Aldis Hodge is one of the most popular names in Hollywood. Many of us know him from the DC Movie Universe’s ‘Black Adam. Besides his wildly stylish red carpet photos and critically-acclaimed roles that made him famous: he is a painter, a violinist, and watch enthusiast. He is a self-taught horologist, and his unrelenting passion for the art eventually drew the attention of Audemars Piguet’s pioneering Swiss watchmakers. This self taught horologist is a fervent believer that success is the consequence of hard work, raw experience, and little wins. Understanding the need to maintain a delicate and faultless balance in life, he finds this concept brilliantly illustrated in Audemars Piguet’s exquisite and precise Swiss watchmaking. In the short film of Audemars Piguet, “The little wins of Aldis Hodge”, he was seen haunted with a pair of mismatched socks and sitting in a traffic jam . He defined the day by its silver linings harmonizing with the cacophonous symphony of New York.
The 33 years old actor already has many movies in his bag, including Black Adam, along with his co-star Dwayne Johnson. Fans know him for his other lead roles in Leverage and Showtime’s City on a Hill and movies such as One Night in Miami, Hidden Figures, and A Good Day to Die Hard. Time is a precious thing for him. And in his free time, his hobby is tinkering with watches. He’s not just any watch lover who’s collecting watches for fame. He is a horologist himself who one day wishes to launch his own horology brand named A. Hodge Atelier.
His undying passion for watches began when he was only 19, in his college life, at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. There he was given the task of drawing a wooden wristwatch, and that was it. He stated in a blog for a New York City watch magazine that he never imagined that he would even earn enough money to buy a nice house or a car. So he thought if he designed it by himself, he could build it easily. He further stated in the New York City watch magazine that, “Proper education – both scholastic and cultural – was the key. It was also my mother’s highest priority for us”. He added, “In my mind, designing movements was like developing a Tom Kundig house and building a 351 Cobra Jet engine inside of it. It seemed to make no sense yet, at the same time, made all the sense in the world.”
Aldis Hodge Watch Collection
1. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
Aldis Hodge’s dream was to design his watch brand. However, his craftsmanship, such a passion drew the attention of the Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet. And they let Hodge design his own watches. And now we get to see Hodge rocking a new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch. The watch, after all, is Hollywood’s favorite watch that has been spotted on the wrist of many celebrities, including John Mayer, Steph Curry, Travis Scott, Drake, Justin Bieber, and Will Smith.
The Royal Oak, a highly regarded Audemars Piguet design, was crafted around by renowned designer Gérald Genta and debuted in 1972. The Offshore series was introduced twenty years later, giving a more muscular and sportier rendition of the classic Royal Oak. Hodge’s watch has a self-winding 18-carat pink gold case that is accented by a sturdy black ceramic bezel. Its recognizable Audemars Piguet “Méga Tapisserie” dial is complemented by rhodium-toned counters and a delicate touch of pink gold. At its core is the Caliber 4401, an in-house integrated chronograph movement with a flyback function that ensures precise timekeeping and efficient performance. The user-friendly replaceable strap system adds to its attractiveness, allowing you to easily swap up the appearance. With a diameter of 43mm and a wooden cuff-style strap, this watch is the perfect balance of casual and classy.
- Released year: 1992
- Case size: 41mm
- Water resistance: 50m
- Strap: leather
- Price: 94,999USD
Each watch in this list is the inspiration for his future watch brand. His watches will be heavily influenced by these watch brands.
2. Arnold & Son Golden Wheel
Aldis Hodge bought this because of Sébastien Chaulmontet. It’s because of the work he has done with the watch that attracts Hodge to buy it. Hodge knows Sébastien well, and he respects his crafts and ambition. The watch features a golden wheel at the center of the dials.
- Released year: 1991
- Case size: 44mm
- Water resistance: 30m
- Strap: alligator skin
- Price: 47,500USD
3. Arnold & Son, Constant Force Tourbillon
This elegant piece of watch would look great with any sophisticated attire. Its 46mm diameter may appear overwhelming to some, but its slim design ensures it remains stylishly balanced. Those who enjoy delving into the inner workings of systems will be attracted by this skeletonized watch, losing track of time as they dive into its mesmerizing complexity. The presence of a constant force movement enables continuous energy delivery: once the energy in the first barrel runs out, the second barrel takes over, ensuring a consistent power supply. Furthermore, this outstanding timepiece has a sweeping tourbillon and a jumping seconds hand, adding to its mechanical attraction.
- Released year: NA
- Case size: 44mm
- Water resistance: 30m
- Strap: alligator skin
- Price: 217,430USD
4. Montblanc, Collection Villeret Tourbillon Cylindrique Geospheres Vasco da Gama
This timepiece is part of the prestigious Villeret series and is specifically engineered to handle two time zones at the same time. It pays homage to the great explorer Vasco da Gama. The watch features finely hand-painted Northern and Southern hemispheres, each displaying a separate time zone gracefully. The tourbillon, which is located beneath the characteristic braided bridge, lends a captivating touch to the clock. Montblanc’s tremendous success in the world of horology becomes clear, establishing itself alongside the industry’s acknowledged titans. When seeing this magnificent masterwork, its obvious charm becomes clear, leaving no doubt about why it stands out among the finest timepieces.
- Released year: 2015
- Case size: 47mm
- Water resistance: 30m
- Strap: Leather
- Price: 292,300USD
5. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
Aldis’ one of the earliest watches that he has bought. It’s the most classic watch in his entire collection. Although he doesn’t consider himself a watch collector but rather a student, this piece shows how classy and beautiful his collections are.
- Released year: NA
- Case size: 45.6mm
- Water resistance: 30m
- Strap: leather
- Price: 22,700USD
6. Bulgari Papillon by Daniel Roth
Another watch from his collection that he bought because of the watchmaker. Aldis bought Bulgari Papillon due to Daniel Roth. While working at Breguet, Roth was the first person to apply a serially produced tourbillon inside a Breguet watch. The watch features a jumping hour with two time zones. There’s a second-time zone right in the center.
- Released year: 2020
- Case size: 42mm
- Water resistance: 50m
- Strap: Alligator Leather
- Price: 50,000USD
7. Daniel Roth Tourbillon 8-Day
Aldis’ Bulgari Papillon was inspired by Roth. And so he wanted to have the original one. This is the second Bulgari watch on this list. The Bulgari Tourbillon Eight Day is the first timepiece that Aldis Hodge owned. He purchased it to study the tourbillon cage and the timing of it. The watch features a repetition of a balance wheel.
- Released year: 2002
- Case size: 41mm
- Water resistance: Yes
- Strap: alligator leather
- Price: 164,100USD
8. Gérald Genta Octo Bi-Retro
Aldis Hodge also bought Gérald Genta Octo Bi-Retro to show appreciation for the craftsmanship of Gérald Genta. The watch has Genta’s name written on it. It also features a jumping hour and retrograde on the minutes. It’s such a complex yet beautifully designed timepiece.
- Released year: 2004
- Case size: 39mm
- Water resistance: 10m
- Strap: leather
- Price: 38,650USD
9. Breguet Classique 7337
Breguet Classique 7337 is the first Breguet watch in Aldis Hodge’s collection. The watch has excellent guilloche work. Currently, he’s saving up every single chip that he can to make his watches. The watch features a moon-phase display.
- Released year: 2009
- Case size: 39mm
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
- Strap: crocodile skin
- Price: 32,950USD
10. Breguet, Tradition Chronograph Independent 7077
This fine timepiece is from a well-known brand, Breguet, founded in 1775 by the brilliant Abraham-Louis Breguet. He is known to invent the tourbillon and unquestionably deserves a place in the collection of any true horologist. The use of two balance wheels adds to the brilliance of this watch. While one operates continually, when the chrono feature is activated, a lighter counterpart comes into play, guaranteeing a balanced allocation of power and thus preserving optimal performance.
- Released year: 2015
- Case size: 44mm
- Water resistance: 30m
- Strap: leather
- Price: 67,159USD
11. Girard-Perregaux, Minute Repeater Tourbillon Golden Bridges
The appearance and functionality of the watch ooze elegance, making it an ideal accessory for any big event such as the Oscars or Golden Globes. It’s one of the finest watches in Aldis Hodge’s collection. Girard-Perregaux devotes great attention to every detail, as evidenced by the timepiece’s flawless finishing, polishing, and assembling. While it is a minute-repeater, it differs from the Zeitwerk in that it chimes the intervals of minutes that correspond to the four quarters of an hour.
- Released year: NA
- Case size: 45mm
- Water resistance: 30m
- Strap: Alligator Leather
- Price: 437,000 USD
12. Greubel Forsey
The watch features tourbillon glass on the back and is bent to highlight the hand-polished tourbillon bridge while remaining comfortable to wear. The enameled gold dial and precisely made indication needles are of exceptional quality, and the tourbillon dances brilliantly, completing a full rotation every 24 seconds. This timepiece’s craftsmanship is the pinnacle of purity in watchmaking expertise.
- Released year: NA
- Case size: 43mm
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
- Strap: Crocodile Skin
- Price: 179,950USD
13. Jaeger-LeCoultre, Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication
Jaeger-LeCoultre, Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication features a flying tourbillon, which gracefully orbits the zodiac constellations approximately every 23 hours and 56 minutes. This specific duration is referred to as a sidereal day and is determined by tracking the Earth’s position relative to a fixed star, not the sun. In contrast, standard 24-hour time is represented by a rotating sun in the watch. Each aspect of this watch, from its elegant rose gold case to the intricate minute-repeater complication, exudes excellence in craftsmanship and design.
- Released year: 2010
- Case size: 44mm
- Water resistance: 50m
- Strap: Leather
- Price: 375,000USD
14. +A. Lange & Sohne, Zeitwerk Minute Repeater
The last watch on this list is the watch from +A. Lange & Sohne. A decimal minute-repeater feature is included in the watch to enhance its brilliance. This remarkable watch releases a sequence of chimes when engaged at 7:52. It generates seven low tones to represent the hour and five high-low tones, and two high tones to represent the minutes. An intelligent system of checks and balances automatically disengages the minute-repeater when the power reserve reaches 12 hours to prevent excessive power consumption from the minute-repeater.
- Released year: 2013
- Case size: 44mm
- Water resistance: 30m
- Strap: Crocodile leather
- Price: 467,700USD
What watches Aldis Hodge’s own?
Of all watches in Aldis Hodge watch collection, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore is arguably his favorite watch. Making his watch for Black Adam was indeed a celebratory moment for the actor. His other watch collections are inspiring and will be the foundation for his future watch brand.
- Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
- Arnold & Son Golden Wheel
- Arnold & Son, Constant Force Tourbillon
- Montblanc, Collection Villeret Tourbillon Cylindrique Geospheres Vasco da Gama
- Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
- Bulgari Papillon by Daniel Roth
- Daniel Roth Tourbillon 8-Day
- Gérald Genta Octo Bi-Retro
- Breguet Classique 7337
- Breguet, Tradition Chronograph Independent 7077
- Girard-Perregaux, Minute Repeater Tourbillon Golden Bridges
- Greubel Forsey, Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision
- Jaeger-LeCoultre, Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication
- +A. Lange & Sohne, Zeitwerk Minute Repeater
From Writer
Aldis’s primary focus since his college classes days was to design his watch. His academic focus was on automotive and architectural work, but his mind drifted off toward horological design when he was amazed by the intricacies of watch movements. This was stated by him at Hodinkee magazine. At the age of 19, he designed his first timepiece, which was heavily influenced by his architectural training. It’s amazing to see all his profound achievements. And we all are waiting for the day when Aldis Hodge will finally launch his watch brand with his manufacturing partner.
