Watch Paparazzi

Singer Robin Thicke spotted wearing Harry Winston

Robin Thicke made his wrist the most technically interesting accessory on the Grammy Awards red carpet when he stepped out wearing the Harry Winston Project Z9, reference OCEACH44ZZ004. Photographed against the event's signature backdrop, Thicke's choice of a skeletonized flying-tourbillon sport watch alongside a formal black three-piece suit speaks to a collector sensibility that prioritizes mechanical substance over conventional red-carpet dressing.

The Harry Winston Project Z9 OCEACH44ZZ004 sits at the apex of the Ocean Sport collection. Its 44mm case is fashioned from zalium, a proprietary zirconium-aluminum alloy developed exclusively by Harry Winston that offers titanium-grade lightness — approximately 40% lighter than stainless steel — with superior scratch resistance. The open-worked dial reveals the brand's in-house caliber HW2202, a manual-winding movement featuring a flying tourbillon at 6 o'clock and a power reserve indicator rendered in Harry Winston's signature red lacquer. The biaxial blue-anodized aluminum chapter ring architecture and hand-finished bridges give the dial a distinctly architectural, almost industrial character that is immediately recognizable.

From a collector standpoint, the Project Z series occupies a compelling niche: haute horlogerie complication watches built in a genuine sport idiom rather than the lifestyle-sport positioning common among Swiss luxury houses. Production numbers are deliberately limited, and the zalium case material remains rare enough that most watch enthusiasts have never handled one. The flying tourbillon execution — without a traditional cock or bridge overhead — demands exceptional movement finishing and tight tolerances, elevating the Z9 well above mere aesthetic exercise.

Thicke's taste in watches has consistently leaned toward the bold and unconventional. Selecting the Harry Winston Project Z9 for the Grammy Awards, arguably music's most visible red carpet, demonstrates a collector who understands the piece's technical pedigree rather than simply its visual impact. The watch communicates to those who know, while remaining distinctive enough to register on camera.

At UK retail of approximately £16,500 (roughly $21,000 USD at period exchange rates), the Project Z9 sits in competitive territory against Richard Mille entry references and Hublot's tourbillon offerings. On the secondary market, zalium-cased Harry Winston sport complications have held value steadily, supported by the brand's limited production discipline and the genuine scarcity of the zalium alloy. Pieces like the Z9 represent Harry Winston's most credible argument for inclusion in serious sport-complication collections.