The Met Gala is no longer just about fashion. It has become one of the most important stages for watch culture — a place where taste, money and intent all collide on the wrist.
In 2026, three completely different approaches stood out:
- Bad Bunny — design-first, intellectual and deeply Cartier
- Skepta — restrained, purist and collector-approved
- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — unapologetic, extravagant and impossible to ignore
Three watches. Three messages.
Bad Bunny: When Watches Become Art
Bad Bunny didn’t go loud. He went considered.
On the Met Gala red carpet, he wore a vintage Cartier Cloche, one of the most unusual and design-led watches ever produced by Cartier.
Originally introduced in the 1920s, the Cloche takes its name from the French word for “bell”. Its case shape, angled dial and unconventional wrist presence make it feel more like a piece of wearable sculpture than a traditional dress watch.
This is not a watch chosen for mass recognition. It is a watch chosen by someone who understands Cartier as a design house, not just a luxury name.
In a room filled with obvious flex pieces, the Cloche was different. It was quiet, strange, elegant and highly intentional.
Skepta: The Quiet Power Move
Skepta went in a completely different direction, but the choice was just as strong.
On his wrist was the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin.
No diamonds. No gimmicks. No theatrics.
Just one of the most important watch designs of the modern era.
The Royal Oak, originally designed by Gérald Genta, changed the idea of what a luxury sports watch could be. The Jumbo Extra-Thin version remains one of the purest expressions of that design — slim, balanced and instantly recognisable to those who know.
This is the type of watch that does not need to shout. It carries collector credibility through restraint.
Skepta’s choice was not about being the loudest person in the room. It was about showing taste without trying too hard.
The Rock: Full Power, No Apologies
Then there was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
And he did exactly what you would expect — but at a level very few people on earth could pull off.
On his wrist was the Jacob & Co. Billionaire III.
This is less a traditional wristwatch and more a piece of high-jewellery engineering. Fully set, oversized and built around maximum impact, the Billionaire III is designed to dominate the wrist.
Where Bad Bunny chose design and Skepta chose restraint, The Rock chose presence.
And it worked.
A watch like this only makes sense on someone with the scale, confidence and personality to carry it. On The Rock, it did not feel excessive. It felt perfectly on brand.
The Bigger Shift in Watch Culture
What made the Met Gala watches interesting this year was not just the price tags. It was what each watch represented.
We are now seeing three very clear lanes in modern watch culture:
1. Design-Led Collecting
Cartier Cloche, Cartier Crash, Cartier Asymétrique and other shaped watches sit in this world. These are pieces for people who value form, history and originality.
2. Purist Icons
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus, Rolex Daytona and similar icons speak to legacy, proportion and collector respect.
3. Statement Pieces
Jacob & Co., iced-out customs and high-jewellery watches live here. These are not subtle. They are built for presence, performance and impact.
None of these lanes are wrong.
But they say very different things about the person wearing the watch.
The Patten Take
The best watch at the Met Gala was not necessarily the most expensive.
It was the watch that made you look twice.
Bad Bunny’s Cartier Cloche did that through design.
Skepta’s Royal Oak Jumbo earned respect through restraint.
The Rock’s Jacob & Co. Billionaire III demanded attention through sheer presence.
Three different plays.
All executed properly.
And that is what great watch collecting really comes down to — not just what you wear, but why you chose it.
