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- Roger Federer attends the tournament wearing a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Celebration Dial.
- Marta Kostyuk competes on the hard court wearing a Patek Philippe Aquanaut Ref 5067.
- Kaia Gerber pairs a sleek black dress with an 18K yellow gold mini Panthère de Cartier.
- Celebrities and athletes bypass traditional dress codes for bold colours and statement wristwear.
The US Open marks the final date in the Grand Slam calendar, and there’s USD$108 million up for grabs for the winner. It brings the world’s leading players and high-profile spectators to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in New York, where Flushing Meadows transforms into a showcase of late-summer style and high-end horology as much as it does a tennis tournament. Unlike the strict all-white dress codes of other tournaments such as Wimbledon, the New York crowd leans into vibrant colours, casual tailoring, and statement wristwear that matches the arena’s energy.
Celebrities and athletes use the occasion to wear highly coveted pieces. Whether an endorsement deal or not, it turns the VIP suites into a prime location for watch spotters, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do today.
The standout wristwear this year includes a mix of robust, solid gold models, compact unisex case sizes, and distinct dial configurations. Sharp tailoring remains a staple for guests dealing with New York humidity, but rolled cuffs and short sleeves ensure the watches remain in full view. Let’s check out the best watches on and off the court at the 2026 US Open Tennis Championship.
1. Roger Federer Wears Rolex Oyster Perpetual ‘Celebration’
Retail Price: AUD$11,200
Tennis icon Roger Federer attended the 2026 US Open with one of our favourite watch releases from Watches & Wonders 2026 on his wrist. We could only be talking about the “Jubilee Motif” Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36. Here for his “Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York” event, pairing a historically conservative steel silhouette with a brightly coloured, lacquered dial, he bypassed all the standard luxury sports-watch tropes that we’re used to seeing from brand ambassadors.
It’s a masterclass in nuanced watch spotting, and it all starts with the dial execution. In a subtle yet modern way, the dial revisits the iconic Jubilee motif originally introduced at the end of the 1970s. It displays the letters of the Rolex name in a contrasting interplay of no fewer than ten colours. Executing this pattern presents a significant challenge, as the colours are applied one after another with the utmost precision to ensure all shapes and letters making up the motif are positioned perfectly. Wrapping that dial is a compact 36mm Oystersteel case (the only correct size), forged from a sturdy 904L steel alloy developed by the brand to offer maximum corrosion resistance and a top-tier finish.
Under the skin, the mechanical foundation is a Rolex Calibre 3230 (self-winding mechanical) movement with utmost precision. Tying the configuration together is a classic three-piece link Oyster bracelet forged from Oystersteel, complete with a folding Oysterclasp. Well done, Roger, well done, Rolex.
- Model: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 (ref. 126000)
- Movement: Rolex Calibre 3230 (Self-winding mechanical)
- Key Feature: Celebration motif dial
- Case Material: Oystersteel
- Case Dimensions: 36mm diameter
- Power Reserve: Approximately 70 hours
- Market Price: from approx. AUD$26,000
2. Marta Kostyuk Wears Patek Philippe Aquanaut ‘Luce’
Market Price: from approx. AUD$65,000 (discontinued model)
It’s rare to see professional athletes compete wearing a luxury timepiece of this calibre (pardon the pun), but Marta Kostyuk secured her first-round win while wearing a diamond-set Patek Philippe Aquanaut (Circa 2005). We’ve seen plenty of million-dollar Richard Mille watches on court over the years, but subjecting a vintage precious-stone Patek to the intense physical demands of the US Open puts Kostyuk in a different league in terms of watch enthusiasm.
Reference 5067A-014 is a compact ladies’ variant that measures 35.6mm in diameter. It’s forged from stainless steel and features the brand’s iconic rounded-octagonal profile. Wrapping that embossed blue dial is a high-polished stainless-steel bezel set with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling approximately one carat. Tying all of this together is a matching blue polymer rubber strap that coordinates seamlessly with her on-court gear, secured by a solid steel fold-over clasp.
When you look at the specifications, the real justification for taking this watch onto the hardcourt is the high-autonomy Calibre E23-250 S C quartz movement. Bypassing the delicate balance wheels and mainsprings of a mechanical calibre, the quartz mechanism guarantees precise timekeeping despite the severe shocks generated by professional tennis. Measuring a slim profile, the movement delivers a reliable power reserve of a few years.
- Model: Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce (ref. 5067A-014)
- Movement: Calibre E23-250 S C (Quartz movement)
- Key Feature: Blue embossed dial and diamond bezel
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Case Dimensions: 35.6mm diameter
- Power Reserve: N/A
3. Kaia Gerber Wears Cartier Panthère de Cartier ‘Yellow Gold’
Retail Price: AUD$42,600
One of the most popular ladies’ watches on the market, model Kaia Gerber grabbed the attention of everyone in the US Open VIP suites by pairing a sleek black dress with a yellow gold Panthère de Cartier watch. It’s a favourite of many ladies because of the distinctly compact, jewellery-focused silhouette, and she bypassed the chunky sports watches favoured by the athletic crowd for a piece of pure old-world elegance.
It’s a refined exercise in proportion, a nod to the small watch trend, and it all starts with the precious-metal architecture. The case measures 30.3 mm in length by 22.0 mm in width and is forged entirely from 750/1000 yellow gold. Surrounding the classic silvered dial is a square glass and bezel with softened corners, anchored by visible functional screws that polish the industrial design language into a high-luxury finish. Look closely at the dial, and you’ll see Cartier’s heritage on full display with sword-shaped hands that sweep across bold, black-printed Roman numerals and a subtle inner minute track.
Powering the hands is a quartz movement, concealed behind a standard watch-back case type to ensure a thin profile that slides effortlessly against the wrist.
Tying the design together is the signature gold bracelet. The ultra-flexible structure is crafted from solid yellow gold and drapes across the wrist like a piece of fine jewellery, originally designed in the 1980s to echo the movements of the panther.
- Model: Panthère de Cartier watch, small model, Reference WGPN0059
- Movement: Quartz movement
- Key Feature: Flexible bracelet structure echoing the movements of the Maison’s emblematic animal
- Case Material: Yellow gold 750/1000
- Case Dimensions: 30.3 mm x 22.0 mm
- Water Resistance: 3 bar (~30 meters)
4. Orlando Bloom Wears Porsche Design Chronograph 1
Retail Price: AUD$18,137
Porsche Design brand ambassador, Orlando Bloom, attended the 2026 US Open wearing the Chronograph 1 – All Black Numbered Edition. By opting for a stealthy, matte-black instrument-focused watch over traditional precious metals, he showcased a piece rooted in automotive engineering within the VIP suites. Having visited the manufacturer earlier this year, we have a deep understanding of how the watch relies on the legacy of Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who translated his design of the Porsche 911 into the first all-black wristwatch in 1972. The modern Numbered Edition retains this functional clarity.
The dial features a matte black surface with high-contrast white markers and a tachymeter scale printed in the current Porsche Design font. You’ll see a rectangular minute hand, enhanced with a prominent tip that sweeps across the dial for precise reading under a sapphire crystal treated with a sevenfold anti-reflective coating.
Beyond the dial layout, the mechanical foundation relies on the COSC-certified Porsche Design Calibre WERK 01.140. It’s an automatic chronograph movement that beats at 28,800 oscillations per hour across 25 jewels. Delivering a 48-hour power reserve, the movement is secured behind a sapphire crystal caseback providing a clear view of the Porsche Design winding rotor. Tying the configuration together is a matching black titanium bracelet that coordinates with the stealthy 10-bar water-resistant case.
- Model: Porsche Design Chronograph 1 – All Black Numbered Edition
- Movement: Porsche Design Calibre WERK 01.140 (COSC-certified automatic chronograph)
- Key Feature: Matte black dial based on the first entirely black timepiece in history
- Case Material: Titanium with a black coating and a sapphire crystal caseback
- Water Resistance: 10 bar (dynamic)
- Power Reserve: 48 hours
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