Not Bad, Brad

Seemingly age-defying actor Brad Pitt hasn’t conquered time, but he sure knows how to track it. His luxury watch collection includes a bevy of Patek Philippe, Rolex and Breitling pieces, like this Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Norton.

HOLLYWOOD’S HANDSOME WILLIAM BRADLEY PITT HAS A WATCH COLLECTION ALMOST AS IMPOSING AS HIS RÉSUMÉ. By Haley Longman

Brad Pitt is everyone’s type. He’s classically handsome, confusingly age-defying (at 58) and instantly recognizable both by name and by face. And just in case his three decades of achievement in glamorous Hollywood don’t make us jealous enough, this multi-talented dude has a diverse collection of luxury timepieces that just won’t quit.

Early in his career, Pitt was spotted wearing classic luxury watches both in everyday life and at swanky events—the handsome and versatile Rolex Explorer and Breitling Emergency were his go-tos. Breitling launched the Emergency in 1995 as a backup transmitter for downed pilots or lost adventurers, fitting for a globetrotting actor-turned-producerdirector who travels more than he sits still.

Perhaps his choice in watches then was foreshadowing, because in 2019, Pitt’s Oscar-winning Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood year, he became the handsome face of the Swiss brand Breitling. He’s also one of three actors in the “Breitling Cinema Squad,” an ad campaign and social initiative established in 2018 featuring the best-of-the-best in their field (the other two are Charlize Theron and Adam Driver). The Super Chronomat B01 and Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Norton are among Pitt’s faves from Breitling, the latter a collaboration with the British motorcycle manufacturer. (Pitt is a keen motorcyclist, a hobby he shares with son Pax.)

But first, in 2005 (coincidentally the year in which he met his future wife Angelina Jolie on the set of their film, Mr. and Mrs. Smith) the Oklahoma native was tapped as TAG Heuer’s spokesmodel. He owns a TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Automatic Chronograph, and his character in 2011’s Moneyball famously sported the TAG Heuer Kirium, which the film’s prop master presented to the actor as an option after finding it on a crew member’s wrist. This particular watch has a midnight blue dial, Mercedesstyle hands, a unidirectional rotating dive bezel and a classic case build.

One of Pitt’s most famous wristwatches is the iconic Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711. Rumored to be an engagement gift from Jolie, Pitt’s Nautilus has a dark dial and a stainless-steel case and bracelet and is water-resistant to 120 meters. And don’t quote us on this, but surely Pitt was given a Rolex or two by his other ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, who herself has an impressive watch collection. Pitt owns a Rolex GMT Master II, a Rolex Daytona in stainless steel with a white dial, a Day-Date, a Submariner and a yellow gold Yacht-Master, among others.

Arguably the pinnacle of Pitt’s vault is the minimalistic Cartier Tank à Guichet in 18K gold, an unusual selection that proves that this guy is no novice collector. Instead of a dial, the Tank à Guichet has a “jump-hour” mechanism, in which the hour and minutes are revealed behind tiny little windows on the metal face. It’s a limited-edition piece that debuted to celebrate Cartier’s 150th anniversary, and it is in fact a reiteration of the original Tank à Guichet from 1928. Only 100 of these have been produced globally.

Clearly then, this dad-of-six picks his wristwatches as he picks his projects—thoughtfully, informedly and with concern for how each will affect his legacy. His 2022 ventures thus far include an as-yet-untitled Formula One film, along with an unexpected foray into the music industry, where he is reopening Miraval Studios, the legendary recording facility located at Château de Miraval in France.

As for the long-term future? It’s hard to picture Pitt ever getting old, but of course he hasn’t defeated time; he only tracks it magnificently. In any case, it’s a sure bet he’ll always be watchable.

FACE TIME

The Big Short of it—Brad Pitt’s collection of luxury timepieces is as illustrious as his career. Here are a few worth ogling:

Since 2018, Pitt has been a member of the “Breitling Cinema Squad,” an ad campaign in which he shows off pieces such as this Breitling Super Chronomat B01.

Pitt reportedly purchased this rare Patek Philippe Ref. 5016A with a Calatravastyle case at an auction in Geneva in 2015. The price? $6.7 million.

In addition to his Rolex President, Day-Date, Submariner and Yacht-Master, Pitt also owns this stainless-steel Rolex Explorer with a black dial.