isn’t public. Official MSRP is estimated around $170,000; however, due to high demand and rarity, its actual market price is closer to $400,00 to $500,000. ,
Jay-Z
Wearing perhaps the most expensive watch of the evening, Jay-Z stepped out wearing his Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300G with a white gold case and black dial. This Patek features 20 complications, a reversible white gold case, and five chiming modes. It also includes a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, and alarm.
Very few of these black-dial versions of the 6300G were ever made, and back in the day, it retailed for over $2.2 million — they’re likely worth multiples of that in today’s market. We’ve seen Jay-Z wearing this monster of a watch several times in the past, and if there ever was the perfect red carpet watch, I’d say this is it.
Irina Shayk
Irina Shayk took the watch theme further than anyone else on the carpet, building her entire look around it. Dressed in a custom Alexander Wang design, the concept treated watches as both structure and jewelry, with chains and clasps replacing traditional construction and timepieces used as functional anchors throughout.
At the center was a gem-set Cartier Santos, positioned as the focal point of a diamond-set “necklace bra,” literally holding the look together. Around it, Shayk layered multiple vintage watches across her body — worn as chokers, bracelets, and even armbands — turning them into sculptural elements rather than accessories.
It’s one of the most literal interpretations of watch-as-jewelry we’ve seen at any event. Perhaps the new face of watch nerd-ery?
Watches at the 2026 Met Gala
Looking at the 2026 Met Gala watches as a whole, it feels like something is shifting. Watches aren’t just being thrown on at the last minute; rather, they’re starting to feel considered, styled, and in some cases, central to the overall look. Whether it’s a diamond-covered showpiece, a rare vintage pull, or a high-complication flex, the watch is increasingly part of the conversation.
Of course, there’s still plenty of brand placement at play here. With so many ambassadors on the carpet, that’s inevitable. And I’m sure stylists have ties to watchmakers, too. But even with that in mind, the level of coordination between the watch and the outfit feels more deliberate than it used to.
And for watch fans, that’s a win. The more these pieces show up in moments like this (whatever the reason), the more they stay part of the broader cultural spotlight. Some of this year’s watch choices at the Met Gala were wild, but given the theme, we wouldn’t expect anything less.
More Watches Worn by Celebrities:
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