Yes, Those Were Two $90,000 Watches on the Court at the 2023 US Open

By Oren Hartov

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With tennis’s fourth and final Grand Slam of 2023 under way in Queens, we’ve had our eyes peeled for the excellent watches that inevitably appear in the stands during each US Open. And let me tell you, we didn’t have to hunt long! Rolex, of course, was everywhere—the brand had been a title sponsor of the Open since 2018—but other marques also made an appearance, including the massively popular Audemars Piguet and the high-end independent maker De Béthune. (Believe it or not, two different players actually competed on the court while wearing the latter’s, ahem, not inexpensive pieces.) Without further ado, here are some of our faves from the tournament so far.

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was spotted in the crowd wearing what appears to be one of the hottest watches on Earth: the discontinued Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 5711. (It appears to be a 5711/1A-010 with a blue dial, for those counting.) The watch could be the new 5811, the Nautilus with a navy blue dial in white gold, but Butler definitely owns the 5711 so it seems the safest bet.

The 5711 retailed for roughly $35,000 when it was in the Patek catalog, but this watch now trades for roughly $100,000 to $120,000—not a bad appreciation since its discontinuation in late 2021. Butler’s has a deep roster of excellent watches—including grails by Rolex, Tag Heuer, and Jacob & Co.—but tends to give this standout Patek ample wrist time.

Butler wasn’t finished there, either. The next day he wore another high-level grail that eschews the Nautilus’s classic looks for balls-to-the-wall luxury: He paired his all-white Alo look with a Rolex Daytona Rainbow.

Queen Latifah wore a Rolex Day-Date—and a great Jimi Hendrix T-shirt, to boot—in the stands, matching it to a small nation’s GDP’s worth of gold jewelry. Latifah is no stranger to the Crown, having been spotted with Day-Dates before, but also with a two-tone 40mm Submariner ref. 16613. The “President,” of course, is an excellent choice for the award-laden, multi-hyphenate NJ native—only available in precious metal, it’s been a favorite of celebrities, dignitaries (hence the nickname), and collectors since its debut in 1956.

Colombian-born superstar singer J Balvin was snapped in an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Seated at Arthur Ashe next to girlfriend Valentina Ferrer on the second day of the Open, Balvin rocked one of the world’s most famous timepieces with a flashy all-green kit: knit polo, pleated trousers, oversized shades. A noted collector, he’s been spotted in everything from Richard Mille to Jacob & Co. to Rolex.

The former president was spotted wearing an Apple Watch during the men’s singles at Arthur Ashe on August 28th. Obama, while not a “watch guy,” per se, has been known to wear a Rolex Cellini (which would’ve been appropriate at the Open—come on, Mr. President!), a TAG Heuer 1500 Series Professional 200M (back when he was a senator, to be fair), a Jorg Gray 6500 Series with Secret Service dial, and a special collaboration piece from Active Black and Teleport Watches meant to raise awareness for Black-owned businesses.

It was a big week for De Bethune, a high-end independent Swiss watchmaker.: During their first-round matches, American stars Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul both rocked the brand’s DB28xs Starry Seas in titanium with a gorgeous guilloché dial. Measuring 38.7mm and 7.4mm tall, this is a wildly cool, totally futuristic-looking watch—and at $90,000 retail, not something one expects to see on the court. (Or, at least it wouldn’t have been until a certain someone began wearing Richard Mille while swinging his racket.)