Love it or Hate it, "Double Wristing" is Here To Stay
What is “Double-Wristing?”
They say two heads are better than one, but what about two watches? What do you do when you have both an incredible Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and a Rolex Daytona and can’t decide which one to wear?
Simple. If you’re anything like this eclectic group of celebrity watch lovers you know exactly what to do. You’ll wear both - at the same time.
Since what seems like the beginning of time (or at least the beginning of timepieces), hardcore watch enthusiasts have been engaging in the highly polarizing practice of “double wristing.”
The practice of “double-wristing” is pretty self-explanatory, and refers to a watch owner wearing multiple timepieces at one time. This could be two watches on one wrist, or a watch on each wrist. Whether you love it or hate it, this fashion trend is alive and well and continues to turn heads.
(Image source)
While doing press for Avengers: Endgame and The Kid, Chris Pratt was seen double-wristing it on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
The Bold Trail-Blazers of Double-Wristing
Princess Diana, Chris Pratt, Justin Beiber, and Billie Eilish are just a few examples of celebs who love to flaunt the double wrist action. There are even rare vintage photographs of Fidel Castro wearing 2 Rolexes on the same wrist at the same time!
Hollywood elite actors like Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp, as well as music and fashion moguls like Drake, Kanye, Travis Scott, and Tyga have all been seen pushing boundaries with this watch trend time and time again (pun intended).
Princess Diana is one famous double-wrister who wore two watches in the 1980’s to Prince Charles’s Polo match and unintentionally set the trend alive yet again. When asked about the double-wristing in press meetings, she said one watch was hers and one was Charles’s. She wore his as a good luck charm. What a sweet sentiment!
In the image above you can see the infamous Fidel Castro smoking a Cuban cigar and wearing two Rolex watches in the Kremlin while he chats with Khrushchev, in front of a Karl Marx picture. According to Rare Historical Photos, “ Fidel Castro was often spotted wearing two Rolexes at the same time – one of them a GMT, the other one a Submariner. In total the watches gave Castro a three time zone overview by a glance on his wrist. They have been set for Havana, Washington and Moscow time.”
While Jimmy Kimmel didn’t ask Chris Pratt on the air why he was wearing two watches, watch enthusiasts around the world took notice of his bold double-wristing move.
It appears he is wearing two robust Cartier watches. On his right wrist looks like a Calibre de Cartier Chronograph and on the left a Calibre de Cartier Diver, both in stainless steel and on leather and rubber straps. Chris Pratt is known for having several luxury watches ranging from Cartier to Panerai to Rolex.
Which Camp Are You?
In the world of double-wristers there seem to be two main camps: the two watches on one wrist camp (Diana and Castro), and the one watch on each wrist camp (Pratt).
While two watches on one wrist admittedly seems more “natural” and comfortable of a style, it makes many cringe to think of such luxury expensive timepieces scratching up against each other like that. Alternatively the one watch on each wrist style often leaves onlookers scratching their heads and wondering why this would ever be necessary.
Whether it’s two luxury watches, or one luxury watch and one smart watch, double-wristing is a trend that continues to show up in pop culture, and seems to be here to stay.
Music Moguls Who Love to Double Down on Bling
Let’s take a look at some more famous “double wristers” who aren’t afraid to embrace this unique fashion statement. Up next we have 5-time Grammy Award winner Billie Eilish, who happens to dabble in BOTH camps--the one watch on each wrist, and the two on one wrist. Let’s take a look.
Here 17 year old Grammy Award Winner, Billie Eilish is seen double-wristing, with what looks to be the same watch on each wrist. Already a huge trendsetter and popular Gen-Z pop icon, it’s super refreshing to see her wearing an actual wristwatch in 2020. We love that she’s young but knows the value and stature of wearing a nice watch (or two!). Maybe there’s hope for the future generations, eh?
Never one to shy away from controversy, Billie Eilish also debuted her contribution to the two watches on one wrist style, with the added bonus of a watch on her finger as well. All we can say is this music mogul has no excuse to ever be late for anything. If Billie continues setting trends in this way, we may see more young Gen-Z’s investing in luxury watches and building up their collections. We love to see it.
Famous rapper and friend of the Kardashian-Jenner family, Travis Scott loves to double-wrist and show off his luxury watches that are dripping in diamonds. Here he is wearing an 18 karat Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked and a totally iced-out Rolex. Excessive or iconic? That’s up to you to decide.
The double-wristing look is not new to the music world. This look has been making its way into hip-hop circles for years, with Drake double-wristing Rolexes in his video for "The Motto," from 2012, and both Tyga and Gucci Mane experimenting with the look over the last few years as well.
The Double-Wristers Among Us
With the advent of the smart watch, many watch enthusiasts find themselves torn between the digital functionality of their Apple watch, and the timeless beauty and craftsmanship of their luxury watches. Perhaps inspired by these celebrities, many everyday watch enthusiasts opt to double-wrist in this way.
Wearing a smartwatch on one wrist and a luxury watch on the other gives you the benefit of accessing both passions at the same time. Afterall two is better than one!
Double-wristing in this way, is a great option for those techies who love to stay connected digitally, but can't quite give up their Rolexes.
Is Double-Wristing Taboo or Daringly Genius?
Despite the fact that both old-world, well-established celebrities and modern pop-culture stars both engage in double-wristing, its appeal is very polarizing to the general population. Some call it showy or garish, while others feel it’s daring and fashion-forward. It certainly feels taboo--but why?
Hodinkee writer, Jack Forster, a self-proclaimed double-wrister wrote, “It can actually feel a bit transgressive; you are not just doing something you are not used to, you are actually violating some taboo of which you were not previously aware, because there had never been any particular reason to violate it before.”
Double-wristing does seem to be an unusual taboo-esque style that continues to fill the consciousness of many types of watch-wearers around the world. It’s a daring and bold fashion decision that certainly makes a statement.
If young stars like Justin Beiber, Billie Eilish, and Travis Scott continue to rock the double-writing look, we might start to see even more stars follow suit.
For the Love of Double-Wristing
Luxury watches in general are conversation starters, and wearing two watches at once is most certainly going to stir up dialogue in your everyday life. When a stranger comes up to you and asks why you have two watches, you can take that moment to discuss your love and passion for watches, something that is surely to connect you both.
You were meant to stand out, so why not do it by double-wristing?
A double-wrister rocking two Rolex Submariners on green and black Everest Bands.
At Everest we strongly believe that you should do what makes you happy. Helping you customize and love the look of your watch certainly makes us happy. The joy of seeing your Rolex, Panerai, or Tudor breathe new life is what we are all about.
Whether you dare to double-wrist it, or just love changing your watch strap to make a statement, Everest supports originality and creativity in all forms. Be unapologetically you, be bold, and as always, continue to love watches.
Header (Image source)
Leave a comment