On a wet Sunday evening in Los Angeles, the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood was exceptionally packed with the A-list celebrities. The elite names of the entertainment industry waked on the rainy red carpet of the 92nd Academy Awards donning crisp tuxedoes, Grecian printed skirts, and vintage gown trails. Though it is facile to appreciate the champions of haute couture worn by the stars, it is, indeed, a herculean task to sniff out the biggest names of horology strapped to their wrists. The tux tailored just to fit in perfection, with a crisp cotton or silk shirt peeking slightly out the sleeves, and the cape or oversized sleeves and bijou worn by the starlets conceal the fine wrist wear underneath. It is not until the Award winners raise their arms in triumph, or to embrace their peers, or to blow a kiss towards fans or sign an autograph, one could steal a glance of the watches coming out of its hiding place.

Though the typically- watch allergic, Timothee Chalamet, tweeted before the event that he has a Rose Gold Presidential on his bony wrist, his elastic cuff of his Prada kept the watch out of our sight the whole evening.

But keep reading for the watches that did catch our undivided attention and our eyes!

Antonio Banderas’ Bulgari octo Finissimo Automatic

The Best Actor nominee of the movie Pain and Glory, Antonio Banderas picked out a great monochromatic ultra-thin Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic watch (5.15mm) with black sandblasted ceramic case and matching ceramic bracelet and dial that perfectly hid under his classic black tux and slide out when he needed to blow someone a kiss.

Karl Schmid’s Rolex Explorer

As the ABC News correspondent Schmid took his familiar spot on the red carpet, interviewing and speaking to the starlets about their nominations or predictions for the night, we couldn’t help notice the peek-a-boo of his watch with his tuxedo’s cuffs. It was a stainless steel Rolex Explorer with the characteristic 3/6/9 black dial and matching steel Oyster bracelets, which perfectly illustrates that a Rolex Sports watch is a perfect date, whether you are wearing a tux or a casual button-down.

Mark Consuelos’ Vintage Rolex Daytona

The sexy Mark Consuelos walked down the 2020 red carpet with his beautiful wife, Kelly Ripa, by his side wearing a blue tux with a black lapel and bowtie and opted for a fabulous vintage yellow gold Rolex Daytona chronograph.

Taika Waititi’s Panerai Luminor

The New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi, bagged his first Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for, Jojo Rabbit. With his traditional black-tie tux, he paired an unconventional large and sporty, stainless steel Panerai Luminor – characterized by the signature crown- protecting bridge- with a blue dial and leather strap.

Spike Lee’s Rolex GMT- Master

By wearing a custom made purple and yellow suit with the number 24 emblazoned on the lapels and back, the Academy awarded director, Spike Lee, paid tribute to his fellow Oscar winner and NBA player Kobe Bryant. On his wrist, Lee wore the new 18k Eve rose gold- Rolex’s proprietary rose gold ally-Rolex GMT-Master II with the black and brown ceramic bezel. 

Rami Malek’s Cartier Pasha

The Academy Award winner, Rami Malek, taking his love for Cartier to an entirely new level, paired a yellow gold Pasha Cartier watch on a black leather strap, with his black tuxedo-shirt look. All the way back in 1932, Louis Cartier, originally designed the round Pasha as per the request from Sultan of Marrakech Thami El Glaoui- known as the Pasha of Marrakech- who wanted a watch he could wear while swimming in his pool. And this model was Cartier’s first waterproof watch and today they are no longer manufacturing it; but, are still widely available in the pre-owned markets. 

Elton John’s Franck Muller

An avid fan of Frank Muller watches, John wore a dazzling diamond Frank Muller watch to complement his unconventional jazzy purple suit jacket and pink goggles. 

Mindy Kaling’s Audemard Piguet

Post- Oscar Vanity Fair party, Mindy Kailing slip on a dazzling diamond-set Audemard Piguet Royal Oak Watch which gave a finishing touch to her bedazzling evening outfit.

Kanye West’s Ikepod Hemipode

West wore his recently described ‘favourite watch’ – Ikepod Hemipode-to the Vanity Fair after-party. In a press release from 2007, the brand described this watch as “a proof that [one who wears it] is attuned to an avant-garde statement of sophisticated taste and its design will look even better in twenty years than it does today”. Well even after 13years, we can say how valid the statement is.

Oscar Issac’s Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Limited Edition

Omega’s pride ‘the Speedmaster’ that was on Buzz Aldrin’s wrist when he touched down the moon in 1969. Omega commemorated the 50th anniversary of the successful-mission, last year, by manufacturing this Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 limited edition watches. The American-Guatemalan actor wore Omega’s renowned special edition Speedmaster watches with its stainless steel model featuring a drawing done in 18k gold of Buzz Aldrin disembarking Apollo 11.

Other luxuries watches worn by are Tag Heuer Monaco by Colin Jost’s, Rolex Daytona 6263 by Ryan Seacrest and so on.

The entire event is sponsored by the Rolex; there is even a familiar Rolex dial at the top of the official Oscar Website. Yet, it was a pleasant and charming spectacle to behold a great many timeless elegant watches out walking in the red carpet.