Michael Jordan, six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, is considered by many to be the greatest player that NBA history, and basketball, has ever had. Now retired, Michael now owns the Charlotte Hornets basketball team and remains a formidable ambassador for many brands.
Just recently, he made news again for The Last Dance, a documentary series that chronicles the rise of Michael and the 1990s Chicago Bulls. Featuring never before seen footage, with particular focus on Jordan’s final season, it brought up the Jordan fever once more.
Of course, greatest basketball player of all time has access to a large variety of watches! He has been spotted with classics from Rolex and IWC to more avant-garde watches like Richard Mille and Urwerk.
Here are our favorites from His Royal Airness’ watch collection:
The Sky-Dweller is Rolex’s most complicated watch, rivalled only by the Yacht-Master II. The sophisticated timepiece is a combination of two complications – a dual time or GMT function and an annual calendar – and is set using the proprietary Ring Command Bezel.
It was initially created only in gold, but in 2017, Rolex introduced two Rolesor versions (steel with white or yellow gold). This stainless steel and white gold version comes with a blue dial, instantly making the high horology watch more accessible and versatile.
His Royal Airness owns both the blue and black dial versions of the white Rolesor Sky-Dweller. His blue dial version comes with the original Oyster bracelet, while his black dial watch comes with the Jubilee bracelet, which made its first appearance in the Sky-Dweller line in 2020. Photo from GQ Magazine on Twitter
The Rolex GMT-Master II is Rolex’s flagship pilot watch; and one of the most coveted tool watches ever. This GMT-Master II ref 116718 combines the traditional strengths of the GMT Master with some modern updates: a 24-hour black Cerachrom ceramic bezel, a Maxi dial, plus a standout dial in Rolex’s signature green, to commemorate the GMT Master’s 50th anniversary.
<>
<>
Michael has several IWC Big Pilot‘s Watch models in his collection. He’s seen here receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Barack Obama, with a platinum, blue dial IWC Big Pilot’s Watch on his wrist. Photo from IWC, Video from NBA on YouTube
He also owns a red gold Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar, a limited edition of 250 pieces, and part of the brand’s tribute to Antoine De Saint Exupéry. (Photo from IWC, Video from Bally Sports South)
Panerai Luminor 1950
Earlier in his career, Michael also wore Panerai watches. The Italian brand is known for its large cushion shaped watches and signature semi-circular crown protector. Michael’s Panerai Luminor 1950 has a matte black dial and inside are copper indices and Arabic numerals, filled with lume to ensure accurate reading time, even in dim-lit hours.
Rolex President Day-Date
Known as “The President’s Watch”, the Rolex Day-Date has highly recognizable features: the day window at 12 o’clock and the three-link President bracelet. Worn in classic 18k yellow gold, the Day-Date has high-impact wrist presence.
Michael’s choice though is a more subdued platinum diamond model. While made from the noblest of metals and embellished with Rolex factory diamonds, the monochromatic color makes this watch easy on the eye.
<>
Michael also wears the 50th Anniversary edition of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. The commemorative timepiece featured a lot of firsts for the Daytona: a case made entirely of 950 platinum, a chestnut brown Cerachrom bezel and an ice blue dial previously reserved only for platinum models of the Rolex Day-Date. (watch photo: Rolex)
