Last night’s Academy Awards ceremony was a celebration of auteur cinema, diversity, and — to our pleasant surprise — a wide range of Canadian filmmaking talent. It was also, as ever, a night in which the biggest names of Hollywood face off in the battle for wrist-wear supremacy on the red carpet. This year’s lineup featured some true contenders from the world’s top brands, as well as what felt like an unprecedented number of unusual and vintage choices. From the Oscars red carpet to the afterparties, the competition for Best Watch of the Night was particularly fierce. Here are the nominees.
Pedro Pascal, Chanel Boy-Friend
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Pascal is becoming known as much for his bold red carpet style choices as his acting, and he didn’t disappoint last night with a Chanel ensemble that included a beige gold Boy-Friend watch.
Usher, Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Classic Night & Day
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The trend of men wearing “women’s” timepieces seems to have fully established itself at this year’s awards. No one embodied it better than Usher in this 34mm deep-cut from the JLC catalogue, featuring a diamond bezel and a moon-phase display.
Domhnall Gleeson, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds
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The classics are called that for a reason, and few black-tie watches are more deserving of that designation than the Reverso. Invented as a polo watch in the 1930s, it has since evolved into a red-carpet staple.
Michael B Jordan, Vintage Piaget
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Michael B Jordan showed up like a winner. Piaget’s modern lineup is increasingly full of archival re-editions of the brand’s 1970s hits like the Polo79, but there’s much more where those came from. Among the vintage gems we’d love to see reborn is the sleek Piaget dress watch sported by the Best Actor winner.
Felix Kammerer, Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
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Nothing makes a statement on the red carpet quite like an ultra-thin perpetual calendar, especially one as elegant as this white gold specimen from the world’s oldest watchmaker.
Kumail Nanjiani, Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton
LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF VACHERON CONSTANTIN.
RIGHT: PHOTO BY MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAGES.
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Sorry, Felix. Your Traditionnelle is a beauty, but Nanjiani’s skeletonized Overseas wins this QP faceoff.
Joe Alwyn, Hublot Classic Fusion
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Alwyn’s Valentino fit was one of the night’s best, but his silk cravat wasn’t his only 10/10 accessory choice, thanks to the understated Hublot Classic Fusion Essential Grey 42mm on his wrist.
Kieran Culkin, Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph
LEFT: COURTESY OF HUBLOT.
RIGHT: PHOTO BY FRAZER HARRISON/WIREIMAGE.
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Kieran Culkin’s Oscar ensemble is a master class in the power of accessories to bring a black-tie outfit together. His burgundy jacket wouldn’t look half as good without the gold accessories, including a 42mm King Gold chronograph.
Miles Caton, Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph
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Caton’s Louis Vuitton Tambour was among the best watches on the red carpet at the recent SAG-AFTRA Actor Awards, yet he still managed to outdo himself at the Oscars thanks to a Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph in King Gold and Titanium.
Wagner Moura, Omega De Ville Prestige
LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF OMEGA.
RIGHT: PHOTO BY SAVION WASHINGTON/PENSKE MEDIA VIA GETTY IMAGES.
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The Speedies and Seamasters tend to get more than their share of the spotlight over at Omega, but there are plenty of other gems to be unearthed in the brand’s deep catalogue, including this understated steel dress watch worn by Wagner Moura.
Chris Evans, Chopard L.U.C XPS
LEFT: PHOTO BY LIAM MOGAN.
RIGHT: PHOTO COURTESY OF CHOPARD.
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Ed Sheeran’s passion for watches must be rubbing off on his pal (and sometimes drummer) Chris Evans. Or so the sleek and sophisticated watch from Chopard’s elite L.U.C line suggests.
Mason Thames, TAG Heuer vintage Link “River of Diamonds”
LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF TAG HEUER.
RIGHT: PHOTO BY SAVION WASHINGTON/PENSKE MEDIA VIA GETTY IMAGES.
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Much like the Omega De Ville, TAG Heuer’s Link collection tends to get overlooked in favour of the ever-popular Carrera and Monaco families. This vintage quartz model, however, makes a much better complement to a tux than a sporty chronograph.
FEATURE PHOTO: KUMAIL NANJIANI ATTENDS THE 98TH OSCARS AT DOLBY THEATRE ON MARCH 15, 2026 IN HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA. PHOTO BY MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAGES.
