The 2020 Oscars and Watches

Which Came First – The Watch or the Celebrity Following?

It’s kind of like the age-old debate, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Are there increasing numbers of celebrities interested in watches overall or does this year’s group of Oscar nominees just happen to be watch-centric? In previous years, we’ve highlighted a handful of celebrity wrists you should look for on the red carpet. This year, a vast majority of the nominees are collectors. Get your popcorn ready – the 2020 Academy Awards should be a great evening for film and watches.

Leading Actor Nominees and Their Watches

It’s hard to believe Antonio Banderas is up for his first-ever Academy Award. He’s nominated for his portrayal of Salvador Mallo in Pain and Glory. Banderas is not a watch collector per se. Instead, he admits that watches are often an impulse purchase. This is one of the guilty pleasures he allows himself after decades of hard work and success. Still, Banderas opts for relatively modest models, like the Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph.





Leonardo DiCaprio is no stranger to the Academy Awards. He’s received seven Oscar nominations and one Oscar win over the course of his storied career. In 2020, he’s up for his portrayal of Rick Dalton in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. In the film, DiCaprio’s character wears a yellow gold Chopard Classic, but in real-life, his tastes are a bit different. In 2009, he replaced his co-star Brad Pitt as the face of TAG Heuer. However, DiCaprio is also a fan of models like the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona and Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor.

Rising star Adam Driver is up for his second Academy Award nomination in two years. This time, he’s nominated for his portrayal of Charlie in Marriage Story. In the Netflix original film, Driver’s character sports a Rolex Oyster Perpetual. However, Driver himself has recently signed on as a Breitling ambassador. True to the actor’s military roots, the partnership comes as no surprise. His model of choice is the Breitling Premier 01.

Supporting Actor Nominees and Their Watches

Tom Hanks is only a six-time Oscar nominee and two-time Oscar winner despite his impressive career. In 2020, he’s nominated for his portrayal of the beloved Mr. Rogers in It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Hanks is in fact a watch collector who’s been loyal to one brand for several decades. Unsurprisingly, the quintessential everyman is also a Rolex man. You can find him sporting a wide array of models, from the Explorer to the Milgauss to the Sea-Dweller.

Al Pacino has received an impressive nine Academy Award nominations, beginning with The Godfather in 1973. However, in that time, he has one lone win, back in 1993 for Scent of a Woman. It’s been nearly 30 years since he’s received an Oscar or nomination. Now, he’s up for his portrayal of Jimmy Hoffa in Netflix’s The Irishmen. Pacino is a longtime watch collector. He bought his first timepiece in the late 1960s. This was just after winning his first Tony award for Does the Tiger Wear a Necktie. The model that started it all was a gold Rolex Datejust. Since then, Pacino has continued to collect other Rolex models, like the Submariner, as well as watches from other brands, like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin.



Brad Pitt also notches seven Oscar nominations and only one Oscar win. However, it’s worth noting his win was not for an individual role but rather Best Motion Picture. Pitt is still yet to score an individual win. Perhaps this will be the year for his portrayal of Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Pitt’s watch in the film, a Citizen Challenge Timer, has created quite a stir. The model didn’t exist in 1969, the year the film takes place. Nonetheless, Pitt has built a reputation for his watches on and off-screen. Over the years, he’s worked with several brands. Most recently, he joined Adam Driver as a Breitling ambassador. The partnership was a longtime coming for Pitt, as his first watch was none other than the Breitling Emergency. During his work with TAG Heuer, he, of course, accumulated a few models, like the Carrera Chronograph. Pitt’s collection also includes a number of Rolex models, like the Yacht Master and GMT Master II, as well as vintage models. Today, you can most often find him wearing the Breitling Avenger Chronograph.

Leading Actress Nominees and Their Watches

Like Banderas, Scarlett Johansson is up for her first ever Academy Awards this year in two categories. She’s nominated for Lead Actress in Marriage Story and Supporting Actress in Jojo Rabbit. When it comes to watches, Johansson keeps it simple, stylish, and feminine. She opts for the iconic Chanel J12.

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Charlize Theron is a three-time Oscar nominee and one-time Oscar winner. In 2020, she’s up for her portrayal of Megyn Kelly in Bombshell. Theron was a longtime Rolex devotee, often opting for unconventional models like the Deepsea. More recently, she joins Adam Driver and Brad Pitt in Breitling’s Cinema Squad. Since joining their ranks, you can find her wearing models like the Navitimer.

Supporting Actress Nominees and Their Watches

Margot Robbie is up for her second Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Kayla Pospisil in Bombshell. However, she’s yet to land her first Oscar win. In 2017, Robbie joined Richard Mille as an ambassador. You can most often find her wearing a sleek, white model from the brand: the RM 037 Automatic.

Directing Nominees and Their Watches

Photo Credit: David Shankbone

The legendary Martin Scorsese is an impressive fourteen-time Oscar nominee. However, more surprisingly, he just has one Oscar win to his name. In 2020, Scorsese received nominations for directing and Best Motion Picture for The Irishmen. Less surprisingly, Scorsese is a Rolex ambassador. His collection includes vintage pieces as well as classic models like the Day-Date and Submariner. Scorsese’s watches span beyond Rolex as well, with models like the TAG Heuer Professional and Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso.

Quentin Tarantino notches eight Academy Award nominations, including two wins. In 2020, he’s up for an impressive three awards. These include Best Achievement in Directing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Motion Picture for Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Tarantino has become synonymous with his quirky, over-the-top films and persona. Therefore, you might expect him to gravitate toward more eccentric watches. In contrast, his choice in timepieces is quite conservative. He’s a big fan of models like the IWC Pilot and Girard-Perregaux Annual Calendar.

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