Watches Spotted on the Court at the 2026 Roland Garros

This was the most serious watch at the entire tournament, and it sat on the wrist of a Grand Slam champion. The Vanguart Orb is the work of an independent Swiss outfit founded in part by two former Audemars Piguet watchmakers, and its party piece is a levitating flying tourbillon paired with a crown that lets the wearer switch between manual and automatic winding. Rybakina wore the rose gold execution on a soft blue rubber strap, a combination that reads far more discreet than the wild architecture going on underneath the sapphire. With production capped at a handful of pieces, this is the kind of watch most collectors will never see in person, let alone courtside in a press conference.

There is no more personal watch in tennis right now. The Big Bang Tourbillon Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition is a flying tourbillon whose case composite is made in part from Djokovic's own match shirts and racquets, and the screws on the bezel are shaped like tennis balls. The collection is numbered to his career wins by surface, with the clay court orange variant produced in just 21 examples to match his Roland Garros era of dominance. Spotted on a Paris bridge during the tournament, this is the rare athlete signature watch that actually means something to the athlete wearing it.

Donna Vekic showed the most quietly sophisticated taste in the stands. The FP Journe Elegante is a clever piece, an electromechanical movement that sleeps when it is off the wrist and wakes when you pick it back up, which makes it one of the few watches at this level you can actually leave in a drawer. The tonneau case in titanium with a diamond bezel is dressy without being flashy, and the burgundy strap nods to the famous Roland Garros clay. FP Journe remains a connoisseur's brand, so seeing one courtside signals real watch knowledge rather than a sponsorship handout.

Elina Svitolina paired one of the most desirable small Royal Oaks with a serious diamond on the other hand. This is the frosted white gold Royal Oak, finished using the Florentine hammering technique developed with jewelry designer Carolina Bucci, which gives the case a sparkle without a single set stone. The smaller case wears beautifully and has become a quiet status piece among collectors who already own the 41mm. I

French handball legend Nikola Karabatic brought one of the cleanest looks in the stands. The Royal Oak Chronograph in white gold with the blue Grande Tapisserie dial is a perfect example of a sports watch that hides its value, since most people assume any steel-toned Royal Oak is steel until they learn the case is solid white gold. The 38mm chronograph is among the most balanced in the lineup, and the deep blue dial photographs beautifully under the Paris afternoon light. It is a connoisseur's pick, expensive in a way only other collectors will clock.

French pop star Matt Pokora kept it sporty with the steel Aquanaut, the more rugged cousin of the Nautilus and a watch that trades constantly above retail on the secondary market. The 5167A pairs an embossed black dial with the signature tropical composite strap, making it one of the few Patek references that genuinely suits an active lifestyle. It has quietly become a favorite of musicians and athletes who want Patek prestige without the Nautilus waiting list theatrics. To see how it fits in the wider family, our Patek Philippe Nautilus resource breaks down the lineup.

World number one Jannik Sinner went for the watch that defines modern Rolex desirability. The current generation Daytona 126515LN in Everose gold rides on the sporty Oysterflex strap and carries the upgraded caliber 4131 movement with the see-through caseback introduced in the 2023 refresh. The warm sundust dial against black sub-dials is one of the most photogenic combinations Rolex makes, and demand keeps it well above retail. The Daytona is the closest thing watches have to a universal trophy, so it is fitting on the wrist of the player who keeps collecting actual ones. Explore the full range on our Rolex Daytona collection page.

Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng wore the most jewelry-forward Rolex of the tournament. This Datejust 31 in solid yellow gold combines a diamond-set bezel with a striking red ombre diamond dial, a configuration that turns a classic everyday Rolex into something closer to fine jewelry. The 31mm case is the sweet spot for the model, substantial enough to show off the dial but still elegant. It is proof that a Datejust, properly specified, can hold its own next to far more complicated watches.

Crowd favorite Gael Monfils made one of the most refined choices of the event with the Golden Ellipse. Based on the golden ratio and first released back in 1968, the Ellipse is Patek's quiet dress watch, an ultra-thin oval in rose gold with a deep ebony sunburst dial and no clutter at all. It is the kind of piece that signals taste over hype, since it never trended and never will, which is exactly the point. On a player known for his showmanship, the understated Ellipse is a genuinely surprising and very cool pick.

Karen Khachanov went the independent route with a Cvstos Challenge, a personalized edition tied to his own name. Cvstos is a Geneva brand known for aggressive tonneau cases, forged carbon, and an openworked sport aesthetic that sits in the same world as Richard Mille but at a fraction of the price. The carbon case with a deep red fabric strap is exactly the kind of statement watch you would expect from a power baseliner. It is a reminder that the watch scene at the top of tennis has moved well beyond just the big Swiss names.

Alex de Minaur wore arguably the most on-theme watch of the whole tournament. The Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis takes the brand's distinctive asymmetric case and dresses it in a tennis-ball neon yellow dial and strap, a literal nod to the sport. Gerald Charles was founded by the legendary designer Gerald Genta, the man behind both the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, so the unusual silhouette carries serious horological pedigree. Bright, modern, and unmistakable on camera, it was built for exactly this moment.

Coco Gauff proved you do not need a six-figure watch to have great taste. The Oyster Perpetual is the purest entry into the Rolex catalog, no date, no complications, just the brand's bulletproof movement in a clean steel case. Her example carries the discontinued red grape dial, a quietly collectible color that gives an otherwise simple watch real personality. As a longtime Rolex ambassador, Gauff wearing the most attainable model in the lineup is a smart, relatable look rather than a flex.

French TV host Paul de Saint-Sernin rounded out the courtside crowd with the Hublot Classic Fusion in titanium. This is Hublot at its most restrained, a slim titanium case with a matte black dial that swaps the brand's usual loud Big Bang energy for something genuinely wearable every day. The 42mm size and rubber strap make it an easy grab-and-go piece, and titanium keeps it light on the wrist. For a first serious Hublot, the Classic Fusion is the sensible and very wearable choice.