Anant Ambani has India's best watch collection; Shah Rukh Khan's Met Gala 2025 watch priced at Rs 21 cr, Salman Khan also owns rare pieces

Indian Express

7 days ago

From high-end cars and superbikes to designer jewellery and luxury fashion, every Indian celebrity seems to have their own obsession. But if there's one thing a large number of A-listers are unanimously fixated on, it's luxury watches. Not only are they symbols of status and style, but they're also considered smart long-term investments. But what kind of watches do our stars own?
Attesting that, here as well, Shah Rukh Khan is the undisputed 'king' among Bollywood celebrities, Karan Vaidya from luxury jewellery brand Rose told The Hollywood Reporter India that the watch SRK wore to the Met Gala 2025 cost USD 2.5 million (Rs 21 crore) retail, with its price in the secondary market ranking much higher. Reportedly, he wore a state-of-the-art Patek Philippe Grand Complications 6300G for the event.
Although Shah Rukh Khan has been reigning over the Indian entertainment industry for decades, it was only in 2025 that he made his Met Gala debut. He arrived for the event in an all-black suit by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, which consisted of high-waisted trousers with kamarbandh, a black silk shirt, and a tailcoat.
Vaidya stated that Salman Khan, too, has an amazing collection comprising a Patek Philippe minute repeater that's fully sapphire-studded. Calling Sanjay Dutt the 'OG watch collector' in Bollywood, he said that the Munna Bhai actor owns a Roger Dubuis Dual Tourbillon and a Rolex Leopard. Vaidya revealed that Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh also possess an amazing collection of watches. He, however, maintained that among all Indians, Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani's son Anant Ambani has the best watch collection. 'Now, people are not just looking at what the standard watches that other people are wearing — because, of course, those are part of a status symbol — but truly unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. Indian celebrities are now really getting into watches,' he added.
He also revealed that, unlike popular perception, Rolex is not part of the Holy Trinity of Watches, and the ones that are collectively referred to by this title are Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. 'A lot of (foreign luxury) watch brands don't sell in India because the duty and tax structure is very high. The duty for wrist watches in India is 22 per cent, which is one of the highest in the world. In places like Singapore and Dubai, it's less than 5 per cent. Then, on top of that, we have a GST of 18%. And if the watch costs above Rs 10 lakh, then there's also a TCS of 1 per cent on the transaction,' he pointed out.
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Speaking about product placement in movies, Vaidya noted that it is done systematically in Hollywood, but not as much in Bollywood. 'For example, the makers of the show Made in Heaven partnered with Bvlgari where all their products were seen in different scenes. In Hollywood, the first product placement to have ever happened was James Bond wearing an Omega watch. That was very successful, and now, with every James Bond film, Omega launches a new watch. When the product is created specifically for the character, that works really well,' he pointed out.