As fond as he is of Super Bowl rings, it appears that former NFL superstar Tom Brady likes rare and expensive Swiss watches even more. Since retiring from football early last year, the legendary quarterback has been spotted wearing several highly covetable timepieces that reveal an obsession with the Swiss-made icon Rolex watches and the highly desired Patek Philippe watch brand, particularly on the top end, as well as one or two others.
Of course, he is also partial to IWC, as the seven-time Super Bowl champ was named an IWC ambassador in 2019. According to Robb Report he owns at least 20 of the brand’s timepieces including a GST Automatic Alarm, Top Gun Miramar, and an eye-popping Portuguese Tourbillion in rose gold with a skeleton dial. Even that is pretty tame compared to some of Brady’s more opulent wrist candy, which we detail below, many into six and even seven figures.
Rolex GMT-Master II “Bruce Wayne”
Earning its nickname thanks to its stealthy grey and black ceramic bezel, this Ref. 126710GRN is a masterpiece of subtlety and understatement, especially compared to that custom Royal Oak. Some watch industry types have alternately dubbed this the “Ghost” GMT, but we think the Bruce Wayne Rolex is the more apt moniker. This model is also available in solid gold, but we like the fact that Brady went with stainless steel here.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon
Perhaps most notable of all is his custom rose gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon with TOM BRADY spelled out on the dial in place of numerals and the number VII for his Super Bowl wins, complete with a diamond bezel. Not quite our cup of tea but definitely GOAT-worthy; very few people can get a 1 of 1 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with their name on it, obviously, so good for him.
Richard Mille RM012 Tourbillon
Released in 2006, this is the platinum version of RM’s platinum RM012, limited to just 30 pieces, which originally retailed for north of $500,000. Needless to say it has only increased in price since. Brady has also been spotted wearing the RM 1104 Automatic Winding Flyback Chronograph Roberto Mancini, designed in concert with Roberto Mancinci, who has coached both the Italian and Saudi national football (soccer) teams.
Rolex GMT Master-II “Diamond Pepsi”
The polar opposite of stealth, one of the wilder pieces in Brady’s collection is the Ref. 126755SARU GMT “Pepsi” in rose gold with a gem set bezel, pave diamond bezel, lugs and crown guards, and pave diamond insert bracelet. Obviously Brady has been dipping his toe into the world of iced-out Rolex, but we don’t think this totally suits his style. When it comes to this kind of thing we prefer the Rainbow Daytona.
Rolex Day-Date Arabic Dials
Brady has been spotted sporting two special Middle East edition Rolex Day-Date watches: The Ref. 228206 in platinum with an olive dial, and the Ref. 228396TBR in platinum with an ice blue dial set with baguette-cut diamonds, both sporting Arabic language numerals and date display. Of the two we prefer the Rolex 228206 with the olive dial, which is less common and matches his Patek Aquanaut (see below). The Arabic dials aren’t for everybody, but that’s the point.
Rolex Day-Date “Jigsaw”
At 36mm the Ref. 128238 makes up for its smaller stature with one of the craziest dials the Rolex factory has ever produced. In solid gold with sapphire indices, gold inlays, an inspirational keyword window, and an emoji date wheel, the Rolex 128238 has a lot going on. Love it or hate it, there’s no question that this piece is sure to be highly valued by collectors in the years to come for its sheer novelty alone.
Rolex Daytona “Le Mans”
Perhaps our favorite Rolex release in recent years, the white gold Daytona “Rolex Le Mans” Ref. 126529LN is a stunning combination of Rolex heritage and modern watchmaking that rightfully takes its place alongside the legendary Rolex Paul Newman models. It’s not only super-exclusive, which suits Brady to a tee, but it makes the perfect companion piece for his vintage gold Daytona (see below).
Rolex Daytona “John Player Special”
The Rolex 6241 gold reference, a rare Paul Newman variant, gets its nickname thanks to its resemblance to a famed Formula 1 racing livery in black and gold – John Player Special cigarettes. It debuted in 1968 and only gained traction with collectors years later, when values subsequently skyrocketed. Brady isn’t all that big on vintage watches but this piece is truly “special” in every way and really elevates his collection.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph
With its olive green dial and matching rubber strap, the Ref. 5968G-010 Aquanaut strikes a harmonious balance between style and sport. It’s about as subtle as a six-figure white gold Patek can get. The Patek Philippe Aquanaut was launched in 1997, but it takes style cues from its groovier big brother, the Nautilus. Of course, Brady owns examples of each (see below) which is the literally best of both worlds, horologically speaking.
Patek Philippe Nautilus
The stainless-steel Nautilus Ref. 5711 with a white dial is also a true classicist’s choice, standing out on this list for its lack of ornamentation. In the context of Brady’s collection, this is almost a tool watch, and while most collectors would select the blue dial version of this Patek Philippe Nautilus instead of the white for optimum desirability, the white dial provides a nice counterpoint to some of the wilder watches in Brady’s collection.
Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
No less an authority than Forbes calls the Ref. 2499 “likely the most collectible wristwatch on earth amongst true enthusiasts,” with only 349 examples ever produced from 1950-1985. A seven-figure grail watch that marks Brady down as a serious collector, this piece is almost too valuable to actually wear, but the GOAT can easily pull it off. This is perhaps the dressiest watch in Brady’s collection so expect him to break it out for black tie events.
Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon
Often cited as one of the most complicated wristwatches ever produced by Patek, the ultra-rareRef. 5002 also commands seven figures, and Brady has it in rose gold. With 12 complications in all, it’s an unparalleled horological wonder, more modern than the Ref. 2499 but just as exclusive in its way -perhaps more “new” money than old, but it’s all the same when you take it to the bank.
Conclusion
Brady has quietly built up one of the best watch collections of any big-name celebrity, and if he keeps it up will soon have to be numbered among the likes of John Mayer, Ed Sheeran watch collection, Sylvester Stallone, and Jay-Z watch collection. He’s obviously earmarked some capital from his 10-year, $375 million contract to be the lead analyst for the Fox Sports team to spend on watches, and we can’t wait to see what he buys next.
