Whenever you spot a celebrity wearing a watch, it’s usually the kind of timepiece us mere mortals can only dream of owning.
Whether it’s a reverso à la Nicholas Hoult, an iced-out Rolex that Drake might lean towards, or a Paul Mescal-coded teeny tiny yellow gold Cartier Tank, these timepieces usually cost more than most house deposits.
Luckily, you can find good alternatives from brands with more accessible price tags. They’re not going to have quite the same level of horology finesse when it comes to the materials or the mechanics (you’re usually looking at quartz-powered movements and lower-grade textiles), but they hit a similar mark from an aesthetics perspective. Unless you’re a serious watch nerd, they’ll do the job just the same.
As a guy who is well-versed in the watchsphere, I’ve got some advice when you’re searching for a style that feels similar to the heavy hitters: avoid dropship watch brands.
It can be tempting — the whole ethos is about making affordable watches that mimic premium silhouettes, but be warned: the quality is usually quite poor, and there’s often no customer service, so it’s basically impossible to contact them if something goes wrong.
Instead, go for affordable brands with reputations you can trust: Casio, Sekonda, Tissot, Seiko. They are all well-priced labels that design timepieces that won’t fall apart after a few wears. If you’re not sure about a certain watchmaker, have a search through the multi-brand retailers and watch expert websites — if it never shows up, chances are it’s not one of the good ones.
So, keep scrolling for the best recent celeb watch moments of 2025, plus the affordable doppelgängers you can buy now.
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Paul Mescal's Cartier Tank Normale — Sekonda Clement
Paul Mescal loves a classic, understated watch — so it makes sense why he’s a global ambassador for Cartier, the marque that’s an expert at a low-key horology flex.
For the History of Sound Healine Gala at the BFI London Film Festival, the actor wore a vintage 18 karat gold Cartier Tank Normale, which would usually cost around the £10k -£14k mark.
If you want a budget-friendly alternative, Sekonda’s Clement (pictured right) has a similar vibe, complete with Roman numeral markers and a gold-tone case.
Buy now £49.99, H. Samuel
Nicholas Hoult's Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso — Hamilton Boulton
Another stylish man who is into an understated watch is Mr Nicholas Hoult. Where Mescal’s with Cartier, though, Hoult opts for Jaeger LeCoultre.
For the London photocall for Superman (in which Hoult plays Lex Luthor), he wore the Reverso Tribute Duoface Chronograph. It’s one of the latest iterations of the Reverso, the brand’s signature design, which is characterised by the trademark dial that flips over. This one reveals a 30-minute chronograph timer on the flipside. And it’s price on application, so you just know the RRP will hit the stratosphere.
Though Hamilton’s Boulton doesn’t have the two-sided function or a chronograph complication, its proportions have the same kind of feel. If you want it to seem even more similar, you can add an interchangeable black strap.
Buy now £690.00, H. Samuel
A$AP Rocky's Patek Philippe Neptune — Tissot T-Classic Dream 42mm Mens Watch
For the CFDA Awards, A$AP Rocky didn’t disappoint with his wrist game. He wore a Patek Philippe Neptune 5081J, a now-discontinued 18k yellow gold watch from the late 90s that was designed as a sporty-dress watch hybrid. It’s a seriously collectable piece that routinely goes for £20k+ on resale.
Though it’s not overly similar, Tissot’s T-Classic ticks roughy the same box. It’s details stand out: think the gold-tone case with matching markers and the 42mm size, while the classic leather strap keeps it firmly in dress watch territory.
Buy now £290.00, Goldsmiths
Leonardo DiCaprio Rolex Daytona — Seiko Prospex Speedtimer
Leonardo DiCaprio’s a guy who likes his watches rare, from a limited edition Patek Philippe X Tiffany to a Jaeger LeCoultre Septantième.
At the world premiere of his latest movie, One Battle After Another, he wore a watch fit for the occasion: a rare Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (ref 126529LN). It was launched in 2023 and discontinued about a year later, making it hot stuff on the collector market — and it has a covetable ‘reverse panda’ dial similar to the OG Paul Newman Daytona. It now fetches upwards of £175k on the resale market.
Luckily, you can get something similar from Seiko: the Prospex Speedtimer. Though it’s the more traditional colourway (white face with black sub-dials), it still hits the monochrome and sporty sweet spots thanks to the tachymeter bezel and chunky silhouette.
Buy now £640.00, Goldsmiths
Idris Elba's Audemars Piguet Royal Oak — Bulova Classic
Audemars Piguet is a strong celeb favourite among everyone from singers to footballers to actors: Jay Z. Justin Bieber. Lionel Messi. Chris Hemsworth. And at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Idris Elba joined team AP, too.
He wore the iconic Royal Oak – the watch that’s known for its octagonal dial, visible screws, integrated bracelet and textured dial. It doesn’t come cheap; an entry-level model would set you back around £25k.
If you want something a little lighter on your bank balance, Bulova’s classic is a great alt. And it’s one that gives you a lot for your money — namely an automatic movement, a stainless steel case and bracelet and a date window complication. Light blue is popular on the horology scene for 2025, but it also comes with a colourful green dial if that’s more your style.
Buy now £349.00, Bulova
