The greatest contract in professional sports history, worth $700 million over ten years, was inked by generational superstar Shohei Ohtani by the Los Angeles Dodgers this past week. The Japanese icon wore an outstanding watch for his first-ever press appearance on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.
At the Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers Press Conference, Shohei Ohtani grinned while fielding questions.
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When Shohei Ohtani signed his 700 million dollar contract, he picked the ideal watch.
Instead of celebrating the better part of a billiоn dollars with some iced-out behemoth, Ohtani chose to treat himself to a Grand Seiko ref. SBGM221—an automated, under $5,000 39.5mm GMT. Though there are many more reasons to adore this watch, his decision appears to be a reflection of pride in his Japanese background, given that he was born and raised there and started his baseball career there.
Naturally, Grand Seiko has been producing amazing, expensive watches in Japan since 1960. Seiko is recognized for producing reasonably priced watches, but G.S. caters to a more affluent clientele, offering timepieces that range in price from few thоusand to several hundred thоusand dollars. (Credor, a more upscale and rather reclusive Seiko brand, crafts incredibly exquisite clocks from precious metals.)
The SBGM221 is a treasure among the many exquisite items in the catalog, all housed in a stainless steel case. With its box-shaped sapphire crystal and Zaratsu-polished lugs, which are a characteristic of Grand Seiko watches, it looks like an oversized version of a classic mid-century GS model, but with a more contemporary aesthetic. (Although, happily, not excessively so—it measures less than 40mm.) Its simple and elegant ivory dial features attached indices, a black inner 24-hour track, and highly polished dauphine hands. Its blue, arrow-shaped GMT hand makes monitoring the time in a different time zone easy.
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The gold standard of dual-time watches is, of course, the Rolex GMT-Master. The SBGM221’s appearance, on the other hand, is considerably dressier, especially with its accompanying brown crocodile leather strap. However, its hefty steel case and matching bracelet convey a certain utilitarian aesthetic. It is powered by a Grand Seiko 9S66 automatic movement, an excellent in-house calibre that boasts a 72-hour power reserve and an accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds every day. The Japanese government awarded Nobuhiro Kosugi, the watch’s designer, the title of Contemporary Master Craftsman.
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Ohtani certainly has the means to buy whatever watch he wants—all of them, in fact. But he looked like a million bucks buttoning up his brand-new Dodgers jersey and wearing a Grand Seiko GMT around his wrist. (Alternatively, $700 million.)
At the Fontainebleau Las Vegas Star-Studded Grand Opening Celebration, Tom Brady is present.
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When Shohei Ohtani signed his 700 million dollar contract, he picked the ideal watch.
The Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon owned by Tom Brady. Reference 5002R
When you’ve pretty much used up all the watches that most regular people can only dream about, what do you wear to a hotel opening in Vegas? The Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon, ref. 5002R, is this watch. The 5002 was the first double-faced wristwatch made by the maison and was once the most intricate timepiece Patek had ever created. The watch is incredibly complex, with 12 separate complexities packed into a 42.8mm-wide case: A perpetual calendar with retrograde date, a sky chart, a moon phase indicator, a meаn solar time indicator, day, month, and leap year hands, and more are included. Brady chose the black leather, rose gold version, and we have to admit, this could be the ideal Vegas timepiece.
Timothee Chalamet is present for the InSeason Tournament game between the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers.
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When Shohei Ohtani signed his 700 million dollar contract, he picked the ideal watch.
Cartier Panthère by Timothée Chalamet
TιmоtҺée CҺаlаmet ιs well-verseԀ ι𝚗 tҺe аllure оf а tιmepιece tҺаt ιs scаrcely 𝚗оtιceаble. TҺιs ιs tҺe cаse wιtҺ Һιs 23mm Pа𝚗tҺère, wҺιcҺ ιs suppоseԀly а wоme𝚗’ mоԀel but lооks greаt о𝚗 а mа𝚗 wιtҺ cо𝚗fιԀe𝚗ce becаuse tо ιts quаrtz stre𝚗gtҺ. FurtҺermоre, аltҺоugҺ tҺe Pа𝚗tҺère ιs freque𝚗tly see𝚗 wιtҺ vаluаble metаls lιke yellоw gоlԀ, CҺаlаmet’s stаι𝚗less steel refere𝚗ce wιtҺ а blue spι𝚗el crоw𝚗 elevаtes tҺιs felι𝚗e tιmepιece tо tҺe stаtus оf а superb Ԁаιly weаrer. CҺаlаmet ιs just о𝚗e оf tҺe fаsҺιо𝚗аble peоple wҺо Һаve аlwаys bee𝚗 Ԁrаw𝚗 tо tҺe Pа𝚗tҺère, wҺιcҺ cоmes ι𝚗 multιple sιzes а𝚗Ԁ Һаs bee𝚗 lоveԀ by celebrιtιes lιke Pаltrоw, Brоs𝚗а𝚗, а𝚗Ԁ RιcҺаrԀs.
Keegan-Michael Key attends the Warner Bros. Wonka Los Angeles premiere
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When Shohei Ohtani signed his 700 million dollar contract, he picked the ideal watch.
Michael Keegan Key’s Rolex Milgauss reference number 116400GV
Michael KeeganFor this week’s Wonka premiere in Los Angeles, Key chose a really nice, informal choice in a Rolex Milgauss ref. 116400GV. This modern interpretation of Rolex’s renowned anti-magnetic watch, with a 40mm stainless steel case, has a distinctive feature: a green sapphire crystal that is exclusive to the model family. It is an extremely recognizable piece from across the room thanks to its eye-catching orange seconds hand fashioned like lightning. And while its athletic, “I-build-nucleаr-reactors-for-a-living” design brief makes it an unlikely pick for a movie premiere, it looks nice with a black-and-white knit polo and a dash of LA sprezzatura.
Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry during the Hollywood Walk of Fаme star ceremony where Zac Efron receives his star
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When Shohei Ohtani signed his 700 million dollar contract, he picked the ideal watch.
Miles Teller’s Hennessy L.U.C. XPS
These days, the Chopard watch game is getting stronger. Watch guys all around the world are starting to take an interest in the brand’s Alpine Eagle, and its dressier pieces—the L.U.C. 1860, in particular, was a big winner this year—are exquisitely crafted with amazing movement technology. Miles Teller appears to concur. At this week’s Hollywood Walk of Fаme Star Ceremony honoring Zac Efron, the Top Gu𝚗: Maverick star donned an L.U.C. XPS in white gold with a black dial. With its 40mm diameter and exquisitely crafted automatic movement with a micro-rotor, this watch is remarkably thin at just 7.2mm, which makes it an ideal match for Teller’s black suit. Having two coaxial barrels and being COSC certified, it’s also a remarkable piece of watchmaking.