The Emmy Awards 2026 watches ranged from bejewelled Rolexes to brooding Panerais, and if one evening settled the sport-versus-dress debate on the red carpet, this was it. NBC hosted the 78th Emmy Awards on 5 September 2026 at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and the wrists in attendance told their own story: precious metals, moon phases, perpetual calendars, and a near-total retreat from the rubber strap.
The Best Emmy Awards 2026 Watches, Ranked
Matthew Rhys opened proceedings in a bejewelled Hublot Classic Fusion. The Welsh actor, who picked up awards for both Widow’s Bay and Beast In Me, chose one of the flashier pieces of the night. The Hublot is not a natural resident of the dress-watch category, but swapping the usual rubber for a black leather strap pulled it over the line. Audacious choice, well executed.
Paul Anthony Kelly wore a pink-gold Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Moon Phase Retrograde Date in 42.5mm. A pink-gold Patrimony in this configuration is as close to a canonical dress watch as it gets, and Kelly wore it with the confidence to match. Fresh off a trip to the US Open, he transitioned effortlessly to red-carpet mode.
Charles Melton predictably reached for a Cartier Tank, but this one had more sparkle than his usual run. Teeny-tiny Cartiers are his calling, and on this occasion the choice landed with a bit more surprise than expected. Thomas Doherty took his TAG Heuer Carrera Astronomer and made a thoughtful swap, replacing the bracelet with a black strap. The Carrera normally sits firmly in race-ready territory with a chronograph complication, but TAG’s moon-phase version gives it a softer character, and the strap change completed the shift.
Jon Hamm wore a Panerai Radiomir Perpetual Calendar. A brooding, substantial timepiece, and arguably the most thematically coherent pairing of watch and wearer on the night. Panerai people tend to know exactly who they are, and Hamm confirmed it.
Zendaya’s Rolex and the Diamond Count That Defies Auditing
Zendaya’s Rolex Lady-Datejust was the evening’s most encrusted wrist moment by some margin. According to WatchGuys, the specific reference is the Lady-Datejust 279459RBR in 18k white gold, with a diamond-paved dial. The bezel carries 44 cut diamonds, the bracelet a further 596, and the dial adds more still. She found a piece that matched her dress exactly. Tom would struggle to borrow this one.
WatchGuys also logged a watch the main red-carpet coverage largely passed over: Michael J. Fox wore an Omega Constellation Observatory, reference 140.13.39.21.01.001, in steel with a black dial. It is a restrained, technically serious choice, the kind of watch that rewards a closer look rather than announcing itself from across the room.
Patrick Ball, attending as one of The Pitt’s cast, wore an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. The sports bracelet is a bold call alongside black tie, but the tapisserie dial gives the watch enough visual texture to carry the complication cleanly. Mark Ronson went for the Royal Oak Selfwinding 41 with a malachite dial and yellow-gold case, a combination that elevates the Royal Oak from celebrity-favourite to award-show-appropriate. Bad Bunny had debuted the same reference earlier in the year at the Super Bowl.
Oscar Isaac wore an Audemars Piguet Code 11:59 Selfwinding Tourbillon. Where Royal Oaks can feel sporty even on a red carpet, the Code 11:59 was designed for exactly this setting. The pared-back dial gives the flying tourbillon room to breathe.
Noah Wyle, who led The Pitt to several awards on the night, wore a Cartier Tank à Guichets in gold. Charlie Hunnam, looking strong for best-dressed, wore a Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin in pink gold at 36.5mm, a watch that sets a high bar by sheer restraint alone.
Colman Domingo rounded out the field with a brand-new Omega Speedmaster 38mm carrying a mother-of-pearl dial and diamond-set bezel. He has made the Speedmaster his dress-watch staple, and this version makes the case more convincingly than most. Full coverage of the celebrity watches from the evening is on British GQ, where the story first appeared.
