This is an edition of the newsletter Box + Papers, Cam Wolf’s weekly deep dive into the world of watches. Sign up here.
After you’ve fought Batman, flown a sortie over Dunkirk, and been bonded to an alien symbiote, sometimes the rest of your life just calls for the type of unassailable luxury you don’t need to think about. At least that seems to be the case for Tom Hardy, who rocked a Submariner Date ref. 116610LN to the New York premiere of Venom: The Last Dance.
Hardy’s choice is an easy one—the Sub is a veritable horological legend for a reason. Born in 1953 during the heady days of early recreational scuba diving, it was designed to accompany the sport diver beneath the waves and to track elapsed time via a rotating bezel. After several decades of relative affordability as a timepiece well suited to the needs of sportsmen, explorers, soldiers, and more, it became a luxury product in the 1970s, with models debuting in solid gold and two-tone. These days, it’s exceedingly difficult to buy one at retail.
Karwai Tang
Hardy’s Sub isn’t the most modern steel Date version—ref. 126610LN—which measures 41 mm. Hardy’s ref. 116610LN is from the previous generation and measures exactly one millimeter larger. When the new crop of Subs dropped in 2020, it represented the first time Rolex had increased the model’s case diameter in decades. The subtle change represented what the Crown is known for: slowly and carefully perfecting its catalog of watches over many decades.
The Sub doesn’t appear to be Hardy’s only Rolex, either. In fact, it seems fair to say that Hardy is a Rolex guy. Elsewhere in his collection is a “Polar” Explorer II ref. 216570 that he wore to the Toronto International Film Festival, a Sky-Dweller in white gold that accompanied him on the red carpet, a now discontinued Datejust Turn-O-Graph. But he’s not a total loyalist, he also owns an Omega Seamaster “Casino Royale” limited edition. (Don’t tell the folks at Rolex!) Hardy has also worn several Bremont watches, including a U2/51-Jet and ALT1-P2 Jet, in films like Venom.
A tough-guy actor of the old school, Hardy fits well with all the Submariner represents: utility, reliability, and a gruff handsomeness. We might also add a well-deserved exclusivity: The Sub is now thoroughly a luxury product, and Hardy’s films have grossed some $7B. And there’s even an English connection: German-born Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf initially set up his business in England before moving it to Switzerland for tax purposes. Now we just need to find out if Hardy has his PADI diving certification to find out how deep this connection really goes.
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Breanna Stewart’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph
Recently crowned WNBA champion Breanna Stewart wore an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak at the parade in New York City while celebrating the New York Liberty’s 2024. Stewie chose the ref. 26240BA.OO.1320BA.02, a 41-mm yellow-gold Chronograph version of Genta’s famed design with a smoked yellow-gold-toned Grand Tapisserie dial. This is a baller watch befitting the Liberty’s former MVP. Powered by an automatic, in-house movement and paired to a matching yellow-gold bracelet, the Royal Oak Chronograph is a watch that never looks wrong, goes out of style, or fails to impress.
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Wristwatch
A’ja Wilson’s Jacob & Co. Boutique Collection Watch
Speaking of the WNBA, Las Vegas Aces center and three-time MVP A’ja Wilson wore a beautiful Jacob & Co. Boutique Collection watch to the 2024 Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards this past week. Unlike many of the brand’s other gonzo timepieces, this dressy design is more akin to a cocktail watch from the early 20th century: Devoid of any complications, the J&Co. features a thin, rectangular case with a fully diamond-studded bezel, bracelet, and dial. That’s 28.54 carats of Ashoka-cut diamonds, for those counting. Now, that’s standard when it comes to Jacob the Jeweler.
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Dwyane Wade’s Tiffany & Co. Eternity
Dwyane Wade is all aboard the itty-bitty watch trend. At least one part of the Heat legend’s statue unveiling went well this weekend. We’re talking about his Tiffany & Co. 28-mm Eternity with a round rose-gold case, a diamond bezel, a black dial, a gold feuille handset, and beautiful diamond-set indices in alternating cuts: round brilliant, baguette, cushion, Tiffany True, marquise, Asscher, heart, pear, oval, emerald, triangle and princess, to be exact. Paired to a thin leather strap and quartz powered, it’s clearly marketed as a ladies’ watch—but Wade is man enough not to care, and neither should you.
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Courtesy of Jacob & Co.
Drake’s Dual Jacob & Co. Five Time Zones
When one blinged-out, five-time-zone-displaying watch isn’t enough, try one on each wrist! That’s what Drake did at his 38th birthday bash in Toronto, sporting one with a diamond bezel and mother-of-pearl dial, and another with a fully gem-set case and dial. The Five Time Zone ushered in Jacob & Co.’s horological activities in the early 2000s and quickly saw the brand explode to dizzying heights—and this was after jeweler Jacob Arabo had already changed the face of hip-hop with his dazzling creations. Everyone—and we mean everyone—has since worn one, from Jay-Z to Busta Rhymes to Pharrell. (And Drake himself, of course. Twice.)
