5 most extravagant watches at the Met Gala 2023, from Jackson Wang’s Cartier Tank and Michelle Yeoh’s Richard Mille, to Simu Liu’s Vacheron Constantin and Eileen Gu’s quirky IWC pocket watch

May 4 , 2023

Asian stars’ wrists glittered at the Met Gala 2023, from Michelle Yeoh’s diamond-encrusted Richard Mille, to Jackson Wang’s skeletonised Cartier Tank. Photos: Cartier, Richard Mille, Reuters, EPA

Jackson Wang and Ke Huy Quan channelled Karl Lagerfeld to a tee in Louis Vuitton and Dior, but it was their watches that stole the show; meanwhile, Marvel star Simu Liu rocked his Vacheron Constantin

Olympic star Eileen Gu opted for not one but two IWC timepieces, including a surprising pocket watch, and Michelle Yeoh made a typically bold statement in Richard Mille to complement her tuxedo gown

This year’s Met Gala theme “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” was designed to pay tribute to the late German designer, whose personal style was just as famous as his creations for Chanel.

And while his views on everything from women’s bodies to gay marriage have made Anna Wintour’s latest celebration a more controversial one than usual, the event went off without a hitch – and as spectacularly as ever. Even better for the watch-lovers among us, the Lagerfeld theme meant that most outfits were kept simple and monochrome, allowing the stars’ timepieces to shine more than ever.

Let’s take a look at the Asian and AAPI stars who got the luxury timepiece memo …

1. Simu Liu: Vacheron Constantin Overseas

Canadian actor Simu Liu arrives on the carpet for the 2023 Met Gala, the annual benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, in New York, New York, US, on May 1. Photo: EPA-EFE

The MCU actor declared on Instagram that Donatella Versace herself had asked him to represent her on the red carpet, dressing him in a silk suit that was an unmistakable Lagerfeld tribute. The key to pulling off the look other than his Toni + Chloë Goutal brooch and Jacob & Co. chains? A Vacheron Constantin Overseas.

Liu customised the classic stainless steel sports watch with a leather strap to match the rest of his outfit, per Wrist Enthusiast. According to WatchBase, the US$22,500 timepiece boasts the Swiss brand’s calibre 5100 automatic movement, featuring a 22k gold oscillating weight adorned with a wind rose. Vacheron Constantin originally created its Overseas collection in 1996 and Liu’s watch is from the Swiss house’s 2016 refresh of the line.

2. Michelle Yeoh: Richard Mille RM 07-01

Michelle Yeoh arrives on the red carpet for the 2023 Met Gala, the annual benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, in New York, US, May 1. Photo: EPA-EFE

Michelle Yeoh is a long-time ambassador for Richard Mille, and has been ever since her fiancé Jean Todt introduced her to the brand, according to GQ. “A watch isn’t just about telling the time,” she told Richard Mille. “I don’t agree that women should only wear small watches.”

And sure enough, to complement her layered Lagerfeld tuxedo gown, she made sure her watch was as eye-catching as the dress itself. The version of the RM 07-01 she wore to the gala has a diamond “snow setting” – a painstakingly complex design that requires Richard Mille’s gem setters to place different-sized stones as close together as possible. Rather than the usual diamond encrusted links around her wrist, however, she seems to have gone for maximum impact by working with Richard Mille to sport a jet black strap this time, per Watch Enthusiast.

3. Eileen Gu: IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition 150 Years pocket watch and IWC Portofino Automatic Day & Night 34

Eileen Gu poses at the Met Gala, an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute with this year’s theme “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”, in New York City, US, May 1, 2023. Photo: Reuters

Making a supportive statement in her Robert Wun wine spill gown, Eileen Gu donned not one but two watches to the Met Gala – both of which were by IWC. And while one of them was on her wrist, she pulled out a surprise move by clutching a pocket watch, which many lauded as something of a boss move. Housed in an 18k gold 5N case and limited to just 50 pieces, the watch is worth US$68,500, according to Wristcheck, and is from a 2018 collection celebrating the Swiss watchmaker’s 150th anniversary.