Sir Jackie Stewart, racing driver and activist
The best memory I took home was a Rolex The Daytona watch they gave me when I won the Monte Carlo Grand Prix in 1971. It was very important to me. I still have it. The other was when I did well in Indianapolis in 1966. [Stewart had to retire from the lead with nine laps to go], and Texan John Mecom Jr, owner of the team I drove for, was so pleased with my position on the grid that he took me to Houston and bought me a solid gold Rolex Day-Date. I had never had anything like it in my life at that cost, it was crazy.
Tadao Ando, Pritzker Prize-winning architect
I have a collection of fountain pens, many of which I have received as gifts over the years. I don’t necessarily have that much interest in the act of collecting, but rather I like objects designed to be simple, robust, and that balance cost, aesthetics, and functionality. My favorite is a red Montblanc fountain pen designed by Marc Newson. An ingenious magnetic mechanism allows the pen logo and cap to align perfectly when closed. I also have what almost amounts to a collection of ice clocks in different colors. I rotate them depending on the day.
Martin Ephson, interiors entrepreneur
My personal style is my watch, a vintage Patek Philippe chronograph from 1954. I’ve been wearing it for about three years. It is executed with understated elegance. Patek Philippe It is a brand that I have always coveted. It evolved in a time when bling wasn’t even in the dictionary, and it’s a pleasure to know that it remains a family business to this day.
Jung Lee, founder of Fête NY
The last thing I bought and loved was an Hermès Apple Watch. I haven’t worn a watch in a long time, but since I was constantly losing my phone, this seemed like a good solution. I chose a classic tan strap that goes well with everything. Apple Watch Hermèsfrom £1,229
Mai Ikuzawa, creative director, consultant and designer
The last thing I bought and loved was a Bamford London Skater Snoopy watch, which has a custom black bracelet. I’ve been a big Snoopy fan since I was a kid and it’s great when your friend shares a Snoopy fetish. I’d love to do a Team Ikuzawa x Snoopy x Bamford product someday. Bamford Snoopy Clock£1,700
Mimi Xu, DJ
The best gift I’ve ever received is a vintage 1970s Rolex Oyster Perpetual from an ex-boyfriend. It’s a men’s watch, but it’s very much like me. It is robust, contemporary, minimalist; It’s like a piece of jewelry that I wear all the time.
Francis Mallmann, chef
The best gifts I have ever given were watches to each of my children when they turned 18. I bought my first one in 1981: a Cartier Santos Ronde – and that is with my eldest daughter who is now 42 years old. To my son Andino, who recently turned 18, I gave my old Hermès Arceau. I have to keep buying watches because I still have two more children.
Pierre Mahéo, founder of Officine Générale
I always wear a vintage watch: a 1979 Cartier Tank Chinoise, which is a pretty rare model.
Nicolas Gabard, founder of Husbands Paris
The last thing I bought and loved was a gold Cartier Tank from 1977, with hand-painted Roman numerals and a Paris dial. I searched for this watch for a long time and finally found it on a website called Leboncoin. The seller was an old man from the south of France who told me that he bought the watch in Paris in the 70s and used to wear it at Le Sept and Le Palace, which were the really fashionable places in those days. There I would see Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld. He wanted to make sure I was very careful with it.
Stefan Brüggemann, multidisciplinary artist
The gadget I couldn’t do without is my Apple Watch, which I use to track my sleep. I also play a lot of tennis, which tells me how I have performed physically.
Rita König, interior designer
One item I would never part with is my 1950s Cartier watch. I bought it for myself last year; I wasn’t necessarily looking for one, but I have a soft spot for watches and I had this gut feeling when I saw it. It has a leather strap with white stitching and I love the simple, round dial, which is quite unusual for a Cartier watch.
Becky Fatemi, real estate agent and founder of Rokstone
The signifiers of my personal style are accessories. I wear a lot of vintage Chanel, Bulgari and Cartier watches that belonged to my mother. When we left Iran in 1979, we left with nothing and the only thing my mother took with her was a small bag with her jewelry, including her watch and a diamond ring. I always knew if guests were coming when accessories came out, so for me it was all about accessories, ever since I was a little girl.
Jimmy Chin, climber and filmmaker
I recently added a Panerai Submersible Chrono Flyback watch to my wardrobe, which I helped design. Chrono flyback submersible watch, $19,100
Marie-Laure Cérède, Creative Director of Watches and Jewelry at Cartier
My personal style symbol is always my watch. I currently alternate between my Cartier Libre wristwatch and the Crash watch, a design I loved even before I joined the company. It is original and unique, a Cartier design par excellence. The Crash was inspired by a Cartier watch that had been crushed in an accident, and the Radieuse is an especially creative piece because we “crashed” it twice. I’m proud to wear it. Cartier Libre Bracelet£70,500; Cartier Crash watch£83,000
Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb
My personal style is a pair of Nike Space Hippies, a modern marvel of sneaker design. Along with my titanium Ressence watch, they are my everyday essentials.