Star Watch

(Click image for gallery - 7 photos)

This slideshow features seven celebrities wearing their respective wristwatches: 1- Leonardo Dicaprio (TAG Heuer), 2- Jon Hamm and Jerome Lambert (Jaeger-LeCoultre), 3- Jay-Z (Audemars Piguet), 4- Jerry Oconnell and Rebecca Romain (Technomarine), 5- Paul Gasol (Rodolphe), 6- Justin Timberlake (Audemars Piguet), 7- Trey Songz (Audemars Piguet).

Some of these celebrities are paid ambassadors and some are not. Official brand ambassadors or not, the exposure these celebrities bring to each respective watch brand is priceless.

Click here to see more celebrity wrist shots.

Tissot, Swatch Group's volume entry-level Swiss watch brand, has just informed me that they signed Tony Parker as their new global brand ambassador. Tony Parker, is an all-pro point guard for the San Antonio Spurs. He is also married to Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria. Please click "Read More" below for the official press release and one more image.

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This photo was taken during the 2008 Olympics.  LeBron James (on the left) looks like he is wearing a Nike watch, which makes since considering he is sponsored by Nike.  And Chris Paul (on the right) is clearly wearing a Breitling Navitimer, possibly a Bentley version.

Check out more celebrities wearing watches here.

Last night, during a nationally televised press conference for NBA super star LeBron James to announce where he would be playing next year, LeBron (aka King James) was wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore wristwatch. Specifically the Royal Oak Offshore Volcano Limited Edition. Not only did he announce one of the most blockbuster free agent deals (sign-and-trade deal) in NBA history, with his decision to go to Miami (LeBron James, Dwanye Wade and Chris Bosh will all play on the same team), but he did so in style with one of the very best brands in the world of haute horology on his wrist, Audemars Piguet.

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Celebrities are known for wearing Rolex watches, but this is the first one that I have spotted wearing a black Rolex. Jennifer Aniston is wearing a black Rolex Milgauss. It is either a DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) or PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) version. You can actually buy either one, here, for $7,990 to $9,500.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Pro tennis player, Rafael Nadal, just won his fifth French Open in six years, and he did so in dominant fashion. The 24-year old has also regained the world No. 1 ranking, supplanting Roger Federer. This win, is also a win for watchmaker Richard Mille. As you can see from the photo, Nadal is wearing a black wristwatch. He actually wears this timepiece during his matches. It is unobtrusive and does not interfere with his game, clearly, as he has just won his first major since he signed on as a Richard Mille ambassador. The watch he wears during all of his tournaments is not your average sports watch either, it costs over half of a million dollars. And was custom built with input from Nadal. It is extremely light, and has special shock absorbers, which prevent damage to the delicate tourbillon movement. Read the NYTimes.com article about Rafael Nadal's win.

The Audemars Piguet "Time to Give" Celebrity Charity Auction brought in $816,000 to benefit roadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Jay-Z, sitting front row, when asked what else he could add to the auction package of his autographed Royal Oak Offshore Las Vegas Strip and signed poster from "Fela" jokingly said he would "throw in a frame." The watch sold for $220,000; the evening's highest price.


Kelsey Grammer, when commenting on his autographed Jules Audemars Chronograph said it's" What James Bond would wear if he had taste." The watch sold for $45,000.

When Meryl Streep's watch sold for $100,000, Francois-Henry Bennahmias offered up a second autographed Meryl Streep Millenary Astrologia to a guest willing to match the $100,000 bid.

Vanessa Williams offered to sing live if someone paid $50,000 for her watch, which someone willingly did. Williams wowed the standing room only crowd with an a cappella rendition of "Losing My Mind," which she sings in her hit show "Sondheim on Sondheim".

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