John Mayer has legendary status among watch lovers. A major collector for years — renowned not only for his connoisseurship of luxury timepieces but also his knowledge of what makes some of the most complicated examples tick — he’s now joined the ranks of the few celebrities (LeBron James, Travis Scott) who have designed a watch in collaboration with Audemars Piguet.
The new Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar “John Mayer” Limited Edition is a grail-worthy watch specimen. In addition to its perpetual calendar complication — one of the most technically precise functions to pull off, in that it can accurately track and show the correct date of the month, no matter the length of the month or whether it’s a leap year — the new timepiece features a gorgeous deep-blue dial meant to evoke a starry, crystalline sky. The watch face also boasts a moon phase with glittery aventurine.
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The seven-time Grammy-winning music artist recently told GQ that he’s so happy with the new watch that he sees it as part of his legacy: “I think I’ve created something that will outlive me. And this is the first time I can be sure of that.”
On Tuesday night, Mayer and the Swiss haute horology specialist came together for a late-evening party to celebrate the new watch. Among the crowd at the intimate gathering at Sky View Estate in Bel Air, California, were music artists Finneas O’Connell and Chris Stapleton, DJ Zedd, music mogul Irving Azoff, Audemars Piguet’s Ginny Wright and Olivia Crouan, and actress Maria Bello and chef Dominique Crenn.
Guests enjoyed music by Questlove, with a special appearance by KCRW DJ Novena Carmel, and stargazed through telescopes, guided by astronomer Sandy Eulitt from Stellar Experiences.
Crafted in 18-karat white gold, the self-winding 41mm Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar “John Mayer” Limited Edition ($180,700) is limited to just 200 pieces and displays day, date, week indication, astronomical moon, month, leap year, hours and minutes.
“My favorite watches have dials that you can stare endlessly at,” says Mayer in a statement about the new perpetual calendar watch. “A great watch dial feels like a picture window — you look into it, not at it. In the case of this QP, it’s like looking up at a moonless sky. There is a true sense of nature in it. And when you couple that sense of depth and vastness with the complication of a perpetual calendar, it is a very powerful combination of technical prowess and aesthetic design.”
Mayer — whose decisions for what to wear on his wrist help drive watch sales — also recently took on a role with Audemars Piguet with the somewhat mystifying title “creative conduit.” According to watch website Hodinkee, “He describes the new role as acting as a bridge between collectors and the brand.”
