The Roundup: “A Men’s Serpenti?!” Edition  

Each week, EWC will be gathering horological industry news, cultural conversations and moments surrounding our favorite topic: timepieces. Happy Friday; here’s what’s on our watch. 

The First Big Launch of the Year: Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti

Max Büsser teased it on socials, we had eyes on it at LVMH Watch Week last month (thanks to signed paperwork swearing us to secrecy and legally enforceable embargoes); now it’s arrived. MB&F collaborated with Bulgari to reimagine the Serpenti into a Horological Machine. This required a complete redevelopment, not only of mechanical engineering and movement conception, but also case design and manufacturing. The Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti launched in three different versions, each limited to only 33 pieces: one in a grade 5 titanium case with blue hour and minute domes, one in an 18-karat rose gold case with piercing green eyes, and one in a black PVD-coated stainless steel case with vibrant red eyes.

Spring Has Sprung for Grand Seiko

The Hi-Beat 36000 SBGH368 is a modern reinterpretation of the 62GS, Grand Seiko’s first automatic mechanical model. This case is rendered in 18-karat rose gold, marking a first for a non-limited edition. We also get two new dial interpretations within Grand Seiko’s Heritage Collection—the STGK031 and STGK033—both capturing the beauty of cherry blossoms in early spring. 

Red Carpet Favorites: Richard Mille and Jacob & Co. 

We are in the full swing of awards season. This past week, two brands stood in the limelight on the wrists of celebrities at major events around the country: Richard Mille and Jacob & Co. 

At the Critics’ Choice Awards, longtime friend of the brand Michelle Yeoh sported an RM UP-01 Ferrari Ultraflat. The Golden Globe and Academy Award winning actress, Yeoh first teamed up with the watchmaker in 2011, creating the RM 051 Phoenix Tourbillon and the RM 51-01 Tourbillon. Since then, the “Crazy Rich Asians” actress always sports an RM on her wrist, and most recently collaborated with Ferrari (a partnership that started in 2021) on a timepiece that’s built of ultra lightweight titanium.

Jacob & Co. also made an appearance on the Critics’ Choice Award red carpet on the wrist of Jeff Goldblum. An eclectic actor with an equally eclectic taste in watches, Goldblum’s wrist first caught the attention of the watch community when he rocked a custom Rolex Milgauss in “Jurassic World: Dominion.” Off screen, Cartier seems to be a particular brand of choice, but this past week, he switched things up with a bold Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette timepiece set with Tsavorite gems and Jacob’s signature cut diamonds.

The odds were ever in their favor and yet…

Vegas odds say the Kansas City Chiefs underperformed. You know what didn’t? The RM 66 Flying Tourbillon Rockstar Red Orange Sapphire on the wrist of Jay-Z at the Super Bowl LIX. He chose a model featuring a skeletonized design with an actual skeleton hand on the dial in the playful rock n roll “sign of the horns” gesture. The model is a limited edition of just 50 pieces with the unique orange and red sapphire colorway being even more exclusive — just one of two pieces in existence.

The Trip of GOATs: TB X SW

It came as no surprise that Tom Brady had the most talked about timepiece of the game. The seven-time Super Bowl champ and avid watch collector chose an out-of-this-world piece from Jacob & Co. — a Caviar Tourbillon in yellow sapphires. The model features the exclusive manually-winding Caliber JCBM05, a one-minute flying tourbillon, housed in a 47mm polished 18K yellow gold case dripping in hundreds of yellow sapphires totaling nearly 40 carats across the case, dial, and buckle.

The halftime show also put another hot watch on display — a Code 11.59 Tourbillon Openworked Blue Ceramic from Audemars Piguet. It was on the wrist of legendary tennis champ Serena Williams, who made a cameo during Kendrick Lamar’s performance of his Grammy-award winning Drake diss track “Not Like Us.” While crip walking and showing her allegiances in the Kendrick vs Drake feud, the tennis superstar was, of course, rocking a killer timepiece. Worth noting: Williams and AP first teamed up back in 2014. Ever since, she’s sported the brand’s models on and off the court. 

“Oh, they’re making another left turn” 

In other news, the Daytona 500 will kick off this weekend with future Hall of Famer Denny Hamlin poised to win for the fourth time — that would also mean a fourth Rolex Daytona to add to his collection. 

Open wheel racing fans will also be excited to learn TAG Heuer has become the first ever title partner of the Grand Prix de Monaco, furthering the watchmaker’s ties as the 2025 official timekeeper with Formula 1 in its monumental 75th season. Fun fact: TAG Heuer was the first luxury brand to have its logo appear on an F1 car in 1969, and the first to sponsor a team in 1971.