This week in watches: Brad Pitt stuns with vintage Vacheron charm and Buzz Aldrin celebrates Apollo 11 anniversary
Daytona fan? You'll love to see what Carlos Alcaraz had on wrist after his triumphant Wimbledon win
EACH WEEK, we’ll be taking a look at the hottest news, developments and rare model sightings in the watch world — what’s ticking, what’s trending and what’s causing jaws in various corners of the watch internet to drop. We’ll highlight new brand releases, celebrity watch spots and general news for all you horologically-minded enthusiasts.
This week, Carlos Alcaraz celebrates his first ever Wimbledon Grand Slam win (and undoubtedly, his last) against Novak Djokovic. To mark the occasion, the 20-year-old celebrated the iconic win with a special Rolex timepiece which you’ll discover below. Off-court, a host of celebrities were seen, in style, cheering on Carlos and Novak. But it was Brad Pitt and his rare vintage timepiece that left the watch world in awe.
Elsewhere, Buzz Aldrin celebrated the 54th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission with three special Omega Speedmaster watches, Hublot kicks off the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup as the tournament’s official timekeeper, and Breitling updated their renowned Chronomat collection with a very special Australian limited edition watch.
Keep scrolling for all that dropped in the watch world this week.
1
Carlos Alcaraz wins Wimbledon wearing a Rolex Daytona
20-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz made headlines earlier this week after beating Novak Djokovic, the 36-year-old reigning champion, in five sets to clinch his first ever Wimbledon Grand Slam. While the tennis feat is impressive in itself, all eyes were on the wrist candy Alcaraz was sporting post-match — a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Oysterflex ref. 116518LN with a stunning “Meteorite” dial — a truly one-of-a-kind timepiece.
Since this otherworldly Daytona has been discontinued, you can expect to find it in the secondary markets for an exorbitant amount of money.
2
Hublot kicks of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup as the official timekeeper
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is officially here, and Hublot is, for the third time, the tournaments’ official timekeeper. Managing the precise time at every one of the tournament’s 64 fixtures, each game will run to Hublot time, captured by the iconic Big Bang-shaped fourth official boards. Keep an eye out for the new Hublot Big Bang e Gen 3 on the wrists of all Official Referees, too.
Notably, a number of Hublot Friends of the Brand will also be participating in this year’s Women’s World Cup, including Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, Spain’s double Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, and USA-star Alex Morgan.
3
Buzz Aldrin shows off triple Omega wrist flex for Apollo 11 anniversary
We all know the name Buzz Aldrin: the second person to ever walk on the moon (after Neil Armstrong) and the Lunar Module Eagle pilot on the legendary 1969 Apollo 11 mission. Since his historic space mission all those years ago, Aldrin has been a faithful Omega supporter, in particular, of the Omega Speedmaster — the watch he wore to (and on) the moon. Of course, being the 54th anniversary of the 1969 mission, such a milestone calls for a trio of impressive watches with “steak and eggs” — like the ones pictured on Aldrin’s wrist (left).
On Aldrin’s wrist, you’ll find not one or two, but three iconic Speedmaster iterations to mark the special occasion. On his right wrist, you’ll find he is wearing an Omega Skywalker X-33, a modern astronaut watch. On his left wrist, he’s wearing the Omega X-33 Mars Time, a watch that tracks the time and revolutions on Mars. And finally, on his left wrist also is the Apollo 11 50th anniversary timepiece which has a picture of either Aldrin or Armstrong climbing down the LEM onto the moon’s surface. Incredible.
4
Brad Pitt breaks watch internet (again) with a touch of vintage Vacheron Constantin 222 charm
While there’s no detracting from Carlos Alcaraz’s incredible Wimbledon win, off-court, Hollywood leading man Brad Pitt was stealing a bit of the thunder thanks to his incredible good looks (the guy is 60, folks), sleek style, and impeccable taste in watches. By now, we know that Pitt is a fan of the Vacheron Constantin 222 (he has been seen wearing the 18K yellow gold reissue of 2022 on many occasions), but here, in the stands of Wimbledon, Pitt was seen wearing a rare vintage stainless steel 222, a watch that cements Pitt as a series watch collector. Bravo, Brad.
5
Breitling unveil Australian-exclusive GMT timepiece
Breitling this week unveiled a very special watch to its Chronomat collection: the Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 “Australian” Limited Edition. A watch that not only pays tribute to travel thanks to its impressive GMT function, this new iteration, with its stunning teal coloured dial, pays homage to the natural fauna and flora of Australia. On the caseback, you’ll find a special engraving of a “Clockwork Koala”, serving as a symbol of this intrinsic connection between watchmaker and country. Limited to just 150 pieces, pre-orders for this special Australian-exclusive timepiece begin Monday, July 24.
