3 Comedians You Didn’t Know Were Serious About Watches

Two comedians sit down in a café. One is wearing a Breitling pilot’s watch and the other is wearing a vintage Rolex easily worth six figures. This is no joke.

They are Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres, and they are both serious watch collectors — but in this episode of the Netflix interview series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, they don’t discuss their watches. Only those with the propensity to zero in on other people’s wrist-wear would even notice.

If you believe that a person’s watch reflects something deep about their character, some of your favorite comedians just might offer a lot to analyze. Those at the top of their field can also afford to indulge their hobbies and choose some quite serious, rare or otherwise interesting timepieces. Here are three top comedians that are also quietly impressive watch collectors.

Kevin Hart

Shareif Ziyadat

Next time you see a photo or clip of Kevin Hart, he probably won’t be wearing the same watch as the last time you saw him. Look closer, and it’ll very likely have a prestigious name on its dial — think Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet and Rolex. Hart is serious about watches.

According to an interview with Haute Time, Hart has made something of a tradition of treating himself to a watch or car to mark milestones or achievements in his career — and he’s got a lot of those. He’s quoted saying “the passion for watches has always been there.”

Hart’s collection includes blingy examples but also those of a conservative and understated style, like Rolex Daytonas and Patek Philippe calendar watches, which sugges that his interest in horology is more than about displaying wealth. It’s worth keeping an eye on his collection as it surely will continue to grow.

Ellen DeGeneres

Christopher Polk

The six-figure vintage Rolex mentioned above is, more specifically, none other than a “Paul Newman” Daytona (ref. 6262). Ellen DeGeneres is said to have many more Rolex Daytonas, as well as others from the brand, both vintage and modern. You may spot her with anything from a Yacht Master to a Day-Date.

It seems she doesn’t mess around with anything other than “the best”: aside from Rolex, her other predilection appears to be Patek Philippe. Watch her wrist for a sporty steel Aquanaut or an elegant Grand Complication. (The type of watch collectors who follow auctions and speak in reference numbers are quietly nodding in approval right now.)

Jerry Seinfeld

Gary Gershoff

Rolex and Patek are what you tend to expect from watch collectors, so these brands might not as readily reveal their owners’ individual tastes. That’s why Jerry Seinfeld is particularly interesting: he’s a Breitling collector. Keep a keen eye during his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee series and you’ll spot a different Breitling for almost every episode (there’s a G-Shock in there too).

Cars, however, are his first passion, so racing or automotive-themed watches might seem the most natural. Breitling, on the other hand, focuses on aviation and most of the chronographs Seinfeld is seen wearing are pilot’s watches of some sort. It just goes to show that his tastes are truly his own and they seem rooted more in a general appreciation of gear and machines (though he’s also clearly into his sneakers). He’s also been spotted with the likes of Cartier, Heuer and Rolex.

Breitling’s typically bold and technical watches serve to add another dimension to his personality rather than simply fitting in with the character you already knew. It suits him, for sure, though it would be interesting to ask him what specifically drew him to this brand.

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