On the first Monday in May, the spotlight is on the Met Gala, the most important social event in the fashion world, an exclusive event attended by the most prominent celebrities from the worlds of music, film, sport, politics, technology and social media. Glamour, eccentricity, elegance and showbiz have been the main ingredients of the Met Gala since the very first edition, alongside the eagerly awaited dress code that arouses so much curiosity every year. Gorgeous dresses, jewellery and more: thanks partly to the theme of the 2024 Met Gala, celebrated on 6 May, watches are making a huge comeback.
The Met Gala tradition: what it is and why it is such an exclusive event
Milan Fashion Week wasn't the only fashion event to grab the spotlight in this first half of 2024. Over 7,000 kilometres away from Milan, the MET Gala showcased some of the most glamorous outfits and prestigious watches.
Known to most people as the Met Gala, the Costume Institute Gala is a fundraising event organised to benefit the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in conjunction with the opening of the museum's annual exhibition. The event has been organised since 1948 and has become firmly established in its current format since 2005.
The world's most authoritative fashion magazine, Vogue, is at the helm, with its long-standing editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as chairwoman of the event. Attendance at the gala is by invitation only: the highest-profile names and brands buy tickets, which they then assign - always with Anna Wintour's approval - to the chosen celebrities.
The exhibition and gala follow a specific theme every year, corresponding to a dress code that celebrities are invited to follow. Besides walking the red carpet, guests visit the exhibition, attend an exclusive cocktail reception and a formal dinner.
But the real stars of the Met Gala are the outfits, along with the most important names in fashion and accessories, who dress the guests with elegant and often eccentric designs, somewhere between fashion, art and provocation.
2024 Met Gala: this year’s theme is The Garden of Time
The theme of the 2024 Met Gala was The Garden of Time, suggested by the fabulous creations in the haute couture exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion", open until 2 September, and inspired by the beauty of nature and the fleetingness of time.
The celebrities paraded their outfits on the red carpet laid out on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum, following the theme that has references in J.G. Ballard's 1962 short story of the same name. Set in a wonderful garden, every night a count and countess had to cut a magical flower to stop the passing of time.
The theme of time was widely represented on the wrists of the guests, with an impressive parade of haute horlogerie pieces, from the great classics to more contemporary timepieces.
Not just clothes and jewellery: the Watch is becoming increasingly prominent at the Met Gala
Precious metals, diamonds and rare gems, archive pieces and new proposals shone as always on the red carpet at the Met Gala. Perfectly on theme, watches were the stars of the show, catching everyone's eye.
Some guests followed the dress code to the letter and someone even sported a briefcase complete with a big two-hand clock: in addition to this extravagant timepiece, NBA champion Ben Simmons also wore a Patek Philippe Aquanaut with a rainbow-coloured bezel set with gems.
Cartier graced the wrists of several celebrities: former basketball player Dwyane Wade wore a Santos de Cartier with a blue leather strap, pianist Jon Batiste wore an 18k gold Cartier Tank Normale, while actor Steven Yeun paired his all-black outfit with a Cartier Clash [Un]limited in yellow and purple gold.
Brooklyn Beckham, impeccable in total white Dior, wore a Piaget Polo 79 gold, a cult model among the young, while rapper Lil Nas X completed his look, also in white but with a more eccentric style, with a white gold Piaget, showcasing the versatility of the maison.
Chopard also caught attention at the 2024 Met Gala with actor and co-chair of the event Chris Hemsworth, a keen watch collector, who wore the Alpine Eagle, teaming it with a total white three-piece suit by Tom Ford.
Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård paired his custom tuxedo by Calvin Klein with Hublot's Classic Fusion Chronograph Titanium, creating a particularly elegant contrast.
Eyes were also on the wrist of British actor Damson Idris, who completed his double-breasted suit with an iconic gold Bulgari Bvlgari.
