The Best Watches Spotted at BAFTAs 2026

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When The Spotlight Shifted To The Wrist

The 79th British Academy Film Awards unfolded on 22 February 2026, closing one of the tightest races in recent memory. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another ultimately led the night, but the competition across categories had been fierce, with Marty Supreme, Sinners, Sentimental Value, and Hamnet all in serious contention. On the red carpet, the style stakes ran just as high — especially on the wrist. Timothée Chalamet, now firmly established as a bona fide watch obsessive, drew attention as expected. But he wasn’t alone: fellow nominees brought their own horological firepower, turning out in standout pieces from Omega, TAG Heuer, and more.

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Leonardo DiCaprio's Rolex Daytona "Le Mans"

Arguably the evening’s ultimate horological flex. DiCaprio returned to his now-signature white-gold “Le Mans” Daytona — a 2023 release created to honour the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and already pulled from production. Powered by Rolex’s calibre 4132 with a 72-hour power reserve, the piece stands out for its black Cerachrom bezel marked with a vivid red “100” and an uncommon sapphire caseback that reveals the movement within. Among collectors, this reference has swiftly earned the status of a contemporary grail.

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Wagner Moura's De Ville Prestige

Moura opted for a study in understatement, wearing an OMEGA 41 mm De Ville Prestige in stainless steel. With its clean dial, classic proportions and polished finish, the piece delivered timeless elegance — a refined counterpoint to the evening’s high-voltage glamour.

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Paul Mescal's Vintage Cartier Basculante

Mescal wore a vintage Basculante by Cartier — a model that dates back to the 1930s and embodies the maison’s early experimentation with form and function. Much like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, its case pivots to conceal the dial, originally conceived as a practical safeguard. Most surviving pieces are powered by manual-wind movements and adhere closely to Cartier’s signature rectangular proportions. It’s a decision rooted in legacy and subtlety, prioritising history and design integrity over spectacle.

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Ethan Hawke's Seamaster Aqua Terra

Nominated for Best Leading Actor for Blue Moon, Hawke chose a 30 mm OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra in stainless steel, distinguished by its rich pine green dial. Sleek and quietly distinctive, the piece balanced sport and sophistication — a subtle but confident choice on a night built on precision.

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Michael B. Jordan's Vacheron Constantin Prestige de la France

Jordan’s vintage Prestige de la France hails from a sharply defined chapter in Vacheron Constantin’s history. Crafted in the 1970s, these yellow-gold pieces leaned into asymmetry, often framed with diamond-set bezels and powered by ultra-thin manual movements. They weren’t designed to dominate the mainstream conversation — and that’s precisely their appeal now. Owning one suggests a collector whose interests extend past predictable dress-watch archetypes into more nuanced, era-specific horology.

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Timothée Chalamet's Urban Jürgensen UJ-2

Chalamet doubles down on his association with Urban Jürgensen, stepping out once more in the UJ-2 after debuting it earlier this season. The 39mm watch pairs a meticulously hand-guilloché dial with old-world finishing, driven by the brand’s proprietary UJ-2 movement—complete with twin barrels and a free-sprung balance. Operating firmly within the independent watchmaking sphere, Urban Jürgensen produces in tightly limited quantities, lending the UJ-2 particular weight among seasoned collectors.

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The BAFTAs 2026 Wrist Game, Decoded

If the films battled it out inside the auditorium, the real face-off on the carpet happened at cuff level. The BAFTAs 2026 wrist game was a masterclass in quiet flexes — from heritage heavyweights to contemporary icons — signalling that today’s leading men aren’t just dressing for the cameras, they’re curating. And in a year this competitive, even the watches came ready to win.