Watch Paparazzi

Singer Usher spotted wearing Purnell

Usher was recently photographed in a characteristically bold setting — surrounded by walls of currency — wearing one of the most technically extraordinary wristwatches in current production: the Purnell Escape II in forged carbon, limited to just three examples worldwide. The juxtaposition of the colorblock sweater, white frames, and this six-figure mechanical marvel says everything about Usher's relationship with considered, high-impact luxury.

Founded by Eric Loth and watchmaker Christophe Claret, Purnell launched with a singular obsession: push tourbillon mechanics beyond anything the Swiss establishment had attempted. The Escape II delivers on that promise through a patented differential gear system that drives two independent tourbillon cages in precisely opposite rotational directions. The result is a triple-axis tourbillon that completes its fastest axis rotation in just 8 seconds — a record that remains unchallenged. The 48mm forged carbon case, visually striking with its marbled grey texture, houses the fully skeletonized movement visible through the open dial, with gold-toned bridges and cages providing dramatic contrast against the dark architecture of the case.

The movement itself — Calibre P01 — is a hand-wound manufacture construction featuring approximately 60 hours of power reserve. The twin tourbillon cages sit at 6 o'clock in a configuration that dominates the dial visually and mechanically. The rubber strap with yellow crown accent reinforces the high-performance, almost motorsport-inspired aesthetic that Purnell consciously pursues.

For collectors, the Escape II occupies a rarefied position. With only three pieces in existence, secondary market appearances are essentially nonexistent — this is a watch that moves through private networks, not auction rooms. It sits alongside pieces from Richard Mille's Tourbillon RM 56 and Greubel Forsey's Quadruple Tourbillon in conversations about the outer boundary of horological engineering, yet Purnell's youth as a brand gives it an insurgent credibility that older maisons cannot replicate.

Usher's watch collection skews toward technically complex and visually commanding timepieces, and the Escape II is both. At a list price of $446,000 and with no grey market to speak of, owning one requires direct access. Usher, evidently, has it.