This week’s best watches pose an interesting question: why don’t more athletes wear watches during a game? Lots of reasons, of course, including the fact that it’s uncomfortable to have a
big chunk of steel on your wrist when you’re swinging a driver, the potential dangers to other players in contact sports, and the fact that it’s often against the rules. But that, of course, just makes the athletes who do wear their watches to work—not to mention the pieces themselves—all the more noteworthy. No one understands this better than Richard Mille, who has outfitted everyone from Bubba Watson to Usain Bolt in brightly-coloured quartz and carbon timepieces that cost as much as a starter home. As patently bonkers as Mille’s creations are, however, none is more impressive than the namesake watch worn by Rafael Nadal when he clinched the Melbourne Summer Set in Australia this week. Plus, Andre Iguodala and Steph Curry’s pre-game face-off.
Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille RM 27-04
The steel cable strung across the RM 27-04’s face isn’t just a cool look, it’s actually a vital design element. In addition to evoking the strings of a racket, the fine mesh acts as a suspension system, cushioning the movement against impacts and allowing the watch to withstand accelerations of over 12,000 g’s—which is approximately 11,997 more g’s than astronauts experience during liftoff—without losing a beat.
Steph Curry’s Hublot Classic Fusion Titanium
In addition to a robust selection of Rolexes and Cartiers, the Warriors MVP has a proven eye for unusual variants of popular sports watches, from the Panerai Luminor to this edition of Hublot’s Classic Fusion chronograph. Using the first Hublot model from 1980 as its starting point, the Hublot Classic Fusion Aerofusion Titanium 45mm brings the design into the 21st century with a full-titanium case and bracelet and a cutaway dial—the perfect way to complement your favorite Klay Thompson jersey.
Andre Iguodala's Rolex Deepsea “D-Blue”
Along with the two-tone Submariner Steph Curry gave him a few weeks back, Iggy’s watch collection includes an AP Royal Oak, a Panerai Luminor and a Rolex Sky-Dweller. His pick for this week, though, was a deeper cut (if you will) from the Rolex catalog: the Deepsea. Bigger and burlier than the standard Sub, this halo piece is rated waterproof to an astounding 12,800 feet, and looks particularly slick with a gradient “D-Blue” dial.
Milo Ventimiglia’s Garmin Enduro
Hunky TV dad Milo Ventimiglia received one of show business’s highest honors—a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—while wearing a watch designed for guys who live every day like it’s leg day. As such, the Enduro features a fiber-reinforced polymer case and can track your performance mountain biking, rock climbing, backcountry skiing and trail running–all of which will help you look good in short shorts next summer.
Steve Harvey's Roger Dubuis Excalibur Knights of the Round Table III
Just as there’s more to Steve Harvey than jewel-tone suits and classic GIFs, his watch has much more going on than meets the eye. Beneath its flashy turquoise and rose gold exterior is a detailed 3D dial featuring a scale model of King Arthur’s round table, complete with tiny scale models of Arthur, Galahad and the rest of the squad in rose gold. Survey Says: Fresh!