The 94th Academy Awards brought all of Hollywood out in their finest and that included an outstanding selection of watches. We’ve picked out five of the best from the Oscars red carpet, from classic dress watches to rare Patek Philippes and – somewhat surprisingly – one of the most famous sports chronographs. And no, before you ask, we don’t know which watch Mr Will Smith was wearing – but we can bet that Mr Chris Rock is thankful he doesn’t wear it on his right wrist; that slap didn’t need any more weight behind it.

Tousled hair, full beard and shirt open to the collarbone? Is Mr Jake Gyllenhall aware of where he is? Judging by the roguish smile (and Givenchy tuxedo), we’d say he knows exactly what he’s up to. And that oh-so-prominent flash of a gold Cartier Tank is all part of it. This is not just any Tank, in fact: Gyllenhaal was discreetly giving the world a look at a brand new Tank Chinoise, a model set to be officially unveiled at Watches and Wonders later this week. Wider than a Tank Louis Cartier, with prominent bars across the top and bottom of the case, the Tank Chinoise celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, so it’s little surprise Cartier has decided to bring it back. Expect to see a full collection of Chinoise references, with some ornate and skeletonised designs alongside this classic yellow gold number.

If you saw Mr Angus Cloud in that Guantanamo-orange Versace suit at the premiere for Euphoria season two, you would probably guess that his taste in watches would be equally, ah, brave. But, in fact, Cloud played it extremely straight for the Oscars. This time, his suit was a much more conventional look (albeit a textured, patterned number from Dolce & Gabbana) and the watch was classic glamour 101: an IWC Portugieser 40 in rose gold. The smaller case size, introduced in 2021, makes the Portugieser a much easier watch to choose for black tie, and the small-seconds dial layout, elegantly tapered hands and simple Arabic numerals are, as befits the Portugieser’s roots, straight out of the 1930s.

The Euphoria star presented the Oscar for best visual effects. Yes, you can see where we’re going with this one: choosing to pair a TAG Heuer Monaco with a dinner jacket is deserving of its own award for visual effect. The Monaco, first launched in 1969 as Heuer’s first-ever automatic chronograph, is a big, thick sports chronograph, with one of the most recognisable silhouettes in the business. The idea of pairing black tie with a square watch (à la Mr Gyllenhaal, above) is well established, but this is not the square watch people usually have in mind. Which is exactly why it draws such attention; it’s unexpected and emphatic.

Sometimes, there is just no substitute for doing things by the book. The Oscars is not officially a black-tie event – but by convention, that is the de facto dress code. Canadian singer Mr Shawn Mendes – not someone you immediately summon to mind when asked to imagine the epitome of tuxedo style – absolutely nailed it, with a double-breasted D&G suit, black dress studs, patent black leather shoes and on his wrist, a Vacheron Constantin Patrimony automatic in pink gold. Slim, clean-cut, with a warm sun-kissed glow and timeless good looks… Mendes has a good eye for a dress watch.

Look at this stance. Head up, chest out, shoulders back, and a faint smile playing around the lips of Mr Daniel Dae Kim. This is the stance of a confident man. Kim may not have been picking up any awards himself, but he’s winning in the watch stakes thanks to his choice of the Patek Philippe 5070. Kim is well known as a serious watch collector, with a soft spot for everything from vintage chronographs to luxury staples such as the Nautilus and Royal Oak, so it was no surprise to see him bring out a real connoisseur favourite. The 5070 was launched in 1998 and marked the first hand-wound chronograph from Patek Philippe in 30 years. Since being replaced by the 5170 in 2010, the 5070 has risen in popularity thanks to its symmetrical layout and Lemania-based calibre. Kim’s watch looks to be the original reference 5070J, a true classic.

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