Comedians may make jokes for a living, but they take watch collecting very seriously
Zach BlassHotspots for watch spotting have typically been awards season red carpets, courtside at sporting events and anywhere you can find professional athletes, rappers or pop stars. But a growing space for watch spotting is the stage of stand-up comedians for whom owning a luxury watch seems to have become a burgeoning rite of passage. Becoming a top stand-up comedian can be a gruelling and lengthy grind, open-micing and performing for free for months or even years before finally reaching a breakthrough. So when success finally comes, naturally, it is something to celebrate. And the trend definitely appears to involve celebrating with a tasty wristwatch. Take a look at the list below and that trend will be that much clearer.
Anthony Jeselnik
Anthony Jeselnik is well known for his uncompromising dark humor, a brand of comedy that led to his incompatibility as a staff writer for the happy-go-lucky Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and perhaps the inevitable cancellation of The Jeselnik Offensive after two seasons on Comedy Central. Nonetheless, he remains a legendary figure within the landscape of Comedy Central roasts and his stand-up specials continue to be discovered and rewatched by audiences worldwide. This month, just as Brad Pitt previously posed with Lorel Monroy of Feldmar Watches based in Los Angeles, California with a brand-spanking-new Vacheron Constantin Les Historiques 222 on his wrist, she would grab a photo with Jeselnik in the same manner who also can be seen wearing the 222 introduced in 2022 – arguably one of the most sought-after modern Vacheron Constantins in the world.
Will Ferrell
Celebs are often found wearing watches from the usual suspects like Rolex and Patek Philippe, but, in the same manner his brand of comedy is distinct, Will Ferrell does his wristwear differently, too. Over the last few years, Ferrell has been spotted wearing various Zenith watches, and he is an organic customer – not a brand ambassador. You can find snaps of him wearing various Chronomaster Originals, and even the quirky Defy Revival A3691 with a smoked burgundy dial as seen above.
Tony Hinchcliffe
The Kill Tony live podcast is amongst the most popular live podcasts in the world. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. Why? Well, each weekly episode is hosted by successful comedian Tony Hinchcliffe with a guest panel of other established comedians – anyone from Joe Rogan, Whitney Cummings, Bert Kreischer, Ron White, and more. Throughout these nearly two-hour episodes, a mix of series regulars and “hat-pulls” perform an uninterrupted new minute of stand-up comedy that is then graded by Hinchcliffe and the panel. Alongside a few regulars, the majority of the performers are wildcards. Participants enter their names in the hat, and, if their name is pulled, they then get a chance to perform on this massive platform. Throughout the various episodes you can always pick out a luxury watch on Hinchcliffe’s wrist – his go-tos being an Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon and a Rolex Submariner.
Hans Kim
I really dove into the Kill Tony program to better contextualise Hans Kim. Once a hat-pull and now a successfully touring comedian, he began to regularly perform with a Submariner on his wrist as his career blossomed. Whenever he’s introduced on the podcast now, Hinchliffe always mentions the fact that Hans got his start on the show and that the platform not only launched his career, but propelled him to a level of success where he could afford a Rolex – a symbol that he made it in comedy. This is where the idea has become cemented that a luxury watch has become a rite of passage for a stand-up comedian.
Andrew Schulz
As we have covered previously, with Andrew Schulz’s success and following massively growing in recent years, he’s also displayed evidence of a budding watch collection – notably including an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, various Rolex professional models, and a killer Vacheron Constantin 222 Historiques – which Anthony Jeselnik cleary has just caught on to.
Bert Kreischer
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Bert Kreischer has been a prominent figure in the comedy world for quite some time now, but, in recent years, and in nearly all video podcast footage as a host or even guest, he can routinely be spotted wearing his trusted Rolex Daytona with a white dial and black cerachrom bezel. In his stand-up specials of the past, you can spot him wearing a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date – likely one of his early pickups during his rising success. That being said, earlier this year he showed just how much of a Rolex-bug he has caught, appearing on Andrew Schulz’s Flagrant podcast wearing not one, but two Rolex watches, while promoting his new special Razzle-Dazzle. And, those two Rolex were his trusted Daytona and a recent pickup of his: the “destro” left-handed Rolex GMT Master II with a green and black bezel insert.
Tom Segura
This leads into comedian Tom Segura – a close friend and colleague of Bert’s as they host the podcast 2 Bears 1 Cave together – as Bert credits Tom for getting him into watches. In fact, Bert acquired the left-handed Rolex GMT Master II from Tom – who decided he no longer had interest in it. Like Bert, Segura has an affinity for Rolex, but a quick scroll of his Instagram reveals that he has also performed wearing his Omega Seamaster Professional 300M No Time To Die 007 Edition.
Jimmy Carr
We have well documented comedian Jimmy Carr’s love for expensive watches, with a wide range of Patek Philippe pieces including various Nautilus and Aquanaut watches. But the signal his love for watches goes deeper beyond the surface hype of brand power is the fact he was seen hosting a television show not only wearing a “Paul Newman” Rolex Daytona, but wearing it on a bund strap just like Newman himself was pictured doing.
Kevin Hart
You cannot find a picture of Kevin Hart, aside from when he’s working out, where he is not wearing some heavy-hitting, holy-trinity horology. Hart is known to have a wide variety of Patek Philippe watches in his collection (which we have covered off ourselves here). But as of late, his partnership with Audemars Piguet has him wearing some of the most desirable Royal Oaks in the world – sometimes even, as his conversation with Hodinkee revealed, before he is supposed to, with Hart accidentally breaking an embargo due to being photographed with an unreleased black ceramic Royal Oak Chronograph. In interviews, Hart acknowledges his watches serve as tangible markers of his milestone career achievements.
Jerry Seinfeld
The Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee series is another wonderful hub of footage for watch spotting, with various guests, particularly comedians, often sporting various timepieces. But, of course, Jerry is no exception to the rule. Perhaps more linked to his love for automotive and aviation then as an attempt to flex, throughout the web-turned-Netflix series he can be seen gravitating towards his Breitling Navitimer and TAG Heuer Autavia watches.
Ellen DeGeneres
I will not belabour this one. Ellen DeGeneres has one of the most desirable watch collections in the world. If I could assign a particular theme befitting of her collection, it would be “auction house showstoppers” or “the unobtanium”. Before her daytime talk show came to an end, each episode you would find some of the most desirable Rolex and Patek Philippe watches. Sure, you can find her wearing all the impossible-to-purchase modern Rolex pieces like the “Pepsi” Rolex GMT Master II on a jubilee bracelet, various 5711s in different dials and metals, and various Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks, but she also wears, not babies – wears, some serious vintage Rolex as well. Highlights include a Submariner ref. 6538 “Big Crown” (the same model worn by Sean Connery in 007 film Dr. No) and a “Paul Newman” Daytona ref. 6241.
Editor’s note: This story was originally published in April 2023, but has since been updated to include more comedians and their watches.