Watch Spotting: The Collectors

Through the collections of 30 celebrities, Watch Spotting: The Collectors sets out to illustrate what makes watch collecting so compelling and why timepieces symbolize more than just timekeeping.

The intricate mechanics, precision and artistry behind high-end watches have long been appreciated by collectors, but in more recent times watches have become cultural icons. Symbolizing luxury, wealth and success, timepieces now play a key role in pop culture with celebrities like Pharrell Williams and Rihanna elevating watches through endorsements, and rappers like Jay-Z and Drake flaunting high-end watches such as Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Rolex in their lyrics and public appearances, turning them into status symbols. Through the collections of 30 celebrities, chosen by Toronto-based watch writer Rhonda Riche, Watch Spotting: The Collectors sets out to illustrate what makes watch collecting so compelling and why timepieces have come to symbolize more than just timekeeping. With its marriage to pop culture, watch collecting has brought timepieces into mainstream consciousness in a fresh and bold way, making these wearable works of art more popular than ever.

Rhonda Riche is a Toronto-based writer specializing in watches, design and culture. She is currently Editor-At-Large for Watchonista, to which she contributes articles on collectors and their watches. She has written for The Globe And Mail, Sotheby’s Insights and 'In Style', is co-author of the book Covet Garden Home, and was a regular contributor to CBC Radio 1’s 'Definitely Not The Opera'. She has been nominated for several National Magazine Awards.