Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Ralph Lauren spotted wearing Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren took his bow on the runway wearing jeans, a chambray shirt, and — characteristically — a watch from his own RL Stirrup collection. The sighting confirms what collectors have long suspected: Lauren's attachment to the Stirrup line is not merely commercial. For a designer of his stature to choose his own product over a Patek Philippe or a vintage Rolex speaks volumes about the genuine creative investment behind the collection.

The RL Stirrup was introduced in 2009 and remains one of the most architecturally distinctive pieces in American fashion-branded watchmaking. The case shape is a direct abstraction of a horse's stirrup — an arched, shield-like form in stainless steel that sits unusually low on the wrist for a dress watch. The example seen here shows the smaller reference, with a white lacquered dial, applied Roman numeral indices, cathedral-style hands, and the Ralph Lauren signature at 12 o'clock. The brown saddle leather strap with contrast white saddle stitching is a signature Stirrup detail, evoking traditional English equestrian leatherwork. Movement is a Swiss quartz caliber in this configuration.

The Stirrup collection was manufactured in partnership with Richemont's watchmaking infrastructure in Switzerland, giving it genuine Swiss Made credentials rather than the badge-engineering that plagues most fashion-house watches. Available references span small and large case sizes, quartz and automatic movements, steel and precious metal cases. The automatic variants use an ETA-based movement. Collector reception has been respectful precisely because Lauren refused to simply license a generic movement in a logo-stamped case.

Ralph Lauren's relationship with watches is well-documented — he maintains one of the most significant private collections of vintage automobiles and timepieces globally. That he chooses the Stirrup for a public appearance rather than something from his personal vault of vintage Rolexes or Pateks is a deliberate sartorial statement about American craft identity.

On the secondary market, the RL Stirrup in stainless steel trades modestly below retail, reflecting the broader discount applied to fashion-house watches regardless of genuine quality. For buyers seeking a genuinely unusual dress watch with legitimate Swiss manufacturing and strong design DNA, the Stirrup represents fair value — especially in the current market where architectural case shapes command growing collector interest.