The hands of time are shifting the watch world as the next generation of enthusiasts clock in.
The meteoric growth of the luxury watch market may be slowing down a little post-pandemic, but one of the largest client bases continues its nascent love affair with watches. A recent report by Watchfinder & Co., which surveyed over 2,400 Gen Z watch enthusiasts (aged 18–26) in the United States, discovered that 41 percent of respondents acquired a luxury watch in the previous year. The report also indicates that Gen Zers would spend an average of $10,870 on a luxury watch, whereas millennials spend only half that amount.
So why the interest from such a young audience? Part of the appeal comes from watch brand ambassadors. Brands hire actors, athletes, and musicians as the face of their newest release or a classic hero line. Working with younger celebrities who represent the qualities the brand is trying to project reflects the client’s aspirations back to them.
Audemars Piguet’s collaboration with Travis Scott blends luxury with creativity (Photo courtesy of Audemars Piguet)
Audemars Piguet showcased this concept perfectly when they teamed up with hip-hop artist Travis Scott’s label Cactus Jack on the limited-edition Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked in 2023. This is Audemars Piguet’s first Royal Oak model in brown ceramic, a signature color for Cactus Jack—or as Scott calls it, “the chocolate AP.” The brand also works with “creative conduit” John Mayer, who helped design another limited-edition Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. Crafted in 18K white gold and with a deep blue dial, the instrument is inspired by the astronomical roots of the perpetual calendar. For die-hard fans of either musician, the horological connection becomes coveted.
Musicians also conduct the score at Chopard. In ads for the brand, K-pop group aespa accessorizes Alpine Eagle watches with Chopard’s Ice Cube bracelets and rings, adding a fun, sexy component to the timepieces.
Watch brands have found great success outside of music partnerships, too. Following in her mother Cindy Crawford’s footsteps at OMEGA, Kaia Gerber joined the maison as ambassador in 2017. Gerber’s rise on the fashion runways makes her an ideal face—and wrist—for connecting the house with a younger cohort of customers who are interested in fashion and see a horological timepiece as an extension of their style.
Left: Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber grace the Planet Omega Exhibition (Photo courtesy of Omega)
Middle: Ryan Gosling sports the stunning 39mm Carrera Chronograph, TAG Heuer’s collaboration with the actor, on the 96th Oscars red carpet and during his performance of “I’m Just Ken.” (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty Images)
Right: John Mayer collaborates with Audemars Piguet to help design and showcase the brand’s timeless elegance and precision in watchmaking (Photo courtesy of Audemars Piguet)
IWC Schaffhausen joined the world of racing when it teamed with race car legend Lewis Hamilton, who helped design a Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph. Hamilton’s third collaboration with the house features a platinum case and a 22mm-wide teal strap that matches the color of his Formula One team. Only 44 were made to coincide with Hamilton’s racing number, a limited run that creates urgency for fans of Hamilton and Formula One to acquire a piece of sporting history for themselves.
Perhaps the most strategic partnership last year was TAG Heuer’s collaboration with actor Ryan Gosling, who had a headlining 2023 with his role in “Barbie.” TAG Heuer worked with Gosling, alongside actors Alexandra Daddario, Patrick Dempsey, and China’s Liu Haoran, to showcase its iconic Carrera model, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. Gosling rocked the 39mm Carrera Chronograph with steel bracelet in a glassbox design on the Academy Awards red carpet and during his Oscars performance of the song “I’m Just Ken.” He also starred in a commercial where he portrayed an actor who falls in love with a prop TAG Heuer watch on set and tries to steal it. The action-packed ad brings the actor’s comedic chops to the forefront and delivers on the brand’s message—icons are made. That’s an idea that many more Gen Z collectors will happily embrace and invest in.
