US first ladies’ watches: Melania prefers Vacheron Constantin like Donald Trump, while Jill Biden wears a classic Cartier and Hillary Clinton sports a Rolex

Jan 11 , 2021

Jill Biden prefers understated timepieces while Melania Trump is a fan of bedazzled dials. Photos: Getty Images; AFP Photo

Kim Kardashian is rumoured to have bought former first lady Jackie Kennedy’s Cartier watch at a Christie’s auction for US$379,500 – Michelle Obama and Jill Biden are fans of the luxury French watch brand too

Attending official engagements and travelling with some of the most powerful men in the world, American first ladies have played important roles in history over the years, dressing and accessorising impeccably as they assume their duties.

Nancy Reagan campaigned against teenage drug abuse dressed in vibrant skirt suits and gold necklaces while Michelle Obama promoted healthy school lunches and got her hands dirty planting vegetables in the White House garden dressed in jeans and trainers – when she wasn’t sporting political jewellery.

But what about their watches? Here, we take a look at the watches that accompany these powerful women, whether they’re attending a state dinner or picking tomatoes.

Jill Biden

Like many first ladies that the White House has seen over the years, the soon-to-be first lady Jill Biden is a fan of Cartier watches – particularly rectangular ones. She has been spotted wearing two of the watchmaker’s iconic geometrical designs.

In recent months, she has frequently been seen wearing a Panthère de Cartier in yellow gold. The bracelet watch features a small square dial and looks as great paired with jeans and a T-shirt as it does with a dress.

The professor also owns a Cartier Tank watch – but she seems to favour the Panthère, which was her watch of choice on the campaign trail in 2020.

Melania Trump

Aside from being a former model, Melania Trump was also a businesswoman before she entered the White House in 2017, making her own fortune selling her branded watch and jewellery designs on shopping channels. But when it comes to her own timepieces, she prefers luxury Swiss brands.

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