If you are a fan of poker, then you know that the pro’s like to wear really big and flashy watches. Some are more flashy than others. I compiled a list of some of the most impressive watches. There are links to clips from Poker After Dark, High Stakes Poker, and some other events that you can see on Youtube.
In no particular order:
- Phil Ivey (He gets the top spot of course)
Ivey is considered the best poker player in the world. No one debates this. He is a great tournament player, but more importantly, he is the best cash game player in the world. So, you would expect he would wear the most expensive watch.
He does. And, like Phil, its very subtle and relaxed. Not flashy and over the top. Ivy is a poker player who doesn’t call attention to himself, so I wouldn’t expect him to wear a diamond encrusted Brietling.
Phil has been seen wearing a few different high end watches. One that was particularly impressive, and cause a lot of talk in poker forums and watch forums, was his Vacheron Constrain. Vacheron is one of the finest, perhaps the finest, watchmakers in the world. They have made watches for popes, as well as for Napoleon Bonepart. The company was forced in the 1700’s and they have been producing fine watches ever since. I have a section about Vacheron that talks more about them and their history if you are interested. All in all, they are a really top class and make the most exquisite watches in the world. Subdued and not overpowering, they are the epitome of class. They will also set you back several hundred thousand dollars.
Here is a clip from Poker After Dark. You can see Ivey, Brunson and Negranu. Brunson’s probably wearing a gold Rolex. Daniel’s wearing a large face watch, probally a Corum. Ivy’s watch is the most subtle of them all but it’s probably worth 10x more.
- Patrick Antonius
Antonious is well known for wearing a Brietling Super Avenger. Brietling is a really famous brand. They are known for producing some really flashy watches. The Super Avenger is a great example of this style. It is not subtle like the Vacherons or Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
Here is a clip from a Poker After Dark cash game (Pot Limit Omaha) where you can see Patrick’s Brietling.
- 3.Howard Lederer
Leder is not one you immediately think of when looking at nice watches. He was more of the businessman. He wears an IWC Perpetual Calendar. IWC is one of the luxury Swiss Watch Companies. The company is located in Schaffhausen.
Interesting Trivia: IWC is the only Swiss Watch company located in Easter Switzerland. The other heavy weights are all located around Western Switzerland.
The IWC—or International Watch Company—was actually founced by an American named Florentine Ariosto Jones. Jones was the head of a Boston based Watch company.
IWC keeps precise records of all of the watches made. They also have a really nice website. You can read about the history of the company, and see detailed close ups of all of the watches.
One of the complications that IWC includes with most of their watches is a moon phase. People love moon phases because, frankly, they look so cool.
http://www.iwc.com/en/news/iwcs-unique-big-pilots-watch-perpetual-calendar-edition-le-petit-prince/
- 4. Daniel Negreanu
KidPoker has worn a Corum Admirals Cup. Corum was founded in 1955. Like the other brands, they are a high end Swiss watch company. Corum has been involved with the poker scene for a number of years. Since 2007 they have been sponsoring the World Serirs of Poker. Negreanu was probably introduced to them and became a sort of ambassador.
5. Eugene Katchalov was interviewed at the WPT 100k buy in and talked about buying an Audemars Piguet.
6. David Williams- Wears a limited one that has custom jewelry. He said in an interview that he is friends with the people who make the jewelry. Audemars Pigeut
7. FullFlush—Luke Schwarts has “Got the Jakeys on. Woteva” Jacob the Jelwer. NYC Diamond District Watch Customizer.
Jacob the Jewler’s real name is Jacob Arabo. He became famous for encrusting watches with lots of bling. He was the favoriate of rappers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfddLnDoJQ0
8. Guy Laliberté—While he is not a poker pro in the sense that he makes most of his money from Cirque du Soleil, Guy is also a well known High Stake poker player. And he wears some really expensive and nice watches. One of his favoriates is by Richard Mille. In fact, when Guy was organizing the 1 Drop (the 1 million dollar buy in poker tournament) he had Mille design the bracelet for the winner.
Richard Mille are newcomers to the high end Swiss watch scene, but they are exquisite timepieces. They are well known for some really intricate complications like the Tourbillion.
Extras:
Teddy Ice Man Monroe—The Iceman is famous for his huge diamond watch. I really don’t know what it is, but it’s flashy. He is a cash game player out of the west coast. He sells stuff, he branded himself early on like Phil Hellmuth, and he has a line of products which include stuff like diamond headphones.
Olivier Busquet— Busquet is a high stakes online Heads Up SNG player. He was on Poker After Dark and he was wearing an Audmers Piquet as well as custom spider cufflinks.