Inside Grammy Award winner John Mayer’s US$10 million haute horlogerie hobby (2024)

There are a lot of rich and famous individuals who boast watch collections that would make your eyes water – but few of them are as avid about their hobby as John Mayer.

A long-time enthusiast, Mayer’s collection is rumoured to number over a hundred timepieces, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, according to the singer himself. Not content to simply acquire and wear the big-ticket status symbols, the seven-time Grammy Award winner also immerses himself deeply in the world of haute horlogerie.

For example, he has served as a juror for the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, a highly regarded event that celebrates excellence in Swiss watchmaking. Mayer also contributes his insights to watch website Hodinkee through written columns and YouTube segments with fellow celebrity collectors such as Ed Sheeran.

CNBC has reported that Mayer’s luxury watch collection makes up around 25 per cent of his estimated US$40 million net worth, including several timepieces that could fetch seven figures at auction, thanks to their rarity.

Here’s a closer look at some of the highlights from John Mayer’s rare and exquisitely curated watch collection:

Rolex Daytonas

Mayer is a vocal fan of Rolex watches and he’s open about his long-time love for the brand. He started his Rolex collection in the early 2000s with a Rolex Explorer II. Over time, he’s added many, many more – most notably the popular Daytona models.

Mayer’s fondness for Rolex was returned in kind when a special 18k yellow gold Rolex Daytona with a bright green dial got nicknamed the “John Mayer” Daytona. This happened after Mayer called it a “sleeper hit” on the Hodinkee show Talking Watches. His praise helped the watch surge in popularity, driving its value up to over half a million dollars at one point.

Mayer also owns iconic 1980s models – ref. 6269 and ref. 6270 – and both stand out with their jewel-encrusted Valjoux movements and unique handset gemstones, making each watch potentially one-of-a-kind.

The 6269 is exceptionally rare, featuring a bezel adorned with 48 brilliant-cut diamonds, a dial with 240 brilliant-cut diamonds and nine brilliant-cut sapphire hour markers. The 6270, even more scarce with only about eight pieces made according to Hodinkee, was initially crafted for the late Sultan of Oman. It boasts baguette-cut diamonds, sapphire hour markers and a distinctive dark blue-purple hue in its sub-registers.

Both of these watches are highly coveted in auctions, with their rarity and exotic design often commanding prices in the millions.

Patek Philippe 5004

Mayer is a big fan of Patek Philippe. He owns several of their high-end watches, but his favourite seems to be the 5004 model. Mayer has collected these in all available metals, including steel and some with unique dial configurations. His most treasured 5004 is a custom-made piece from 2013: crafted in white gold with a salmon-coloured dial with luminous hands for easy readability on stage.

Speaking about the watch to Hodinkee, Mayer said: “This is the watch, above all others, that makes me want to live a little differently with it on. This watch has better taste than I do sometimes.”

Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks

The singer is also an enthusiastic supporter of Audemars Piguet, particularly admiring the technical excellence and intricate mechanics of the Royal Oak series. His collection includes several notable Royal Oaks, each with its own unique appeal.

Highlights include the Offshore Selfwinding Music Edition, with a dial resembling an equaliser; the Perpetual Calendar, displaying the day, date, month, astronomical moon and week of the year; and the Minute Repeater Supersonnerie Titanium, which earned the Men’s Complication award at the 2019 Geneva Grand Prix.

However, one of his top picks is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin. Among the various versions of this watch, Mayer is especially fond of the gold-on-gold variant. Valued at around US$330,000, this exquisite watch features a pink gold case and bezel, a matching bracelet and a grid-patterned dial.