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Ben Affleck’s watch collection is choc-full of surprises Ben Affleck’s watch collection is choc-full of surprises

Ben Affleck’s watch collection is choc-full of surprises

Zach Blass

Rolex, AP, Richard Mille. If you were taking a multiple choice test on which watch a celebrity was wearing, the three aforementioned brands would be your safest bets. That’s because celebrities are often fairly safe with their wristwear. Even if they stretch beyond the common three, whatever other brands we catch on their wrists tend to be the icons within a brand’s catalogue. So when we see the unexpected, like Nicolas Cage organically promoting Grand Seiko on the red carpet, it is a serotonin-rush for watch enthusiasts. Ben Affleck has been seen wearing multiple Rolex, G-Shock, and Breguet references in film, but, when you dig into what he has been sporting lately off-screen, it reveals that he wears anything but the usual suspects in his personal life.

Hermes Arceau L’Heure De La Lune

While in Paris, Affleck leaned into French culture with an Hermes Arceau L’Heure De La Lune strapped to his wrist. After bulking up to achieve his “Batfleck” form during his time in the DC cinematic universe, he has ample wrist real estate for the dressy yet large 43mm watch. With a range of starry aventurine dials, and more recent meteorite additions, the Hermes Arceau L’Heure De La Lune catches the eye even before you clock its intriguingly clean yet complicated dial.

Two subdials revolve around the dial, one conveying the hours and minutes and the other the calendar date. At 12′ and 6′, the front and back sides of the moon are displayed, and, depending on how the subdials cover each, they reveal the current phase of the moon. It is a contemporary take on a classic complication, and a watch that certainly captured the attention of those within the hobby. But to see it crossover onto the wrist of a big-name Hollywood actor, flashed to the camera as he links arms with Jennifer Lopez, is truly an awesome sight. Hopefully more people wake up to the quality of Hermes’ watchmaking, and look beyond the Birkins.

Artisans de Geneve Rolex Daytona ‘La Montoya’

Ben Affleck

A Daytona, or any other standard production Rolex, is hardly a surprising watch spot. But, the second sighting that sent me down the rabbit hole of Ben’s watch collection was his recent outing with J-Lo – strolling and holding hands while wearing a customised Rolex Daytona from Artisans de Genève. Dubbed the “La Montoya”, the Artisans de Genève collaboration with Juan Pablo Montoya features a Rolex Daytona with a skeletonised dial, coloured registers, a forged carbon bezel and a fully brushed Oyster bracelet.

Franck Mueller Cintrée Curvex x Chrome Hearts

 

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The Hermes and ADG Daytona were recent spots over the last few weeks, but perhaps the earliest window into Affleck’s distinct taste for watches is his Franck Mueller Cintrée Curvex – gifted to him by his then fiancé Jennifer Lopez in the early 2000s and worn in the Jenny From The Block video. In those days, Franck Mueller was a popular celebrity brand, particularly with NBA players. But Affleck had his particular Cintrée Curvex outfitted on an aftermarket Chrome Hearts bracelet. With Ben and Jennifer recently rekindling their romance, the watch has once again resurfaced and, while a gift from the early 2000s, fits seamlessly into today’s current trends considering music superstars such as Drake have been caught sporting Rolex watches on Chrome Hearts bracelets. Purists contest this combo, but irrefutably it displays Ben’s willingness to take risks with his horological fashion.

Cartier Calibre de Cartier

Ben Affleck

So we started with the latest, returned to the beginning, what was worn in between? Well, during his press tour for the film The Town, Affleck was photographed wearing a Calibre de Cartier – by no means a lasting classic of the catalogue. We playfully roasted Tom Cruise for sporting “the Cartier nobody wants” during his recent Top Gun: Maverick press tour, but, to our surprise, many in the comments came to Cruise’s defense – not because they particularly loved the model, but appreciated the fact Cruise was wearing what he liked rather than a watch worn for others to admire. So perhaps it is fitting that Affleck, who clearly likes to “do him” when it comes to watches has also sported the now banished Calibre de Cartier.

Cartier Ballon Bleu

Pointed out on SwissWatchExpo, Ben Affleck clearly likes Cartier. After the CDC above you would think a Santos or Tank would be in his collection, but, instead, Affleck surprisingly opts for the Ballon Bleu. Traditionalists would associate the Ballon Bleu with a feminine aesthetic, but clearly Ben gives no f***s. What do you think? Should more men rock a Ballon Bleu?