The charm of watches is not only irresistible to ordinary people, but even the heads of state or leaders in high positions sometimes wear some eye-catching watches. In fact, the personalities and political positions of these politicians can be seen from the watches they choose. There are countless Swiss watches worn by leaders of various countries. In this article, we will look at several political leaders who were active in the mid-20th century and modern politics. Regardless of whether they led a democratic country or a communist country, coincidentally, they were all interested in watches, but the styles and thinking of their watches were different, just like the impression they left in people's minds.
Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill - BREGUET 765 pocket watch
It is no secret that Churchill likes exquisite craft products. Therefore, he personally prefers the old brand BREGUET for products that require exquisite workmanship, such as watches. Churchill always wears a 765 pocket watch commissioned by his grandfather John Churchill to make Breguet in the late 19th century. This watch was later handed to Churchill and he loved it. Although people had begun to wear watches instead of pocket watches during Churchill's time, Churchill still liked to wear a more old-fashioned style pocket watch when he was alive. He even gave this pocket watch a nickname like "Turnip". This watch seems a bit simple at first glance, but in fact it has two complex functions: minute repeater and split-second chronograph. With a K gold case, it is expected that John Churchill also spent a lot of money to get such a top-level pocket watch. If you still remember, Gary Oldman, who won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2018, also wore a replica 765 pocket watch specially made by Breguet for the movie in the play. It can be seen that this watch is really a classic among classics, and even the film crew must write it into the plot.
Cuban strongman Fidel Castro——Day-Date, Submariner
Castro's strong leadership style in Cuba established his mixed life, but his love for watches and the socialism he pursued seemed a little inconsistent, because he not only liked watches as accessories (of course, the practicality of wearing watches was relatively high at that time), but also had a high vision and chose Rolex sports watches such as Submariner. Although buying a Rolex Submariner in the 1950s was relatively cheap from today's perspective, for the soldiers at that time, it would cost at least one month's salary to afford a Rolex watch. Castro seems to have quite a few Rolex watches in his collection. He has a special habit of wearing two watches on one hand. As shown in the photo, he wears a Rolex Day-Date and a Submariner on his hand at the same time. When asked why he wears two watches on one hand? He once said that it is very important for soldiers to keep time. In order to avoid the dilemma of having problems with the watch and being unable to control the time, he is used to wearing two watches. In this way, even if one watch does not work properly, he still has another watch to tell the time accurately. Obviously, the accuracy of Rolex watches makes this Cuban strongman very satisfied.
Socialist Revolutionary Che Guevara——GMT-Master 1675
Compared to Castro, Che Guevara also played an important role in the Cuban Revolution and was even regarded as a hero of the international communist movement and a symbol of the world's left-wing movement. Although he sacrificed his life for the ideals of the revolution before the age of 40, Che Guevara's passion and determination to change the current inequality still made him still respected by the world many years after his death. In the image that Che Guevara left behind, he was a man who could give up comfort, power and enjoyment for his ideals, but he was also once a Rolex watch owner. As shown in the picture, he once wore a Rolex GMT-Master. It is known that this watch was a gift from Castro. Although he did not buy it with his own money, Che Guevara still wore this watch for a long time when he was fighting everywhere until his death, which shows that the quality of the watch was also recognized by him.
Lyndon Johnson, the 36th President of the United States——ROLEX Day-Date
President Johnson is a famous watch fan in the political circle. He owns many famous watches, but his most well-known watch is the Rolex Day-Date. It is known that he is the first president of the United States to wear a Rolex Day-Date. In addition to the case made of precious metals, Day-Date is also equipped with a strap with a very majestic name "President\’ bracelet". President Johnson often wears Day-Date, which makes this watch have the reputation of "President's watch". President Johnson even loves this watch so much that he often gives this expensive Rolex watch to his relatives and friends. He can be called a big star fan of Day-Date.
Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States - OMEGA Speedmaster
President Nixon certainly had more than one watch, but among the watches he had owned, there was an Omega Speedmaster Moon Landing Watch that was particularly commemorative. This was related to the feat accomplished by NASA during President Nixon's term - Apollo 11 successfully completed the first human moon landing mission. Therefore, shortly after the mission was completed, Omega also specially made a limited edition Speedmaster with a K gold case and gave it to relevant personnel, including astronauts and President Nixon and other senior US government officials. Although President Nixon could not really accept this precious gift due to the relevant regulations of the White House, the words President Nixon engraved on the bottom cover of Omega showed that this watch was clearly intended for him, and this watch has now been included in the brand's own museum as an important collection.
As for what brands or styles of watches do the famous leaders in modern politics like, let's continue tracking below:
The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama - JORG GRAY
Obama does not seem to have a special preference for watches. He brought a gift from the US Secret Service bodyguard, which was an American brand JORG GRAY chronograph. This watch has a bit of the flavor of a pilot watch, and the timing function also has the characteristics of a pilot watch. However, other than that, its overall design is quite simple, and it does not even have some additional scales such as a tachymeter. It is equipped with a movement made by Japan CITIZEN, and its performance is basically OK. Since Obama wore this JORG GRAY 6500 chronograph, the inquiries about this watch have skyrocketed, and another new wave of presidential watches has been set off during Obama's term. Its affordable and easy-to-get features have made it popular among many watch fans.
Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States——PATEK PHILIPPE, ROLEX
If you don’t tell me, you may have forgotten that the former real estate tycoon Trump once launched his own "Trump brand" watch around 2005, which reflects that he is quite confident in his popularity. However, the development of Trump brand watches has not been smooth. Because the appearance design is considered to have the shadow of classic models of various brands, that is, the design is considered to be ordinary, so Trump brand watches actually disappeared from the market not long after they were launched. I wonder if Trump is still wearing them now? Apart from Trump brand watches, the current US president actually does not wear many watch brands in public, probably not Patek Philippe or Rolex, which are well-known brands, and Trump wearing watches of these brands also makes people feel quite right, which is in line with his worth and status.
Russian President Vladimir Putin——A. LANGE & SÖHNE, PATEK PHILIPPE, IWC
Putin should be a representative figure among the current leaders of various countries who loves to collect high-end watches. He owns many expensive watches, and what is enviable is that many of them are precious metal models. He is used to wearing watches on his right hand when attending various public occasions, and his favorite is undoubtedly Swiss watches. According to the media's previous summary, the Swiss Blancpain Aqualung (Aqualung) limited edition watch is Putin's most frequently seen watch. At the same time, he also likes Patek Philippe very much and occasionally wears the IWC "Pilot's Watch Mark XVII". He has a Lange Tourbograph Perpetual "Pour Le Mérite", this platinum watch costs up to 500,000 euros, and he also has another platinum watch, the Patek Philippe 5208P-a watch with complex functions such as minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, and chronographs. This watch is even more valuable, at least more than one million Swiss francs. In addition to these cloud-level dream watches, Putin also has some more "familiar" watches. For example, he has also worn IWC's classic flight watch Mark 17. It seems that his love for watches does not necessarily have to be expensive or complicated. He should also have his own philosophy of collecting watches.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un - OMEGA, MOVADO
Kim Jong-un's clothing gives people a simple and plain impression, and his taste in choosing watches is also developing in the same direction. In the past, he was photographed wearing Omega's De Ville series watch. It is speculated that this watch is unlikely to be a watch that Kim Jong-un has just bought in recent years, because Switzerland issued a ban on the export of watches to mysterious communist countries like North Korea in 2016, so Omega watches should not be available in North Korea at present. In addition to Omega, Kim Jong-un also owns a watch from the brand MOVADO. The brand's simple design makes it establish its own style in the watch industry. The Modern 47 worn by Kim Jong-un looks neat, and the PVD rose gold used in the case gives it a unique sense of dignity. Perhaps this is also a key reason why Kim Jong-un chose this watch.
Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States (2021-2025)
From a personality perspective, Biden and Trump, who have experienced the 2020 presidential election, give people a very different feeling. On the one hand, Trump is very good at talking and performing, no less than an actor. Of course, this is related to his TV experience; on the other hand, Biden is very frugal with words, and even feels like falling asleep when debating with others. People who like to study constellations may say that these two people are two completely different constellations at first glance.
This is reflected in the watch, and some clues can also be seen. For example, Trump likes to wear a gold watch, while Biden is often seen wearing a stainless steel or silver watch. It can also be seen that one person is more flamboyant, while the other is more restrained.
Biden has been photographed wearing Omega Seamaster diving watches, such as this Omega Seamaster 210.30.42.20.03.001 watch. This watch is equipped with an automatic mechanical movement Cal.8800, and the movement is certified by the Swiss Observatory. The case and strap are made of stainless steel, with a date display and a relatively strong anti-magnetic function. The watch has a diameter of 42 mm and is waterproof for 300 meters. The reference price is 41,800 yuan (subject to actual price).
Compared with the gold Rolex or other gold watches, the relatively plain-colored Seamaster is indeed much more restrained and low-key.
Conclusion
Men's watches and women's bags are both beautiful and practical. Watches are the embodiment of showing off. As one of the few decorations for men, watches always get a good budget tilt. In addition, in luxury collections, the most popular are watches, jewelry and luxury cars. Among them, the rich believe that watches have the greatest potential for value preservation or even appreciation.
Of course, there are many differences between them, and watches are just a microcosm. However, the most magical thing about watches is that they can also reflect the wearer's personal taste, personal achievements, and even personality differences to a certain extent.
Which politician's watch do you like the most? Welcome to leave a comment in the comment section!
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