Tom Ford — watch collection

About Tom Ford’s watch collection

Tom Ford is one of the most recognized figures in modern fashion and luxury. Born in Austin, Texas in 1961, he studied architecture at Parsons School of Design before pivoting to fashion — a decision that would reshape an entire industry. After working at Chloe and Perry Ellis, Ford joined Gucci in 1990, becoming Creative Director in 1994. Over the following decade, he transformed the near-bankrupt Italian house into one of the most commercially and critically dominant brands in luxury fashion, later extending that influence to Yves Saint Laurent following LVMH's acquisition. In 2004 he departed Gucci Group and launched his own eponymous label, Tom Ford, in 2005 — building a full luxury brand spanning menswear, womenswear, eyewear, and fragrance. Beyond fashion, he directed two feature films, A Single Man (2009) and Nocturnal Animals (2016), earning widespread critical recognition. In 2023 he sold the Tom Ford brand to the Estée Lauder Companies for approximately $2.8 billion.

The Tom Ford watch collection, as documented through photography and public appearances, leans toward the restrained end of the horological spectrum — which, given Ford's well-documented preference for disciplined, unornamented design, is hardly surprising. The one watch confirmed in our database is a stainless steel Rolex Submariner Date reference 16610, photographed during his Gucci years between 1994 and 2004. The ref. 16610 was introduced by Rolex in 1988 as a refinement of the earlier ref. 16800, incorporating a sapphire crystal in place of acrylic, a double-locking Triplock crown, and the in-house calibre 3135 automatic movement. It remained in production until 2010, when it was succeeded by the ref. 116610.

That Ford wore a Submariner Date — a tool watch with no outward flourish — during the period when he was simultaneously dressing Hollywood and redefining European luxury says something concrete about how he separates personal taste from professional spectacle. The Rolex is functional, well-engineered, and requires no explanation. It fits the wrist of a man who clearly understood the difference between dressing a brand and dressing himself.