Music has evolved pretty much in the last few decades, and Tyler, the Creator, has made a unique name for himself in the field. He has challenged conventional music and redefined creativity. Born Tyler Gregory Okonma on March 6, 1991, this multi-talented artist from Los Angeles has left an indelible mark on the hip-hop and alternative music scenes. As a rapper, producer, designer, and director, Tyler’s career is a witness to his incredible creativity and refusal to stick to the old-school music norms.
From his early days as a founding member of the rap collective Odd Future to his solo breakthrough with the critically acclaimed album “Goblin” in 2011, Tyler, the Creator, has continually pushed artistic boundaries. Beyond the world of music, Tyler’s impact extends to fashion beyond the world of music, where his high-end luxurious Watch Collection has reflected his distinctive style and created some murmurs among global fashion enthusiasts.
What sets Tyler’s Watch Collection apart is how it is done, instead of timepieces that have a history, have been created to perfection, and have been owned by just a handful. Just like his taste in music, Tyler hasn’t stuck to traditional old-school watches but has chosen the rarest of jewels to adorn his wrist. Read further to learn about the watch taste of Tyler and the iconic timepieces that are a part of his watch collection.
Tyler’s Watch Collection
1. Tank Louis Cartier
The Tank is a line of watches that was created by Louis Cartier in 1917. The line was inspired by the new Renault tanks which Cartier saw being used on the Western Front. Cartier’s Tank was the first watch to blend aesthetics with mechanical inspiration. The entire tank collection reflects this- a powerful vision and a lengthy design process. Among the famous personalities that were spotted with this Watch, one iconic is that of Princess Diana. She was the first person to wear this Cartier watch during the 1980s.
The Watch looks simple yet boasts incredible craftsmanship. Tyler’s choice of this Watch shows that even he craves simplicity at times. The Tank Louis Cartier features a date complication at 3 o’clock. The dial has instantly recognizable Cartier Roman numerals and blue hands that are separated by a railroad minute track. The case is yellow gold, and it gives an overall royal yet simple touch to the Watch.
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Case Dimensions: (33.7 x 25.5)mm, 6.6 mm thick
- Release Date: 1922
- Price: 11,500$
2. Cartier Petite Cylinder
We have seen watches of all shapes- oval, square, rectangular-cased, octagonal, and rhomboidal. But here is Cartier with yet another unique creation- the Cylindre. Featuring a stainless steel case, a dial-in a cylindrical shape with stirrup lugs to hold on tight a leather strap and curved solid glass, this watch has been regarded as one of the most innovative creations of Cartier. The Cartier signature is only at the noon position and thus is indeed a distinctive timepiece in Tyler’s Watch Collection.
Measuring 15mm x 33mm, this Watch is a wonderful testament to expert craftsmanship. Tyler’s choice of this watch shows how much he is inclined towards the firsts-of-everything and out-of-the-box timepieces.
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Case Dimensions: 15mmx33mm
- Release Date: 1950’s
- Price: Available on auction
3. Cartier Tank Obus
Another unique timepiece in the Tank line of Cartier’s watches in the Obus. Released in 1929, the Tank Obus is known for its unusual shape. Unlike other watches in the Tank line, the Obus is not rectangular but square-shaped- something that has intrigued a lot of Watch collectors. That’s not all. The most distinctive feature of this watch is the shape of the lugs. They look like tiny bullets that have been fixed to the ends of the case.
With the unique shape of the case and the lugs, the Obus is not a regular Watch in Cartier’s Tank line. Moreover, it looks as if every element of the watch has been crafted with expert care and attention. The numerals haven’t been printed on the watch, but the bezel has been widened to include the classic Cartier Roman numerals. The dial is tiny, with two small blued hands and the Cartier Paris script. The Tank Obus has been dated as far back as 1929 and is a prized possession in Tyler’s Watch Collection.
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Case Diameter: 25mm
- Release Date: 1929
- Price: From 6,240$
4. Cartier Crash
The history of the watch in Tyler’s wrist, the Cartier Crash is quite interesting, as many say. The watch first appeared at Cartier London during the “Swinging Sixties” — a youth-driven counter-cultural movement that gave birth to and drove modernism and anti-establishment trends. While Cartier was known for the conventional square-shaped watches, the Cartier Crush stood unique among the rest.
Known for its mainstream popularity, the Watch has been spotted by Kanye West, too.
Tyler has often been spotted wearing this unique timepiece in and out of the pool and while cycling. As he puts it, he enjoys everything he spends his money on.
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Case Size – 38.45 x 25.50mm
- Release Date: 1967
- Price: From 1,37,500$
5. Tank Must de Cartier
Another masterpiece in the Tank Collection of Cartier is the Tank Must de Cartier. What makes the watch unique are the Arabic numerals, a vermeil case, meaning a 925 silver base with solid gold plating, and the two hands, which are powered by a quartz movement.
Tyler has been spotted pairing the Tank Must de Cartier with a loud green Croc strap. Does it make it look less classy? No, only more stylish. Often, Tyler has been seen flaunting his watches while cycling, swimming, and sweating it out. It works every time!
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Case Size – 33.7 mm x 25.5 mm x 6.6 mm.
- Release Date: 2021
- Price: From 3,450$
6. Cartier Baignoire
The Cartier Baignoire was the first oval timepiece from the house of Cartier, and the early version of this watch appeared in 1912. However, it took a lot of time, until 1958, for this watch to evolve and attain the contoured shape and proportions that can be seen in the modern model. Ultimately, in 1973, it was named the Baignoire.
The Baignoire has been released in several variations- the Baignoire Allongée, an elongated oval with mechanical movement; medium-sized editions with an integrated gold bracelet design; and models with diamond dials and diamonds around the bezel.
While every version of the Cartier Baignoire is unique and flawless, the piece that is owned by Tyler’s piece is unique and makes it stand apart from the rest. Why is that? If one would closely observe the Watch, just hidden below the pinion, in a subtle script is a text denoting “London”. A rare piece in the Watch collection indeed!
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Case Size – Varies with model
- Release Date: 1973
- Price: From 6,900$
7. Santos Dumont Cartier
The Santos watch was developed by Louis Cartier in 1904 to help aviators tell time mid-flight. This can be labeled as the pioneering wristwatch that later went on to become an iconic piece. What makes the Watch special is the geometric dial, precisely curved horns, and the protruding signature screws.
The Santos Dumont is the simpler and more “regular” timepiece in Tyler’s Watch Collection. He has been seen wearing it with a bright pink leather strap. Featuring an 18k yellow gold case and powered by a quartz movement, this timepiece belongs to the early 90s, and Tyler seems to attach his fashion statement to it.
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Case Size – 43.5 mm x 31.4 mm
- Release Date: 1904
- Price: From 4,200
8. Cartier Baguette
Cartier has created many original fine watches for decades, and the brand is never out of style. The most groundbreaking specimen amongst Cartier watches is the Baguette, which is rarely seen in auctions for watches globally. It’s a rare piece! The watch has a huge solid yellow gold case, a rectangular case with a reeded bezel, an anti-magnetic protecting cap, and a concealed dial, which can be seen only after opening the sliding window, Arabic numerals, and a lot more.
It’s no surprise that Tyler has chosen this watch as a part of his collection. It says a lot about his identity- how he likes to be one among a million.
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
- Case Diameter- 38.8mm
- Release Date:
- Price: From 85,000$
9. Cartier Coulissant
The Cartier Coulissant is as precious as fine jewelry. The watch features a sliding piece of yellow gold that covers the dial. The watch has been inspired by Art Deco in the louvered concerning its design and also the alternating round and rectangular indices in the watch. The watch uses a LeCoultre Duoplan movement, a unique type of movement that is enabled by a horizontal crown located on the case back.
While the watch is all about royalty, Tyler, too, has decided to pair it with something royal- a blue strap. It seems perfect that on his wrist!
- Water Resistance: 30 meters
- Case Size- 18 x 25 mm
- Release Date: 1946
- Price: Available on auction
10. Bulova Accutron Spaceview
The Accutron watches from 1960 have a load of history attached to them. The first Accutron watches utilized the mechanism of a small tuning fork to drive vibratory precision. Built with robust mechanisms, the Accutron watches have been regarded as the world’s first successful fully electronic watches and the world’s most accurate at the time.
While the first editions of the watch had flat dials, considering how people wanted to see the inside of this groundbreaking timepiece, the open-worked Accutron Spaceview timepieces were born. These watches were also a part of the U.S.’s own space program.
The Bulova Accutron Spaceview is an iconic timepiece that revolutionized the watchmaking industry. Tyler’s collection that includes this timepiece is testimony to the fact that he is inclined to stand apart from the crowd.
- Water Resistance: 50 meters
- Case Size- 43.5 mm
- Release Date: 2020
- Price: From 3650$
11. Cartier Pebble
Another iconic timepiece from Cartier is the Cartier Pebble. Only six pieces of this watch have been originally produced, which were sold and resold. The brand has made 150 more pieces in recent times.
Tyler, the Creator, has been one lucky hand that has worn the Pebble. He chose a Watch that is very rarely found in the Watch market, and that again proves his fondness for unique and unparalleled timepieces.
- Water Resistance: 50 meters
- Case Size- 35.4 mm
- Release Date: 2022
- Price: From 40,800$
Watches Owned by Tyler the Creator
Tyler, the creator, owns the most iconic timepieces of all time- mostly dominated by Cartier. Here is what he owns:
- Tank Louis Cartier
- Cartier Petit Cylindre
- Cartier Tank Obus
- Cartier Crash
- Must de Cartier Tank
- Cartier Baignoire
- Santos-Dumont Cartier
- Cartier Baguette
- Cartier Coulissant
- Bulova Accutron Spaceview
- Cartier Pebble
From The Author
Over the past couple of years, Tyler, the creator has earned the name as a popular. As he has expressed in many of his interviews, Tyler likes watches that feel light and colorful. Yes, the market is dominated by Rolex and other famous Watch brands. But as it is evident in his watch collection, Tyler is inclined towards the Cartiers- especially the rare vintage pieces. They bring him joy.
Be it the extremely limited Pebble watch from Cartier, the aesthetically exceptional Cartier Crash and vintage ones or the Cartier Onus with a unique, unprecedented design- Tyler the creator’s collection is class apart. He likes to own watches that are unlike anything else on the market. That is why each timepiece in his collection is just perfect.
