The 2026 US Open watches on display at Flushing Meadows have already delivered one of the better wrist-watching seasons in recent memory, and the tournament is still running. From courtside to the grandstands at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the range on show spans vintage Rolex Daytonas, a quartz watch that stops when you put it down, and at least one piece that belongs in a sunken treasure chest.
Rolex Dominates the Grandstands
It would be difficult to overstate how thoroughly Rolex has colonised the suites and walkways of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Roger Federer kept his Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 134300 on during a practice match against Lorenzo Musetti, a 41mm stainless steel piece celebrating 100 years of the Oyster Perpetual line, with a grid of multi-coloured tiles spelling out the brand’s name across its dial. The model has been spotted on Lionel Messi and Ed Sheeran since deliveries began over the past couple of months.
Jimmy Fallon arrived with what might be the most talked-about Daytona in the building: a ref. 6239 “Paul Newman” Daytona, the very reference the actor wore and helped make iconic. The Paul Newman Daytona is distinguished by its blocky lettering and contrasting outer dial ring. The piece Newman himself owned sold for $17.8 million in 2017 and remains the most expensive vintage wristwatch ever sold at auction. Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, wore the Daytona “Le Mans”, produced to mark the 100th anniversary of the endurance race and made for just one year across stainless steel, yellow gold, and rose gold variants.
Lindsey Vonn brought the “Rainbow” Daytona ref. 116505; Adam Pally wore a ref. 16518 on leather, the only Daytona in the field on a strap rather than a bracelet; and Grant Hill provided a stainless steel ref. 116520 with a black dial as a palate cleanser after the more exotic options. Russell Wilson wore a solid yellow-gold Day-Date ref. 228238 with Roman numerals and the President bracelet. Carl Radke showed up with the all-blue “Smurf” Submariner, and Queen Latifah elevated the same reference with a two-tone stainless and yellow-gold version. Duncan Robinson went a different direction entirely, wearing the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT in “Coke” configuration, black-and-red bezel, priced at $5,275, a genuine bargain relative to the rest of the suite section.
On day nine of the tournament, according to GQ, Carmelo Anthony attended at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center wearing a Rolex Sky-Dweller, a fitting choice for a watch that builds a world-time complication into one of the brand’s sportier cases.
Beyond Rolex: The 2026 US Open Watches That Caught the Eye
Orlando Bloom’s choice was the pick of the opening day. The Porsche Design Chronograph 1 he wore is the recently released 1975 Limited Edition, and Robb Report confirms the case and bracelet measure 40.8mm and are made of glass-bead-blasted titanium with a black dial and white accents. Power comes from the COSC-certified Porsche Design WERK 01.400 movement, which carries a 48-hour power reserve. The Chronograph 1 is credited as the world’s first black-cased watch, though newer editions have branched into other metals and dial colours. Lightweight, COSC-certified, and built around a driver’s sensibility, it is exactly the kind of piece that earns its place on the wrist rather than just posing there.
Kaia Gerber wore a yellow-gold Panthère de Cartier in its mini size, a watch with roots going back to the 1910s, though the Panthère collection was launched formally in the early 1980s. The panther has recently been spotted on Taylor Swift and David Jonsson, sitting alongside longer-standing fans such as Keith Richards, Madonna, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Donna Vekić wore the F.P. Journe Élégante during play, and its party trick is worth noting: set it down and the watch stops ticking, then zooms the hands back to the correct position the moment you pick it up again. A tennis match is a reasonable workout for any watch; the Élégante handles it by simply waiting.
Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk wore a Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5067A-014 on court: a 36.3mm stainless steel case, bezel set with 46 diamonds, embossed blue dial with red-fringed indices, and Patek’s cal. E23-250 S C quartz movement, worn on what appeared to be a fabric strap rather than the reference’s usual rubber.
Jason Biggs arrived with a Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 5296G-001 featuring a two-tone sector dial. Robb Report notes the white-gold variant launched in 2005, with a rose-gold edition following in 2006, and the reference is expected to fetch between $20,000 and $30,000 on the secondary market. Travis Scott rounded out the independent contingent with a Richard Mille RM 75-01 Flying Tourbillon, a piece drawing on the look of the ocean and Gothic architecture simultaneously.
The tournament runs for another fortnight, and if the opening days are any guide, the watchlist will only grow from here.
