John Mayer Shows Off the Full Breadth of His Watch Collection

Welcome to Watches of the Week, where we’ll track the rarest, wildest, and most covetable watches spotted on celebrities.

A theory: one reason John Mayer is so endearing—beyond the sexy tunes, impeccable taste, and ability to kick a cap off a bottle—is the fact that he spends money like we might, were we also rockstar rich. Dude is a collector: he allegedly owns over 200 guitars, has an armoury of Visvim in a storage facility in California, and owns enough watches to necessitate two separate Hodinkee videos to cover all the ground. This week we were blessed with two separate Mayer watch sightings that accurately represent the two opposite poles of the musician’s collection: he snaps up timeless classics, but isn’t afraid to follow his own taste—even when it leads him to colorful and strange places. Also this week: Tom Holland grabs the baton and Jeff Goldblum wears an all-timer.

John Mayer’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked Self-Winding

Early 1970s iterations of the Royal Oak succeeded because of their sporty material (steel) and interesting new octagon-shaped case. But over time, as Audemars Piguet realized the massive hit it had on its wrists, the brand started minting as many different variations of the watch as possible. Mayer’s Royal Oak Concept is outfitted with all the bells and whistles, like a tourbillon and chronograph, collectors would want from a highly technical watch. “This watch definitely represents the golden era we’re still very much in when it comes to complicated variants of the Royal Oak,” he told Hodinkee. “Hard to get more over-the-top technical than this piece.”

John Mayer’s Rolex GMT-Master II “Batman”

Mayer collects a lot of atypical watches (see: above), and even has the power to singlehandedly make his peculiar tastes the dominant one across the market. Those caveats aren’t necessary when talking about the piece he wore to Watch What Happens Live this week. Mayer’s Rolex GMT-Master II in the black-and-blue “Batman” color combo is about as classic as it gets. But pay attention to the details and you’ll notice Mayer’s subtle flex. The “Batman” GMT was re-released earlier this year—but on a dressed-up Jubilee-style bracelet. Mayer, however, is wearing the 2013 GMT on the much-preferred Oyster bracelet. “It’s the best contemporary watch that Rolex makes,” Mayer told Hodinkee in 2013.

Tom Holland’s Patek Philippe Aquanaut

Mild spoiler alert: the new Spider-Man: Far From Home movie is all about establishing Tom Holland’s character as the new Iron Man. That transition requires a level of obsession with complicated and expensive gadgetry that might not be natural to the friendly neighborhood superhero. But it appears that Holland is channeling his predecessor Robert Downey Jr, noted collector of absurd timepieces, pretty well. On the press tour for his new movie, Holland has made a habit of wearing the Patek Philippe Aquanaut in a sultry combination of rose-gold case and chocolate-brown dial.

Dave Chapelle’s Apple Watch

It’s easy to get caught up tracking celebrities in Pateks, Rolexes, and Richard Milles and, after a good and proper brain-warping, assume that’s the norm. Dave Chapelle, with that recognizable bright white rubber strap and tiny computer around his wrist, provides a helpful reminder that the most popular watch in the world is made by Apple.

Alex Rodriguez’s platinum Day-Date

The Day-Date—the watch worn “by more presidents, leaders, and visionaries,” according to Rolex—is already one of the brand’s higher-echelon models. It’s a piece not made for diving or racing, like Rolex’s other classic, but for competing in Jack Donaghy’s preferred sport of negotiating. Even so, Alex Rodriguez’s Day Date is a notch above the standard president-favorite model: it trades out the typical ridged bezel for this super clean platinum one. It’s the same style Jay Z wore to the NBA Finals just a couple weeks ago. So maybe Rolex’s line needs an addendum—the Day-Date may be the watch worn by leaders but A-plus-plus-plus listers reach for it in platinum.

Jeff Goldblum’s Cartier Tank

Leave it to Jeff Goldblum to swerve just enough with his watch choice. The inimitable Cartier Tank, a watch actually inspired by a 1910s version of its namesake, is an all-time classic. Celebrities like Andy Warhol, Princess Diana, Truman Capote, Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, and Clark Gable were enchanted by the piece. Goldblum is in good company.