Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Duoface

Performing a tribute to Hollywood stars that have passed away in the last year, Mr Lenny Kravitz combined his usual open-to-the-navel appearance with silky, satiny wraps that spoke faintly to the black-tie nature of the event and the reverential tone of his part to play. But what about the watch? A Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Duoface, almost subdued in comparison to the weight of chains around his neck – but a watch with a perfect Art Deco black dial for an awards night.

IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Perpetual Calendar

Multi-hyphenate Questlove, drummer and co-lead of hip-hop band The Roots among many other things, is a man clearly sufficiently comfortable in himself to wear a pair of Crocs to the Oscars. He wore gold ones in 2021 and black, diamond-studded ones this year. So, what on Earth would a man like that wear on his wrist? Confoundingly – admirably – he plays it straight, but not too straight. It’s a perpetual calendar in gold, but not something dainty and dressy from Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin: it’s the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Perpetual Calendar. Well played, we say.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Skeleton Perpetual

Mr Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr – often simply as NTR for short – is a name you may not know if you aren’t into Indian-Telugu cinema. But the man has risen to superstardom over the past two decades. Appearing at the Oscars as the lead in RRR, which picked up the Academy Award for Best Original Song, he steals the show, if you ask us, on a horological basis. His Vacheron Constantin Overseas Skeleton Perpetual Calendar is a phenomenal heavyweight in every sense, and the perfect match for a man with a pouncing tiger embroidered across his left jacket shoulder.

Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope

Mr Brendan Fraser, Best Actor winner, isn’t a sentence-opener many would have bet on in years gone by. The star of The Whale, but also George Of The Jungle and The Mummy, walked to the stage of the Dolby Theatre wearing the Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope in steel and blue leather strap. Some would say a sporty, slightly large chronograph is not the ideal pairing for a black-tie event, but it is a handsome – and hand-wound – choice that bespeaks a real appreciation for classic chronograph design. Besides, the man’s won Best Actor – he can wear what he wants.

Vacheron Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date

You might – just a hunch – have been distracted by Mr Riz Ahmed’s fluffy pink open-necked shirt with postcode-worthy lapels. It’s something that looks less like an item of clothing and more like a rare tropical bird that he’s managed to trap underneath his suit jacket. But once you get past that, there’s a beautiful, subtle watch to admire: the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date. In white gold on a taupe alligator strap, it’s a classic dress watch given a bit of a contemporary twist.

Omega Constellation Globemaster

Such is Omega’s dominance of the red (or champagne) carpet these days that it deserves an award for “best supporting watch brand”. Messrs Andrew Garfield, Barry Keoghan and Best Actor winner Brendan Fraser all appeared in Omega watches, but in Quan it found itself part of the most heart-warming story of the night: the 1980s child star who hadn’t acted for two decades before deciding to audition for Everything Everywhere All At Once. Quan’s choice of the Omega Globemaster, an under-rated watch often outshone by more obvious names within Omega’s range, seems rather appropriate.

Richard Mille RM 07-02 White Sapphire

Few things better indicate a changing of the guard than Ms Michelle Yeoh’s ascent to Hollywood grande dame status. A landmark win for obvious reasons, it also feels symbolic that her style choices don’t necessarily all come from the menu of traditional luxury brands. Case in point is her affection for Richard Mille, and the way she makes such a contemporary design – the RM 07-02 cased in white sapphire – work as part of a formal outfit.