Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. SPOTTED – What’s On The Wrist Of Emmanuel Macron, The New French President? (Updated with new details)
Unless you spent the last few weeks alone in some North-Pole cave, with no access to the world, you probably know already that France has a new President by the name of Emmanuel Macron. We don’t deal with politics here, but as a watch magazine, the question of what type of watch Mister Macron wears quickly arose. Knowing the Frenchies and their usual “no external signs of wealth” policy, it has been quite difficult… but we persisted and have discovered what can be, sometimes at least, seen on the wrist of Emmanuel Macron.
Although seeing a President or a major politician wearing a luxury watch with a 10k+ price tag is a not an issue in many countries, such accessories on the wrist of a French public figure, and especially on the President’s wrist, is just impossible – previous President, Nicolas Sarkozy, attracted the wrath of his opponents and a few journalists because of his Rolex Daytona and his Patek perpetual calendar (a 3940g, given to him by his wife). It is part of French people’s relation to luxury and wealth – and as a French citizen, I know what I’m talking about.
Because of that, since he started his campaign for the Presidential election roughly a year ago, it has been impossible to find a single photo or interview of Emmanuel Macron with a watch strapped around his wrist – as we say, prevention is better than cure. However, knowing the previous position of Mister Macron as an investment banker and M&A specialist, it seemed quite unthinkable that there was not a single luxury watch in his possession.
Looking back at the archives, before 2016, there are some images of new French President Emmanuel Macron, at that time Minister of Economy, wearing a rectangular watch on leather strap, which appears to be an elegant Cartier Tank with small seconds – as has been reported in several French magazines.
EDIT: following a comment from one of our readers, it appears that the watch in question is not a Cartier Tank but a Longines Dolce Vita, a watch extremely close in design to the Cartier, but powered by a Quartz movement. Nothing fancy, with no reason to hide it during the campaign.
14 responses
Only stupidity can make that the president of a country like France cannot wear a EUR 6,500 watch (and more so, when there was a previous career in banking, which for sure provide him enough income to have such watch). Unfortunately your assessment is quite correct… 🙁
Sorry to correct you, but he wears a Longines Dolce Vita on the pictures you show.
Indeed, you are right… Apologies. Thank you for the well-spotted correction
How can you tell from the pictures that the watch is made of steel and not, say, white gold?!
As an American and a watch enthusiast I really don’t understand what the problems is being a politician and wearing a nice luxury watch. All these opinions on what’s right and what’s wrong and what you should or shouldn’t do is just absurd. A luxury watch is so beautiful, so elegant and so classy. To me it’s a representation of good taste, class and professionalism when I see it. I personally not only like it, but incourage a high profile figure to accommodate a suite with a respected luxury watch.
When lies and deception so common among politicians extends to their wristwatch it becomes beyond absurd and downright stupid. But politicians cater to the people who vote for them – enough said.
Yes, the politics of envy, combined with media desperate for a story, can certainly limit a politician’s choice of watch! I bet that their suits/ties/shirts and shoes are where they can spend rather more freely – hacks tend not to notice such luxuries.
Bill Clinton wore a Timex Iron Man digital watch. Tacky. Tacky. Tacky.
Macron wore a less than $500 suit and his wife had a borrowed dress at his inauguration. He made a thing about not spending money wearing expensive stuff. He’ll not upgrade his watch, if anything he’ll probably downgrade.
I agree with everyone’s comments. I think it’s just so sad that something so gorgeous like a watch that’s all about timelessness, aesthetics, great engineering and craftsmanship should be caught up in all the nasty politics. Politics should never extend to a mans wrist watch, it’s not about that and it’s not made for that. We can’t keep even a beautiful wrist watch out of politics these days, it’s just sad. Cheers to all my fellow watch enthusiasts out there!!!! 👋
I meant to say “shouldn’t be caught up in nasty politician” my apology for the typo
The watch on the wrist of Presidents of wealthy nations should not really trouble us; but when you see an AP on the wrist of a country known for poverty and corruption, then perspective changes.
Why is it not ok for a French states-person to wear luxury timepieces? Because Breguet is the essence of the French aristocracy that they sing about in that lovely anthem of theirs
@bigcookie101 – it is a state of mind. (I’m French so I know about that…) Wealth isn’t really something people like to expose in France… and for the President, somebody who’s elected to represent the French people, it really isn’t possible to have external signs of wealth…