Down the Rabbit Hole of Bad Bunny’s Watch Collection
The rumor mill has it that, once upon a time, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio shared a picture of himself on Twitter wearing a bunny suit and a scowl: White onesie with oversized ears, basket filled with eggs, scribbled black nose. From then on, or so goes the legend, Puerto Rico’s Bad Bunny has been making leaps and bounds up the charts in the music industry.
But there’s more to him than mere musical prowess. With a grail-worthy collection that sets the Un Verano Sin Ti star into the highest heights of the horological order, he’s also a bonafide watch guy (or watch bunny, if you will).
Let’s take a peek down the rabbit hole of Bad Bunny’s watches.
Stop one: Rolex
Day-Date 18038 “Wood” in a plush 18k yellow gold
Bad Bunny donned this remarkable piece for this year’s GLAAD awards – one of the largest LGBTQIA+ award ceremonies created to honor voices in the media who campaign for fair and inclusive representation. The Day-Date 18038 isn’t your commonplace Rolex but a rare model conceived in the late ‘70s when ponchos and bell-bottoms had their hot minute under the sun. Known among industry aficionados as the Prezzy (“President” for the uninitiated), it’s got something of a reputation for its popularity among global leaders.
Rolex Sea Dweller
Back in Bad Bunny’s buzzcut era, the singer revealed an iced-out Rolex Sea Dweller. With an instantly recognizable complication called SAROS, the annual calendar (not a Middle Earth dweller) allows Bad Bunny to keep time while bouncing through time zones. Quintessential for a world-tour rider.
The “customized” Rolex with a Chrome Hearts monogram
(Close your eyes, watch puritans, this fresh take on the OG of all watch brands might not be for you.)
Rounding off his Rolex family, Bad Bunny made history this year in the city of Angels as the first Latino solo act and Spanish-language artist to headline Coachella. And he did so wearing a bespoke Rolex with a Chrome Hearts monogram bracelet customized by mother-daughter duo Ladan and Tanaz Shayan, of Shay Jewelry.
Stop two: Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe Classique
Though Bad Bunny uses his lyrics (and direct conversation with his audience) to highlight existing injustice in his home country, his wardrobe serves as another important tool in his social-commentary arsenal. (Lest we forget the backless Jacquemus suit at this year’s Met Gala.) Case in point: a vintage Patek Philippe Classique in a compact 28mm case – arguably the baddest timepiece in the Bunny’s collection, this attention-grabbing watch adds an exclamation point to any statement made by its wearer.
With a diamond and sapphire accented bezel, champagne dial and integrated bracelet harkening back to the ‘70s, this bijou model truly confirms that Bad Bunny knows a grail when he sees one.
Stop three: Audemars Piguet
Vintage Audemars Piguet “Ladies Watch”
The biggest “ick” in the watch industry is, of course, the archaic designation of “Ladies watch.” [*Shudders*] Leading the charge in subverting such gendered labels is our own Bad Bunny. For his performance at the 2023 Grammys, he sported none other than a Vintage Audemars Piguet “Ladies Watch,” and here we say: applause.
According to the vintage watch collecting website Connoisseurs of Time, this paragon of horology dates back to the 1990s and features an elaborately curved hexagonal dial, a diamond bezel showing 22 rubies, a braided bracelet, and (mic drop) – original AP movement.
“As fashion is being reimagined and the lines between stereotypical men’s and women’s silhouettes are now blurred, watches that were classically marketed as women’s timepieces – with small profiles often adorned with colored gems, precious stones, and unique bracelet configurations – are now being worn and collected by men as both a watch and bracelet,” shares CFA of SwissWatchExpo, Eugene Tutunikov.
By wearing what was once declared unfit for the “manly” wrist, Bad Bunny offers a middle finger to antiquity and its outdated playbook, all the while demonstrating just how great it looks on any wrist bold enough to wear it.
Stop four: Cartier
Cartier Santos 18K Yellow Gold
Spotted on Bad Bunny’s wrist at a WWE press conference in May leading up to his fight in the ring with Damian Pries, this is one kingpin Cartier.
Cartier Ballon Bleu
But wait, there’s more. Another heavy in the mix, the Cartier Ballon Bleu made its appearance with Bad Bunny at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards.
Cartier Tonneau Dual Time XL in White Gold
While on his 2022 world tour, Bad Bunny emblazoned the animated heart from his sell-out album Un Verano Sin Ti onto a heart-shaped microphone that stans have since dubbed the unofficial mascot of the Puerto Rican rapper. But the true beating heart behind Bad Bunny’s collection is the Cartier Tonneau Dual Time XL in White Gold.
It had its debut at Formula 1’s Grand Prix in the 305 when the rapper stopped to pay a visit to the Red Bull garage. Yes, most eyes were fixed on his outfit (a break from the internet's girlfriend-grilling) featuring a Jean Paul Gautier bikini top, but not ours. That’s because we were so attuned to wrist, and the staggering 46mm Cartier Tonneau Dual Time XL in White Gold there with its dual time-zone quartz and what appeared to be two watch faces in the space of one. This rare piece happens to be Cartier’s second oldest watch model ever made. Bravo.
