The Watches That Really Defined the 2026 US Open

Rolex dominated the stands, but the most interesting watches in New York weren’t necessarily the rarest—or the most expensive.

Tennis has become one of the best places to watch watches.

That sounds slightly ridiculous until you spend an afternoon looking around Arthur Ashe Stadium. Unlike a movie premiere, where a watch often disappears beneath a cuff, tennis provides hours of unobstructed wrist time. Players sit courtside between matches, celebrities fill the suites, cameras linger on reactions, and the sport’s relatively polished dress code makes a watch feel like part of the occasion rather than an afterthought.

The 2026 US Open made that relationship particularly obvious. Rolex was everywhere, ranging from vintage Daytonas to one of the company’s newest and most divisive designs. But concentrating only on the Crown misses much of what made this year’s watch spotting interesting. There was a three-figure Timex, an F.P. Journe actually worn during competition, a diamond-set Patek Philippe on court, Cartier in very different forms, and enough Daytona variations to demonstrate how one model can occupy several completely different corners of watch collecting.

The better question, then, isn’t simply who wore the most expensive watch?

It’s what these choices reveal about watches in 2026.

Roger Federer Wore the Rolex People Actually Wanted to See

Roger Federer appearing in a Rolex is hardly breaking news. His relationship with the brand is so established that the more interesting question is usually which Rolex he chooses.

This time it was the Oyster Perpetual with Rolex’s colorful “Jubilee” dial, ref. 134300 in the 41mm size. Federer even kept the steel watch on during practice at Arthur Ashe Stadium rather than reserving it for an appearance afterward. The dial, built around a multicolored geometric Rolex motif, is far less conservative than the watches typically associated with him.

That’s partly why the sighting worked.

Collectors often talk about replica Rolex as though the company changes at glacial speed. A Submariner still needs to look unmistakably like a Submariner; a Datejust can’t suddenly forget what a Datejust is. A playful Oyster Perpetual therefore attracts attention not because Rolex has invented the colorful dial, but because color feels unusually consequential when it comes from such a conservative manufacturer.

Federer’s wrist also highlights something that spec-sheet comparisons don’t capture particularly well: novelty has more impact when the underlying watch is familiar. The Oyster Perpetual remains one of Rolex’s simplest formulas. Change the dial dramatically and almost everybody notices.

That tension between conservative architecture and expressive surface design is far more interesting than describing the watch simply as “hyped.”

Then the Daytonas Started Arriving

If one model defined the luxury-watch side of the tournament, it wasn’t the Submariner or Datejust. It was the Cosmograph Daytona.

Jimmy Fallon appeared with a vintage ref. 6239 fitted with the exotic dial collectors associate with Paul Newman. Carlos Alcaraz wore a modern Daytona “Le Mans.” Lindsey Vonn brought out the gem-set “Rainbow” Daytona. Adam Pally wore a ref. 16518 on leather, Grant Hill chose the comparatively restrained steel ref. 116520, and José Alvarado appeared with another contrasting-subdial Daytona.

They’re technically members of the same family, yet they represent remarkably different versions of collecting.

Fallon’s 6239 belongs to the historical side of Rolex culture. The famous Paul Newman connection transformed watches that once struggled commercially into some of the most studied vintage chronographs in existence. The actor’s own Daytona famously reached $17.8 million at auction in 2017, which helps explain why the exotic-dial references occupy a category beyond an ordinary vintage Rolex.

Alcaraz’s “Le Mans,” by contrast, represents modern scarcity. It takes a watch already difficult to obtain and adds unusual production history and visual details associated with Rolex’s connection to endurance racing. GQ identified Alcaraz’s example as one of the highly coveted versions produced around the Le Mans anniversary.

Then there is Vonn’s Rainbow Daytona, where gemstones and visual spectacle matter as much as chronograph heritage.

Put those three together and the Daytona’s real strength becomes easier to understand. Very few watches can credibly function as a vintage grail, modern allocation trophy, jewelry piece and relatively understated steel sports chronograph without losing their identity.

That is probably more important to the Daytona’s cultural durability than any individual specification.

The Land-Dweller Was More Interesting Because People Still Disagree About It

Anthony Mackie’s Rolex Land-Dweller may be one of the most useful watch sightings from the entire tournament because the model isn’t settled territory yet.

The design has divided enthusiasts since its introduction. Much of the criticism centers on the honeycomb-pattern dial, open-style numerals and the visual combination of the fluted bezel with Rolex’s new Flat Jubilee bracelet. Other collectors have responded almost exactly the opposite way, particularly after seeing the watch in person.

That difference between photographs and wrist impressions repeatedly appears in enthusiast discussion.

One recent owner described the bracelet and relatively flat case as major strengths, while another Reddit discussion noted that the dial texture appears less dominant in person than in photographs. Other owners who initially disliked the Land-Dweller have said trying one on materially changed their opinion. Those are subjective impressions rather than technical facts, but the recurrence of the observation is useful: this seems to be a watch unusually sensitive to lighting, angle and wrist presence.

That makes Mackie’s appearance more valuable than another studio product shot.

Some watches photograph extraordinarily well and disappoint on the wrist. Others do the opposite. The Land-Dweller may increasingly belong to the second category.

There is also a bigger collector question underneath the debate: does Rolex need another everyday integrated-bracelet design when the Datejust already occupies so much territory?

Reddit discussions still split sharply on that point. Some owners view the Land-Dweller as a more contemporary alternative; others continue to regard the traditional Datejust as the more versatile and recognizably “Rolex” choice.

That disagreement makes the watch more interesting, not less.

Rolex Didn’t Need the Daytona to Dominate the Tournament

The rest of the Rolex sightings demonstrated just how wide the brand’s cultural range has become.

Carmelo Anthony wore a Sky-Dweller, bringing one of Rolex’s more technically ambitious modern collections into the mix. Carl Radke went with the blue “Smurf” Submariner, while Queen Latifah chose the blue two-tone ref. 116613LB. Russell Wilson wore the classic yellow-gold Day-Date ref. 228238; Peyton Watson went much more decorative with a mother-of-pearl dial and diamond hour markers. Tyler Kolek appeared with a blue-dial Datejust.

Taken together, they explain why Rolex dominates celebrity-watch coverage without every sighting feeling identical.

The Submariner communicates something different from the Day-Date. A Datejust reads differently from a Daytona. The Sky-Dweller has another identity again.

Rolex has managed to make its product families recognizable enough that even people who don’t know reference numbers often understand the broad signal: sport, travel, formal luxury, everyday classic or collector piece.

At an event where clothing ranges from athletic kit to tailoring, that versatility matters.

The Best Counterargument to Six-Figure Watches Cost Three Figures

John Mulaney’s Timex Marlin may have been the most refreshing watch at the Open.

Not because it beat a vintage Daytona mechanically, or because affordable watches are somehow morally superior to expensive ones. Neither argument is particularly useful.

It stood out because the Marlin looked completely appropriate in a setting filled with some of the world’s most valuable watches without trying to imitate them. GQ identified Mulaney’s piece by its white dial and green leather strap and noted its three-figure price positioning.

That points toward something enthusiasts occasionally lose sight of: price and visual interest aren’t the same measurement.

Once a collection reaches the point where everything is rare, precious-metal or allocation-driven, an inexpensive watch chosen deliberately can actually reveal more personal taste than another universally recognized trophy piece.

AJ Dybantsa made a similar case with the G-Shock G-Steel GST-B1000. At roughly $440 according to GQ’s reporting, it occupied an entirely different economic category from most of the watches in the stadium.

And yet neither looked out of place.

That’s useful context for anyone entering watch collecting through celebrity coverage: you don’t need to reproduce a celebrity’s budget to understand—or participate in—the aesthetic.

Marta Kostyuk and Donna Vekić Asked the Better Question: Can You Actually Play in It?

Most celebrity watch spotting happens safely away from athletic activity.

Marta Kostyuk and Donna Vekić made things considerably more interesting by wearing their watches during play.

Kostyuk’s Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5067A-014 combines a 36.3mm steel case with a diamond-set bezel and quartz movement. GQ also noted what appeared to be a fabric strap rather than its usual configuration.

Donna Vekić chose the F.P. Journe Élégante, another quartz watch—but one with a highly unusual electromechanical approach. Its movement can enter standby when the watch is motionless and return the hands to the correct time when movement resumes.

These two watches expose an amusing fault line in enthusiast culture.

Mechanical complexity receives most of the prestige in traditional watch collecting, yet quartz becomes remarkably compelling when somebody actually has to swing a tennis racket while wearing the watch.

Low weight, accuracy and resistance to the interruptions of active use suddenly matter more than whether a rotor is winding a mainspring.

That doesn’t make quartz “better.” It simply demonstrates why judging every watch by the same hierarchy is limiting.

A watch worn during professional sport is being asked a different question from one worn at dinner.

Travis Scott Went in the Opposite Direction

At the other extreme was Travis Scott’s Richard Mille RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon.

Richard Mille has built much of its identity around combining extremely advanced construction with shapes and materials that deliberately refuse traditional ideas of quiet luxury. The RM 75-01 continues that philosophy with a design influenced by the ocean and Gothic architecture, according to GQ’s description of the piece.

You don’t mistake it for anything else.

That matters because luxury watches increasingly split into two broad visual camps. Some pieces communicate their value only to people who already know what they’re looking at. Richard Mille does almost the reverse: it turns engineering, architecture and visual complexity into the identity of the watch.

Whether someone finds that fascinating or excessive is partly the point.

Orlando Bloom Chose the Watch Nerd’s Alternative

One of the strongest choices at the tournament came from Orlando Bloom: the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 1975 Limited Edition.

The modern watch uses titanium and Porsche Design’s automatic WERK 01.140 chronograph calibre, which is COSC certified. Its roots, however, belong to a much broader design story: the original Chronograph 1 helped establish the idea that a watch could borrow functional aesthetics directly from automotive instruments.

That makes it particularly satisfying on Bloom, who is also associated with Porsche Design.

More importantly, it’s an example of how watch enthusiasm becomes more interesting once the obvious five or six luxury brands stop being the only possibilities.

The Chronograph 1 isn’t obscure, but it still feels like a choice rather than a default.

Cartier Proved That Size Doesn’t Determine Presence

Kaia Gerber wore the yellow-gold mini Panthère de Cartier, while Miles McBride selected a far more aggressive black ADLC-coated Santos.

Same manufacturer, almost opposite interpretations of what a wristwatch can do.

The Panthère’s design history reaches back to the early 1980s as a dedicated collection, although Cartier’s panther motif itself has much older roots. On Gerber’s wrist, its small scale and jewelry-like bracelet did exactly what oversized replica watches often attempt unsuccessfully: it remained noticeable without dominating the outfit.

McBride’s Santos went the other way. Its dark coating emphasized the industrial geometry already built into the model.

Together they’re another useful reminder that millimeter measurements tell only part of the story. Case shape, bracelet design, surface finish and contrast can change how large—or how assertive—a watch feels.

This is one reason online debates about the “correct” watch diameter usually go nowhere.

Dawn Staley’s Overseas Was Quietly One of the Heavy Hitters

Dawn Staley wore a Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon with a deep-colored dial.

It wasn’t the watch most casual viewers would recognize first, but for experienced collectors that may make it more interesting. The Overseas sits in the luxury-sports category occupied by watches that are expected to combine serious finishing and complicated movements with enough versatility to be worn casually.

A tourbillon version pushes that idea considerably further.

The contrast with the numerous Rolexes in the stands is informative. Rolex excels at immediate recognition. A Vacheron Constantin tourbillon often works at a different volume.

Neither strategy is inherently superior. They’re simply different expressions of luxury.

Duncan Robinson’s Tudor Made Sense in a Stadium Full of Rolexes

Duncan Robinson’s Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT provided another useful point of comparison.

Its black-and-red “Coke” bezel gives the watch a familiar travel-watch visual language, while its positioning below Rolex makes it one of the more attainable mechanical luxury watches spotted among the celebrities in the stands. GQ placed its price at $5,275.

Calling five thousand dollars “affordable” would be silly in an ordinary consumer context.

But relative to diamond-set Patek Philippes, vintage Daytonas and precious-metal Rolexes, the Tudor shows how distorted the price scale becomes at a high-profile sporting event.

What the 2026 US Open Actually Says About Watch Culture

By the time you add Adam Pally, Grant Hill, José Alvarado, Lindsey Vonn and Jimmy Fallon to the Daytona count—and combine them with Russell Wilson’s Day-Date, Anthony Mackie’s Land-Dweller, Carmelo Anthony’s Sky-Dweller, Tyler Kolek’s Datejust and the two Submariners—the 2026 US Open starts looking less like random celebrity spotting and more like a snapshot of the current watch market.

Rolex remains the common language.

But the more interesting moments frequently happen away from that language.

A Timex Marlin challenges the assumption that an interesting wrist requires an extraordinary budget. Donna Vekić and Marta Kostyuk show that quartz makes a surprisingly compelling case when a watch is actually used during elite sport. Orlando Bloom’s Porsche Design rewards enthusiasts who look outside the obvious luxury hierarchy. The Panthère demonstrates that a small watch can have enormous visual presence. And the reaction to the Land-Dweller shows that some watches need months of real-world ownership before collector opinion becomes meaningful.

That last point may be the most relevant.

We now see new watches almost instantly: release photographs, wrist shots, videos, macro photography, price comparisons and social-media reactions appear within hours. It encourages collectors to form opinions equally quickly.

The Land-Dweller discussion suggests those first impressions don’t always survive contact with the actual watch. Several owners who were cool on the design in photographs have reported markedly better impressions after handling or wearing it, while critics continue to object to the dial architecture and overall mix of visual elements.

That’s exactly the kind of disagreement worth preserving rather than resolving artificially.

The Watch of the Open Depends on What You Value

There isn’t one objectively “best” watch from the 2026 US Open.

If historical significance matters most, Jimmy Fallon’s Paul Newman Daytona makes a persuasive case. For modern Rolex rarity, Carlos Alcaraz’s Daytona Le Mans is difficult to ignore. For pure spectacle, Lindsey Vonn’s Rainbow Daytona or Travis Scott’s Richard Mille occupy another level entirely.

For technical sophistication, Dawn Staley’s Overseas Tourbillon deserves attention. For a watch actually performing alongside an athlete, Donna Vekić’s Élégante and Marta Kostyuk’s Aquanaut are much more interesting than their celebrity value suggests.

And if the question is simply which watch made the strongest point about collecting?

John Mulaney’s Timex Marlin might win.

In a stadium full of watches designed to announce rarity, history, wealth or access, wearing something inexpensive because it simply looks good is a surprisingly confident choice.

Maybe that’s why major tennis tournaments remain such good watch-spotting events. You don’t just see what brands are popular.