Latest news with #Wristcheck
South China Morning Post
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
7 watch moments to know in January and February 2025, from Taylor Swift's Cartier Panthère to Jay-Z's new Patek – and with news from Rolex, LVMH Watch Week, the Golden Globes and the Super Bowl
It's been a happy high horology new year for us at Style, so we're looking back at January and February for the best timepiece moments. Red carpet stunners abounded as The Rock rocked the IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar, while Mark Zuckerberg flexed a Greubel Forsey. Vacheron Constantin revisited steel and Bulgari x MB&F reinterpreted the Serpenti. LVMH Watch Week was almost derailed because of the tragic Los Angeles wildfires, Rolex shut down a watch brand, Kylian Mbappé invested in Wristcheck, and Marie Antoinette's pocket watch went to London. 1. Awards season Nicole Kidman arrives at this year's Golden Globes in January. Photo: AP Advertisement Awards season is wrapping up, and while the focus has rightfully been on the achievements of the world's best in music, entertainment, television and film, the gatherings were a welcome opportunity to ogle some timepieces. At the Golden Globes, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson sported an IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar that took home last year's Aiguille d'Or – the highest honour bestowed at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève – for its moonphase that only requires one reset after 45 million years. Vintage also reigned that evening – per Wristcheck, Babygirl star Nicole Kidman was spotted in an Omega vintage ladies Art Nouveau timepiece, while The Apprentice actor Sebastian Stan went with a vintage Cartier Fabergé. Dev Patel and Tilda Cobham-Hervey at the Baftas in February 2025. Photo: AFP At the Baftas, Dev Patel stood out with his choice of a vintage, 1973 Cartier Tank Normale, while at the Grammys, Jay-Z stayed true to form by sporting a Patek Philippe – this year, it was the million-dollar Grand Complication 5304-301R with a minute repeater and retrograde perpetual calendar. At the Screen Actors' Guild Awards, Timothée Chalamet, who became the youngest recipient of the award for best male actor for portraying Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, wore a square Cartier piece as a bolo tie – it's seemingly becoming an annual tradition for at least one celebrity to sport a watch around their neck at these events. Timothée Chalamet with his Screen Actors Guild Award in February 2025. Photo: Reuters 2. Big brands throw back … collabs abound Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 in stainless steel. Photo: Handout
New York Times
12-02-2025
- Business
- New York Times
A Designer Turns From Jewelry to Watch Hands
Since Nadine Ghosn received a Rolex President for her 21st birthday, the jewelry designer and watch collector has enjoyed personalizing the watch. She has replaced the original dial with a rose-colored one accented with diamond hour markers and frequently changed its straps. Last year, she fitted it with hands inspired by her Too Cool For School jewelry collection: a ruler for the hours, a squiggly line for the minutes and a pencil for the seconds. This personal project sparked the idea of making her designs available to a wider audience, and Ms. Ghosn partnered with Austen Chu, the founder and chief executive of the online marketplace Wristcheck, to do so. Since late November, when the collection became available, prospective buyers have been asked to indicate their interest on a Wristcheck website page. It says the collection is 'coming soon,' but the site says a concierge service follows up on inquiries to complete orders. Offered in 18-karat yellow or white gold, the set is $6,800, including installation, for Rolex watches and vintage Audemars Piguet timepieces. Other brands may be customized, too, but there would be an additional fee for adjustments. 'The reason I focused on personalizing the hands is that it's different and challenges what is usually done when customizing a watch,' Ms. Ghosn said. Also, the designs align with messages she wants to convey: 'The pencil symbolizes the idea that we are constantly writing our own story with every decision we make. The ruler is a playful nod to breaking rules.' Wristcheck said the collaboration was the first time it had been involved in customizing components rather than entire timepieces and was the first time it had partnered with someone outside the traditional watchmaking world. 'Typically, customization is frowned upon,' Mr. Chu said, 'because it's often not done tastefully, with the right craftsmanship, and the watch simply doesn't end up looking good. With this project, we aimed to flip that stigma and show it can be done right.' Wristcheck sends a watch's original hands back to the customer, so they can be reinstalled before any resale. 'This way, buyers can enjoy the personalization without compromising the watch's value,' he said. Mr. Chu would not disclose sales results, but said he had been pleased with the demand and might offer a new design in 2026. 'I just think this is something very refreshing in the watch world,' he said, 'something truly unique and not often seen.'
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Is Now an Investor in Watch Marketplace Wristcheck
Kylian Mbappé just went from brand ambassador to investor. The celebrated French footballer, who currently plays for Real Madrid, has taken a stake in luxury watch trading platform Wristcheck, Hypebeast reported on Friday. Off the filed, the 26-year-old soccer star is a known timepiece collector and has served as an ambassador for Swiss marque Hublot since 2018. With this new partnership, the forward joins a growing group of influential backers, including Jay-Z. The rapper and business mogul took an equity stake in the Hong Kong-based company last summer as part of a recent funding round of $5 million. More from Robb Report Sotheby's Will Put on the Largest Auction of Breguet Watches in Decades This Fall This 1943 Patek Philippe Is Poised to Become the Most Expensive Watch in the World Inside the Future of Watchmaking at Tiffany & Co. 'I'm thrilled to join Wristcheck as an investor through Coalition Capital,' Mbappé said in a press statement. 'As a Hublot ambassador and someone passionate about watches and innovation, I see Wristcheck as a platform that truly understands the next generation of collectors. They're reshaping the watch industry with a forward-thinking approach that blends technology, transparency, and creativity.' Mbappé did not immediately respond to Robb Report's request for comment on his new business endeavor. RELATED: David Beckham and Kylian Mbappé Rocked Sharp Dior Tuxes at the Ballon D'Or Ceremony Launched in 2020 by renowned horophile and Instagram personality Austen Chu, Wristcheck offers a platform for collectors to buy and sell pre-owned watches that have been authenticated by Swiss-trained watchmakers. Since it was founded, the company has raised more than $13.6 million in funding from investors including the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners GBA, and K3 Ventures. Mbappé, meanwhile, has achieved remarkable success in his soccer career. He won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, becoming the youngest player to score in a final since Pelé. At PSG, he has secured multiple Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups. Individually, Mbappé has earned the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award and regularly features in top European scoring charts. And in 2020, he was ranked the world's highest-paid player, surpassing rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. RELATED: Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Just Unveiled a New Eyewear Collection With Oakley Mbappé and HOV are the latest famous faces to enter the watch trading business. Ronaldo, alongside racing driver Charles Leclerc, previously backed the watch-selling platform, Chrono24, Meanwhile, John Legend, J Balvin, and comedian Kevin Hart have invested in Bezel. Best of Robb Report The 25 Greatest Independent Watchmakers in the World The 10 Most Expensive Watches Sold at Auction in the 21st Century (So Far) 11 Stunning Jewelry Moments From the 2020 Oscars Click here to read the full article. Sign in to access your portfolio
