In a year where tech-driven minimalism and AI couture dominated the runways, the real stars of the 2025 red carpet season weren’t apps or smart devices. They were manual-winding, heirloom-grade, quietly glimmering vintage watches — worn not just as jewelry, but as bold, intimate statements of style, heritage, and individuality.
Whether at the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, or the always boundary-pushing Met Gala, celebrities made one thing clear: when it comes to making a timeless impression, vintage is the future.
Oscars 2025: Timothée Chalamet’s Bejeweled Mini Baignoire
Timothée Chalamet, Hollywood’s darling of daring menswear, turned heads this year with a rare and radiant piece: a Cartier Mini Baignoire, reference 1960, in yellow gold with a radial guilloché dial. The twist? Its bracelet — a vintage design from 1994 — was adorned with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, transforming the small, elliptical timepiece into a jeweled art object.
Paired with a stack of vintage Cartier treasures — from a Love bracelet to Collection rings from 2005 and a Tradition necklace from 1988 — the ensemble was a nod to Chalamet’s fluid style and Cartier’s long-standing appeal across gender lines.
Why it matters: The Baignoire, introduced in 1912, is one of Cartier’s oldest and most elegant designs. Chalamet’s interpretation shows how a women’s dress watch from the 90s can become a modern unisex icon.
Golden Globes 2025: Subtle Power from Stan and Kidman
Sebastian Stan, fresh from his win for A Different Man, chose a more understated yet deeply elegant piece: a Cartier Fabergé from the 1970s. With its gentle tonneau shape, hidden lugs, and an aged creamy-gold dial, it exemplified what makes vintage so powerful — quiet character.
Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman made a poetic statement with her 105-year-old Omega cocktail watch, dating back to around 1919. Crafted from solid platinum with intricate Art Deco filigree, whimsical numerals, and heat-blued hands, her timepiece was not only older than most of the night’s attendees — it was also one of the most storied.
Why it matters: These watches weren’t chosen for status or size — they were chosen for significance. In an era of mass production, that kind of curation feels like rebellion.
Met Gala 2025: The Return of the Pocket Watch
If the Oscars were about subtle charm, the Met Gala brought back horological theatre. The theme? Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. And few interpreted it as gracefully as Dapper Dan, Harlem’s legendary couturier. He wore a Cartier Paris "Helm" pocket watch from 1943, paired with kente-cloth-inspired tailoring and a Cartier panther ring — a personal homage to diasporic luxury and legacy.
Hailey Bieber chose a different route with her 1975 Audemars Piguet ref. 8495BC — a minimalist white gold wristwatch with a shimmering opal dial. Ethereal and era-specific, it felt like 1970s space-age glamour had re-entered the chat.
But the real horological plot twist? Pocket watches.
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Jenna Ortega stunned at the afterparty in a 14K gold Heuer Split-Seconds Chronograph Pocket Watch (ca. 1914), styled into her tailored bodysuit.
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Khaby Lame caused a stir by sewing 20 antique pocket watches onto his vest, collected from flea markets — a play on both TikTok and Black Dandy symbolism.
Why it matters: Pocket watches, long dismissed as obsolete, are re-emerging as cultural signifiers. Their return is about control, story, and expressing time as something you wear on your terms.
BAFTA 2025: Dev Patel and the Tank Normale
Over at the BAFTAs, Dev Patel opted for timeless minimalism with a Cartier Tank Normale, a design born in 1917 and virtually unchanged since. His model, from the late 1960s to early 1970s, featured a crisp white dial with Roman numerals, a sapphire cabochon crown, and an 18K yellow gold case.
It didn’t scream. It didn’t need to.
Why it matters: The Tank Normale is the original “silent flex.” It’s a design beloved by kings, artists, and minimalists alike — a quiet nod to enduring design.
Why Vintage? Why Now?
So why is vintage suddenly everywhere?
According to watch market analysts at Chrono24 and Hodinkee, demand for vintage pieces has risen sharply post-2020, as consumers increasingly seek:
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Authenticity in luxury
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Sustainable alternatives to fast fashion
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Emotional connection through personal or cultural heritage
But beyond the numbers, there’s a deeper reason: storytelling.
Wearing a 1950s Omega isn’t just about aesthetic. It’s about carrying time — a fragment of history ticking quietly at your wrist.
Celebrities are catching on. By choosing vintage, they aren’t just flexing wealth — they’re making nuanced statements about identity, culture, and artistry.
What This Means for Collectors and Fans
The best part? This isn’t just a trend for the rich and famous.
While pieces like Chalamet’s jewel-studded Cartier might be museum-grade, there are still thousands of affordable vintage treasures out there — from Omega Seamasters to Tissot Visodates and rare Soviet-era gems.
Collectors recommend:
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Start with what moves you — be it typography, size, or a birth year.
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Buy from trusted sellers who disclose servicing history and originality.
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Don’t chase hype. Build your own story.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for the Red Carpet?
The 2025 awards season made one thing clear: the era of characterless, oversized timepieces is ending. In its place? Pieces with patina, personality, and provenance.
With the Emmys, Venice Film Festival, and Cannes just around the corner, we can’t wait to see which vintage marvels make their way back into the limelight.
Because if this season taught us anything…
Timeless is always in style.