Sir Jackie Stewart, racing driver and campaigner
The best souvenir I brought home was a Rolex Daytona watch I received when I won the 1971 Monte Carlo Grand Prix. That was a big problem for me. I still have it. The other was when I did well in Indianapolis in 1966 [Stewart had to retire from the lead with nine laps to go], and Texan John Mecom Jr, owner of the team I was driving for, was so happy with my position on the grid that he took me to Houston and bought me a solid gold Rolex Day-Date. I had never had anything like that in my life at that price, it was insane.
Tadao Ando, Pritzker Prize-winning architect
I have a collection of fountain pens, many of which I have received as gifts over the years. I don’t necessarily have much interest in collecting, but I like designed objects to be simple, robust and strike a balance between cost, aesthetics and functionality. My favorite is a red Montblanc fountain pen designed by Marc Newson. An ingenious magnetic mechanism ensures that the logo of the pen and the cap fit perfectly together when closed. I also have what almost amounts to a collection of Ice-Watches in different colors. I alternate them depending on the day.
Martin Ephson, interior design entrepreneur
My personal style signature is my watch, a vintage Patek Philippe 1954 chronograph. I’ve been wearing it for about three years now. It is executed with understated elegance. Patek Philippe is a brand I have always loved. It was created at a time when bling wasn’t even in the dictionary, and it’s a joy to know that it’s still a family business to this day.
Jung Lee, founder of Fête NY
The last thing I bought and loved was an Apple Watch Hermès. I haven’t worn a watch in a long time, but since I was constantly losing my phone, this seemed like a good solution. I chose a classic brown strap that goes well with everything. Apple Watch Hermesfrom £1,229
Mai Ikuzawa, creative director, consultant and designer
The last thing I bought and loved was a Bamford London Skater Snoopy watch, with a custom black bracelet. I’ve been a huge Snoopy fan since I was a kid and it’s great when your friend shares a fetish for Snoopy. I would love to make a Team Ikuzawa x Snoopy x Bamford product someday. Bamford Snoopy Watch£1,700
Mimi Xu, DJ
The best gift I’ve received is a vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual, from the 1970s, from an ex-boyfriend. It’s a men’s watch, but it’s just very me. It is sturdy, contemporary, minimalist; it’s like a piece of jewelry that I wear all the time.
Francis Mallmann, chef
The best gifts I have given were watches for all my children on their 18th birthdays. I bought my first one in 1981 – a Cartier Santos Ronde – and that was with my eldest daughter, who is now 42. I gave my old Hermès Arceau to my son Andino, who recently turned 18. I have to keep buying watches because I have two more children to go.
Pierre Mahéo, founder of Officine Générale
I always wear a vintage watch: a Cartier Tank Chinoise from 1979, a fairly rare model.
Nicolas Gabard, founder of Husbands Paris
The last thing I bought that I loved was a gold 1977 Cartier Tank, with hand-painted Roman numerals and a Parisian dial. I searched for this watch for a long time and finally found it on a website called Leboncoin. The seller was an old man from the south of France who told me he bought the watch in Paris in the 70s and wore it to Le Sept and Le Palace, which were the really trendy places to go at the time. I would see Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld there. He wanted to make sure I was very careful with it.
Stefan Brüggemann, multidisciplinary artist
The gadget I can’t live without is my Apple Watch, which I use to track my sleep. I also play a lot of tennis, so it tells me how I performed physically.
Rita Konig, interior designer
One item I would never part with is my 1950s Cartier watch. I bought it for myself last year; I wasn’t necessarily looking for it, but I have a soft spot for watches and I had a visceral feeling when I saw it. It has a leather strap with white stitching and I love the simple, round dial, which is quite unusual for a Cartier watch.
Becky Fatemi, real estate agent and founder of Rokstone
My personal style signifiers are accessories. I wear a lot of vintage Chanel, Bulgari and a Cartier watch that belonged to my mother. When we left Iran in 1979, we left with nothing and the only thing my mother took with her was a bag of her jewelry, including the watch and a diamond signet ring. I could always tell if guests were coming over when the accessories came out, so for me it was all about accessories, ever since I was a kid.
Jimmy Chin, climber and filmmaker
I recently added a Panerai Submersible Chrono Flyback watch to my wardrobe – which I helped design. Submersible Chrono flyback watch, $19,100
Marie-Laure Cérède, creative director of watches and jewelry at Cartier
My personal style signifier is always my watch. At the moment I alternate between my Cartier Libre bracelet watch and the Crash watch – a design I fell in love with before I joined the company. It’s original and unique, a typical Cartier design. The Crash was inspired by a Cartier timepiece that was crushed in an accident, and the Radieuse is a particularly creative piece because we ‘crashed’ it twice. It makes me proud to wear it. Cartier Libre bracelet£70,500; Cartier Crash Watch£83,000
Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb
My personal style signifier is a pair of Nike Space Hippies – a modern marvel of sneaker design. Together with my titanium Ressence watch, they are my daily staples.