Our Favorite Watches in the Art World

Artists of all different mediums have embraced luxury watches as a natural outlet for their personal senses of style. Painters, photographers, musicians, sculptors, and many other creatives have fallen in love with the unique and meticulous artistry behind some of the world’s most famous watch brands.

Today, we explore the favorite timepieces of hallowed names like Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Julian Schnabel, Miles Davis, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, and more. Let’s dive in…

An American visual artist, director, and producer, Andy Warhol was the face of the pop art movement – or at least his famed painting of Marilyn Monroe was. Warhol is widely considered one of the most important American artists of the late 20th century.

After Warhol’s death in 1987, a collection of over 300 luxury watches (313, to be exact) was uncovered in his New York City apartment, including heritage pieces from makers like Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Cartier. Some of those pieces have since been auctioned off at Sotheby’s, while others remain in the hands of Warhol’s friends and family members. Luckily for us, Andy Warhol’s watch collection reveals a lot about his personal taste.

One of Warhol’s favorite (and most-photographed watches) was his two-tone Rolex Oyster Chronograph, reference #3525. While that watch is not manufactured by Rolex any longer, modern day watch-aholics can still evoke Warhol’s signature style with this classic Rolex Datejust watch:

Like Warhol’s famous watch, this Rolex offers a two-tone bracelet created from stainless steel and 18K yellow gold. The 41 mm case is a versatile size for wearers of any gender, and the distinctive fluted crown makes the piece instantly recognizable. The cyclops magnifying lens also makes the date easier to read.

Warhol’s legendary watch collection did not stop there. He also possessed three different Cartier Tank watches as well as a variety of coveted Patek Philippe watches, including a Complications model with an 18K yellow gold band and brown leather strap.

Want to get your hands on a Patek Philippe watch like Andy Warhol’s? This one fits the bill. The 18K rose gold case combined with the silver Arabic numeral dial lends the piece a vintage look. The 38 mm size is reflective of styles in the 1970s and 1980s, and the diamond-set bezel adds an element of timeless elegance to the piece. Shop for this Patek Philippe watch and others at Avi & Co., your trusted secondary market watch reseller.

Like Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso was a fine watch enthusiast in his own right. He owned numerous luxury watches, including a Rolex GMT-Master and a 1940s Jaeger-LeCoultre model. However, his best-documented horological accessory was his Patek Philippe Calatrava.

The Patek Philippe Calatrava watches were premiered in 1932 and took inspiration in their design from the Bauhaus tradition. Most of the Calatrava watches in the brand’s original run did not feature complications – they told the time only, making them a simple yet highly effective symbol of status, taste, and an appreciation for the finer things in life.

Like many men of his time, Picasso preferred a smaller wrist watch – so the 37 mm size of this Calatrava watch would have matched perfectly with his style. The 18K rose gold and silver dial evoke the original versions of the watch, and the brown leather strap has remained in style since Picasso wore a Calatrava through today’s modern era.

American painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel burst into New York City’s art scene in the 1980s as a fresh face associated with the neo-expressionists. He skyrocketed to fame as a member of the art world’s social class and is a known collector of luxury watches. Mr. Schnabel is alive today and continues to be associated with the independent arthouse film movement. Especially in his early days of fame, he was often photographed in a Rolex watch, a pick that cannot help but link him to taste and style.

One of Schnabel’s favorite pieces? A classic Rolex Submariner like the one often dubbed “Cookie Monster” by watch collectors around the globe:

The classic blue and black combination of this watch combined with its striking index markers and functional date window make it a timeless pick that has remained in style for decades. The color combination yielded its “Cookie Monster” nickname – but make no mistake, this is a serious watch. Powered by the self-winding 3235 caliber, this Submariner has a generous 70-hour power reserve and 98 feet of water resistance.

The art world does not end with the visual sphere – from painters to musicians, creatives of all different ilks have found a passion for upscale watches. Miles Davis, a jazz legend and perhaps the world’s most famous trumpet player, often sported a Breitling watch with a black face and brown leather strap. If you’re looking to evoke Miles Davis’s style with a Navitimer watch, look no further than our broad selection at Avi & Co.

Breitling was not the only brand that Miles Davis loved, however. He was also often photographed wearing a yellow gold Rolex Day Date, a staple of the era. While rose gold watches have been surging in popularity in recent years, there is nothing like the classic tones of a yellow gold timepiece to complement an evening listening to jazz and sipping a drink.

As its name suggests, the Day-Date watch displays both the day (at the 12 o’clock position) and the date (at the 3 o’clock position), making it functional for keeping the time as well as the days of the month and week. This yellow gold model evokes Miles Davis’s go-to Rolex.

An English guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Eric Clapton is considered by some as the “OG celebrity watch collector.” His watch collection ranges far and wide, including several limited edition Patek Philippe watches. He is best known, however, for his incredible diversity of Rolex watches. In fact, his Rolex Cosmograph Daytona – which was nicknamed the “Oyster Albino” due to its subdials being the same color as the main dial – sold on auction for $1.4 million.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is a favorite of many musicians and celebrities for its hefty, substantial appearance and numerous complications, held in attractive and well-positioned subdials. This model offers a comparable aesthetic to the monochromatic one favored by Eric Clapton – the subdials reflect the makeup of the main dial and bezel.

To close out our exploration of watches in the world of visual and performance art, we have to mention John Lennon’s Patek Philippe Complications watch. The watch in question was gifted to him by his wife, Yoko Ono, as a 40th birthday present – but after Lennon’s death, the watch was missing for years. It was only recently recovered, and there are numerous questions about its whereabouts in the past 40 years. In fact, The New Yorker did a deep dive into tracing the journey of John Lennon’s stolen Patek Philippe step by step.

Now that the watch has been returned to its rightful owners (Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s estate), we have gotten a better glimpse at what it looks like. With a gold case and black strap, the watch features a few different complication subdials, including a moon phase display.

While John Lennon’s Patek Philippe watch is priceless, you can still get your hands on a similar Patek Philippe Complications watch if you know where to look (hint: Avi & Co.)! We like this Complications model for its vintage-looking ivory face, delicate profile, and trio of complications dials (including a moon phase display) that evokes the look of Lennon’s watch dial.

It’s clear that some of the world’s most famous artists and musicians love haute horlogerie – but the connection between art and wristwatches is far from a thing of the past. In fact, artists continue to influence and collaborate on luxury wristwatches today. The perfect example? Audemars Piguet’s latest release, a collaboration with NYC-based artist KAWS.

The artist formerly known as Brian Donnelly was born in 1974 and attended New York’s School of Visual Arts, where he studied illustration. While he pursued a number of projects in his early career, including serving as a background painter for Disney’s 101 Dalmations film, KAWS found his true passion in creating engaging and subversive graffiti and street art. His cartoon-esque style became quickly recognizable in the New Jersey and New York area, and he was then contacted by a Japanese toy company to turn his drawings into toys.

The first of these toys, called “COMPANION” has a skull and crossbones head and X-ed out eyes – Christie’s describes it as a “macabre Mickey Mouse.” In the years since, his artwork has exploded in popularity. Some other high points include a 121-foot-long COMPANION installation at the 2019 Art Basel event in Hong Kong, which floated in Victoria Harbour. KAWS’ works frequently sell for over $1 million at auction – but his record is $14.8 million for a piece combining characters from The Simpsons with cover art from an iconic Beatles album.

Audemars Piguet recently collaborated with KAWS to create a one-of-a-kind timepiece: a 43 mm Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon watch that features a miniature “COMPANION” at its center as well as showcasing an innovative peripheral time display. The watch is crafted entirely from high-grade titanium and reveals its tourbillon mechanism as the “beating heart” of COMPANION itself. With a combination of sandblasted and satin-brushed textures, this timepiece has truly accounted for every detail of the senses.

This elevated and subversive take on a character watch – which quite literally pushes time to the periphery with an innovative hour, minute, and second display – is part of a limited run of 250 pieces. It speaks to Audemars Piguet’s commitment to innovation and remaining in touch with popular culture. Who ever said heritage brands couldn’t thrive in the modern world?

The public enthusiasm for the brand-new AP X KAWS watch speaks to the ongoing influence of art on the world of luxury timekeeping. Artists and musicians don’t just wear upscale watches – they are often part of creating their very own models that evoke their style, craft, and unique personal flair.

You don’t have to be an expert painter or a renowned musician to take horological inspiration from the greats of the art world. At Avi & Co., we are here to help you find the perfect art-inspired watch to grace your wrist. Whether you prefer a Patek Philippe like John Lennon or Picasso, a Breitling like Miles Davis, or a Rolex like Andy Warhol and Eric Claption, we have a diverse and upscale selection of only the best watches available on the secondary market.

Stop by one of our three showrooms – conveniently located in New York City, Miami, and Aspen – to explore our full inventory. Schedule an appointment here.