Hodinkee founder Ben Clymer sits down with actor and comedian Kevin Hart, in between his shows during his Reality Check Tour, to discuss his watch collection.

During the interview, Hart explains how he got started collecting watches. He discusses his partnership with Audemars Piguet — which explains why he is so wearing the brand so often including in commercials and movies. Perhaps most interestingly, he talks about how he accidentally wore an unreleased model in public — leading to a media frenzy, and which watch he’ll be wearing in his upcoming movie, Lift releasing August 2023 on Netflix.

Some quotes from Kevin Hart from the episode include:

His next red carpet watch: “Accidents happen. But sometimes the accident ends up being a big story behind what will be the big success of the watch. That (Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Automatic Chronograph) is what I’ll be wearing in the movie Lift, and it’s featured in a very classy cool way because it’s a heist movie.”

How he picks a watch: “It’s all based on your activity or your conversations. I believe that there are business settings, and there are watches that match the tone of what a business setting is. If I feel like this is a deal-making or deal-closing conversation, there’s a watch that I feel is my closing watch… You set the tone for your day. For me, my watch sets the tone.”

Advice to those getting into watches: “Take your time. Don’t try to do it all in one day. It’s addictive, like anything else. Once you get into something and you get a little taste of it, you’ll want more, and I would say just be patient. And as you grow, let your collection grow with you. Find a brand that you like and educate yourself on the brand and see if you can build relationships. The relationships are so important.”

Photos by Hodinkee.