Ed Sheeran & His Watches – A Fiery Tale

Ed Sheeran’s musical success has been incredible to witness. With his most recent album, ÷ Divide, he has managed to take up 16 positions of the UK’s top 20 charts, something so impactful that in response the singles charts rules have been revamped to only allowing three songs of an artist in the top 100. Whether you like his music or not, watch nerds like myself have found a special place in their heart for Sheeran. Whenever I see a picture of him I spot him wearing a timepiece and my oh my what a timepiece it usually is!

Patek Philippe:

Patek Philippe is a common choice among the rich and famous, prominent owners including the Dalai Lama, both Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth, or Vladimir Putin. And that for good reason, as after all they make without a doubt some of the best watches in the world. Beyond blindly following brand names though Sheeran has demonstrated excellent taste not just in his music, as he has curated and amassed a collection which would put in awe even the most seasoned of collectors.

Among his collection is the both new and controversial Patek 5524G Calatrava Pilot. While its design took inspiration from early pilot watches sourced from the rich tradition of the Genevan watch brand, its design was unlike most other Patek’s we know today. What’s more his version is signed by Tiffany, making it exponentially rarer!

Sheeran also has a heart for the classics of Patek. He purchased a Patek Nautilus, more specifically a ref. 5726A Annual Calender, a celebrity favourite as names like Charlie Sheen, Brad Pitt, and Kevin Hart have demonstrated. Sheeran is the living proof that a Patek makes any wrist look great, not just that of old men in grey suits.

Richard Mille:

Ed Sheeran can do more though than simply buying what’s popular and safe. He has proven to be a great fan of Richard Mille, that divisive Swiss watch brand which seems to be putting the whole industry on its head.

One of his most famous watch of the super exclusive brand is his RM 030. Already a breathtaking watch mechanically speaking with his signature declutchable rotor, his model is a limited blacked-out edition with red accents which greatly compliments his hairstyle.

More and more people owning now a Richard Mille, Sheeran played a trump card at the recent 2017 MTV Video Music Awards where he demonstrated just how committed he is to his watch passion. As Sheeran received this year’s Artist of the year award he was seen sporting a RM 38-01 Tourbillon G-Sensor Bubba Watson White Quartz. This cemented his position among other A-list celebrities who wear Richard Mille timepieces like Kanye West or Neymar.

Rolex, Hublot, and Audemars Piguet:

Only a few years into collecting Ed Sheeran already has a very impressive array of timepieces. While very balanced and diverse, there are some patterns though to his taste in horology beyond simply brands he prefers. Like with his limited edition Richard Mille RM 030, the colour red seems to take a prominent role in his styling. He was seen wearing a Rose Gold Hublot Big Bang Chronograph

Another interesting trend to his collection is the prevalence of the colour red. Befitting his iconic fire red head, a lot of his timepieces complement it. Either through the use of rose gold in the metal like with his Hublot Big Bang Rose Gold Chronograph or through red accents in the design, like with his Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Volcano, Sheeran has found a unique style for himself.

Sheeran’s collection is impressive. Not just for the fact that his watches are individually impressive, but much more interestingly for how they interplay and the themes explore relating to him as a person. Growing up around expressive people, which his parents running an art consultancy form from 1990 to 2010, artistic expression has clearly influenced him beyond his music. We are excited to see where both he and his watch collection will go in the future!

Recent Sightings

In late 2017, Ed Sheeran received an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for his services to the UK music industry. Fantastic and well-deserved recognition for his success.

But, as watch lovers, we were more interested in what was on his wrist…

The Patek Philippe Reference 5130R. A great choice for such an occasion. A 2006 release, that is arguably the most elegant world timer ever created. The wearer being able to tell the time in an impressive 24 timezones. It is no longer being produced, replaced by its successor the ref. 5230.

We’ll be keeping an eye out as Ed adds more timepieces to his collection!