Will Smith wears a “historic” Swiss watch
Will Smith chose a Swiss universal Geneva watch for Grammy on Sunday.image: eric wind’s instagram
During the Grammy Awards, the star chose to display a Universal Geneva Watch Vintage. An “iconic” Swiss brand, bought by Breitling in 2023, which will be reborn from its ashes in eighteen months. Is this strange timing trivial? We made a few calls.
No more “entertainment”
In the Grammys, we sing, we win prices, but we especially display our clothing tastes and contractual partners. The opportunity to do everything and sometimes anything. Like Jaden Smith, who tumbled with a fortified castle on the face on Sunday evening in Los Angeles. Even more crazy, Bianca Censori’s outfit, wife of Kanye West, who wore only a transparent “dress”, revealing her entirely naked body.
The Grammy Awards is also the perfect time to be tempted by jewelry. Among them, of course, the watches. An area in which our national know-how always plays the first role. You should also know that in this type of jumping, most stars are undermined by stylists, managers and brands with which they are greatly acquired.
Packed that evening in a Balmain black suit, Will Smith (the young boy’s dad wearing a fortified castle) also displayed an astonishing Swiss watch on his wrist.
His name? Universal Geneva Polerouter, reference S 20217-7, also signed by the Detaille Joyeria Milos de la Havana, in Cuba.
According to the various Instagram publications around the presence of this polarout at the Grammy Awards, we find in particular the merchant and a watchmaker Eric Wind, based in Palm Beach (yes, like Donald Trump), who would have played the biders.
This vintage watch would also have been chosen by Will Smith from many prestigious alternatives, arranged in front of the star of Bad Boysa few minutes before the ceremony, if we believe the publication of Fashion Pr Irma Peñuñuri.
Among them, “Nine Rolex, a Sherpa, a Vulcan and a Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet”, taught us the Time & Tide site on Monday. The specialized site is also said to be surprised by Will Smith’s little rowdy choice, especially in front of the flashy crystals that spray his Balmain costume.
But also because this Swiss watch model is not one of those who are worth a little fortune. Unlike the Greubel Forsey of a certain Mark Zuckerberg, to name a few.
The Universal Geneva brand, created at the Locle in 1894 and nicknamed the “Couturier de la Montre”, was dormant in 2008 by its last owner, the Stelux group, in Hong Kong. And the model that has been seen on Will Smith’s wrist is an “iconic piece, a piece of history of Swiss watchmaking which is at the heart of the news”, assures us an expert who prefers to keep anonymity. Made in the 1950s, she was drawn by a future watchmaking genius, when he was only 23 years old: Gérald Genta.
Why this choice?
No one is in the head of Will Smith. But the timing of this return in light of this universal Geneva Polerouter has something to surprise. While Breitling took hold of this historic company in 2023, for the sum of 60 million francs, tells us in particular PME Magazineit is now a question of reviving it with its ashes.
Takeoff is scheduled for September 2026.
On this subject, the CEO of Breitling, Georges Kern, declared to the blog Monochrome That he intended to make it a “high-end” product, a “cool company”, with starting prices at 15,000 francs: “What we bought is a story, a Genta design, a Watch nicknamed Nina Rindt ”.
“The bet of wanting to resuscitate Universal Geneva is risky, because it is a niche brand that especially excites collectors”
A watchmaker specialist, who prefers to keep anonymity
Will Smith who chooses a Universal Geneva to parade in front of Hollywood cameras, should we see him as a happy coincidence or a marketing strategy? Under the very joyful publication of Derek Guy, the pope of male fashion, many enthusiasts are indeed convinced that it is not the fruit of chance.
What does our watchmaking expert think? “Discovering a legendary watch on the wrist of a prominent star, which is more in a very publicized ceremony and at the time of the brand’s scheduled return, allows us in any case to ask the question”, he analyzes, cautious.
“That said, before the release of new models, Breitling will have to recreate a desirability with the target audience anyway”
For their part, neither Universal Geneva nor its new owner communicated on the Grammy ceremony. Not even on social networks. We therefore sent a few questions to the Breitling press service.
Here they are:
- Was the presence of this Grammy watch voluntary and piloted by Breitling?
- If so, Will Smith is expected to become a future brand ambassador?
- If Breitling is not at the origin of the presence of this watch on the wrist of Will Smith, what do you think of this highlighting on a leading scene?
- Why has the brand not shared information on its social networks, like the Eric Wind specialist, who participated in the fact that this “marriage” is done on Sunday evening?
- For some, Will Smith is still a controversial personality since his live slap, on the Oscar scene in 2022. How do you position yourself on this subject?
And it was Universal Geneva who answered us in stride:
“Everyone is free to choose to wear a Geneva universal, and the brand was not at the origin of this presence in the Grammys. Universal Geneva is a brand that advocates values of excellence, performance and respect. We have no connection with the events that occurred to the Oscars in 2022. ”
A quick response, but without great excitement.
Even if this happy meeting with Will Smith was not premeditated, it is a nice spotlight for Breitling, which puts a lot on the rebirth of Universal Geneva. A bet which had also been lost by its previous owner, Stelux Holdings.
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