Celebrity Watch Sightings: Cannes Film Festival 2026

Every May, celebrities and A-listers from across the globe travel to Cannes, France. This resort town on the French Riviera may be quiet and peaceful during the other eleven months of the year, but as spring flowers bloom, an international film festival brings a certain buzz to the region. With its Mediterranean location, exceptional culinary scene, and proximity to Nice, Cannes is always one of the most popular towns on the Riviera. Its star-studded atmosphere during the film festival is simply an extra perk.

This year, the Cannes Film Festival took place from May 12 to 23 and showcased dozens of films in a wide range of categories. Standouts include A24’s Club Kid as well as The Devils in the Classics category. Paper Tiger, a James Gray film starring Miles Teller, Adam Driver, and Scarlett Johansson also made waves. How could it not, with such a cast?

While most eyes were fixed on the screen over the past few weeks in Cannes, we had another focal point in mind: fashion. Like most A-list events, the Cannes Film Festival is a beacon of extravagant styles, gorgeous haute couture, and decadent accessories. Our team scoured the crowds to pinpoint the exact luxury watches that stars showed off on the French Riviera. Now, you can add them to your own watch collection.

For the premiere of Paper Tiger, Adam Driver paired an openworked Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch with sharply tailored evening wear. His shawl-collar tuxedo exuded the Golden Age of Hollywood and the vintage aesthetic that Paper Tiger itself embraces. With a refined yet understated outfit, Driver was right to select a showstopping watch to add interest and excitement to his look. His Royal Oak watch did just that.

Driver opted for a stunning openworked flying tourbillon watch in sand gold, a unique finish that falls somewhere between white and yellow gold with a cooler touch than the long-reigning rose gold options. The self-winding watch demonstrated Driver’s effortlessly cool style yet still showcased an impressive lesson in haute horlogerie. Discover our wide selection of openworked Audemars Piguet watches when you shop online or in-store at Avi & Co.

Spanish actor Patrick Criado attended the premiere of Bitter Christmas wearing a truly memorable watch: the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds. The brand has become increasingly popular in recent months, and demonstrated one of its biggest showings ever at the 2026 Met Gala. Criado opted for a white gold design with a leather strap, but the brand manufactures these memorable creations in a variety of finishes and colorways so that every wearer can find the Jaeger-LeCoultre watch that perfectly matches their style.

Eva Longoria first gained acclaim and recognition for her role as Isabella on soap opera The Young and The Restless in the early aughts. However, she is perhaps best known for her role as Gabrielle on the hit show Desperate Housewives, which ran from 2004 to 2012. Since then, the actress has remained a fixture of pop culture. She attended this year’s Cannes Film Festival in a stunning, form-fitting white dress paired with a yellow gold Patek Philippe Nautilus.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 3800, Longoria’s watch of choice, is a vintage model that is loved for its smaller case size and sleek build. While Longoria opted for the yellow gold version, we also love the mixed metals seen in the stainless steel and yellow gold model shown above. With a white dial and minimalist hour markers, this design is vintage and captivating from every angle. It is the perfect companion for anywhere from the French Riviera to the Hamptons.

Supermodel Bella Hadid made a dramatic entrance to the French Riviera, floating in aboard her family’s yacht after traveling to St. Tropez and other luxe destinations in the region. She was photographed exploring the famous Boulevard de la Croisette in a chic pale blue set and a stunning 18K yellow gold Rolex Lady Datejust. Hadid stacked the memorable watch with a couple other attractive gold bracelets on her left wrist. Vintage-inspired sunglasses and a nude lip completed the European look that the model loves to embrace.

The Rolex Lady Datejust is a cherished piece for many watch enthusiasts. Its 28 mm profile is versatile enough for even those with more petite wrists. The example above, which emulates Hadid’s pick, shows off a champagne gold dial with extravagant diamond hour markers, adding even more decadence and class to an already impressive portrait of sophistication. The fluted bezel is a classic Rolex touch that makes this watch immediately recognizable and enviable to boot. Hadid’s outfits never disappoint, and this glamorous timepiece is no exception.

Audemars Piguet watches were one of the most popular picks at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, making statements on both men’s and women’s wrists. Ella Bleu Travolta, the daughter of John Travolta and the late Kelly Preston, showed off her signature elegant style in a fitted black gown paired with a miniature Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Photographed alongside her father, who was wearing a suit with a cream beret, Ella’s sleek look captured the attention of fashion writers and movie buffs alike. The pair was in attendance at Cannes to promote their new film, “Propeller: One-Way Night Coach.”

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak mini watches took off at the 2025 Met Gala, with celebrities like Simone Biles and Serena Williams showing off these petite yet powerful timepieces. As the mini watch trend continues to reign supreme, the 18K white gold miniature watch was the perfect timely and stunning addition to Ella Bleu Travolta’s look. Audemars Piguet also manufactures these pieces in 18K yellow gold and 18K rose gold.

We could spend days gushing about all of the incredible watches that we spotted at the Cannes Film Festival this year, but sadly, not every piece can receive all of the attention it deserves. If you want to continue exploring the hottest watches of this year’s event, we encourage you to take a look at these beauties:

Charles LeClerc: The Formula 1 driver, who represents team Ferrari, showed off his signature sporty style in a Richard Mille RM 72-01, an all-white watch with a captivating skeletonized dial. LeClerc has collaborated with Richard Mille on many occasions.

Vin Diesel: Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Fast and Furious, Vin Diesel rocked the red carpet in a beautiful Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 starwheel watch. Diesel’s casual attire made this horological marvel stand out even more, and he showed it off along with some flexed muscles in numerous photographs from the event.

Colman Domingo: The actor and playwright never misses a moment to showcase his impeccable style on the red carpet, and Cannes was no exception. He attended the premiere of Garance wearing a sequined purple top and the OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra 30 mm in stainless steel.

Rami Malek: The actor made his Cannes debut for the premiere of The Man I Love. He opted for the new Cartier Tortue in 18K yellow gold. Malek appears to be a fan (or perhaps partner) of Cartier, as he also wore a Cartier Crash to the 2026 Met Gala.

Carlos Sainz: Charles LeClerc’s counterpart on team Ferrari, Spanish F1 driver Carlos Sainz chose one of the most impressive watches in Cannes. His Girard-Perregaux tourbillon watch featured three flying bridges and showcased architectural intricacy, mechanical precision, and aesthetic glory like no other.

Vincent Cassel: The French star attended Cannes in a head-turning and unique Audemars Piguet creation. His Neo Frame Jumping Hour watch reminds us of the architecture of Cartier’s iconic Tank a Guichet models. The bold aesthetic of the Audemars Piguet version perfectly matched the avant garde feel of Cannes.

Here at Avi & Co., we are proud to be one of Manhattan’s premier destinations for both fine diamond jewelry and luxury watches. We specialize in renowned global watch brands like Rolex, Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe. Plus, do not miss our selection of Avi & Co. watch lines and our fine diamond jewelry collection that rivals anything you have seen on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival.

Make an appointment today to shop with us in person today. We cannot wait to welcome you into our Avi & Co. family.