Brooklyn Beckham has been many things in his 24 years.
Socialite. Model. Photographer. The internet’s favourite chef. And lately, a watch guy.
The son of David and Victoria Beckham and husband to American actress Nicola Peltz – since April 2022 he’s gone by Brooklyn Peltz-Beckham – he set tongues wagging and eyeballs popping during a recent Fortnite live stream.
On his head: a backwards baseball cap. Around his neck: a gold-link chain. And on his wrist: a sweet rose-gold Patek Philippe Nautilus.
The Nautilus has been discontinued though you can pick one up on the preowned market for around £120,000, should funds allow. It was described at the time as ‘the ultimate Twitch flex’ and confirmed what recent paparazzi shots had already suggested – Peltz-Beckham was following dad in becoming a luxury watch nut.
He was promoting Marriott Bonvoy Land, a virtual park within Fortnite featuring ‘four hotel-themed mini games’, an initiative from the Marriott hotel chain.
“It was so identical to the actual hotel it was amazing,” Peltz-Beckham tells Esquire, Zooming in from Las Vegas where he was attending the Grand Prix weekend. “I had great fun doing it.”
Let’s talk about your Patek Philippe Nautilus
That’s my favourite watch – I wear that one every day. My dad bought that for me for my 21st birthday. I bought two watches with me here [to Vegas]. My Patek and my Rolex Yacht-Master II. But the Patek is the one I wear every day.
That’s a sweet 21st birthday gift
I was doing my huge dinner for my birthday and my dad took me aside. He was, like, ‘I got you a present, let me know if you like it’. I opened it up and I was, like, ‘Oh my god!’ Cos I’ve always wanted that exact Patek. When I got it I was so stunned. I was just, like, ‘Wow’. I was so surprised. And they’re such amazing investments. Especially those ones. They’re the best investments you can get.
How long have you been into watches?
I really became a watch guy when the dad gave me the Patek. Before that, for my 18th birthday, my dad gave me the old Steve McQueen Rolex Submariner [ref. 5512] with the old-school leather fat band [ie: a bund strap]. I had one of those. And then, in the last year, I’ve got the Rolexs with the different colours – the 'Hulk' [green Submariner], the 'Pepsi' [red and black GMT-Master II] and the 'Batman' [blue and black GMT-Master II]. Those are the ones I’ve gotten lately. But, yeah – since my dad gave me that watch for my 21st I’ve been a watch guy.
How big is the collection now?
Ten. I’m building it slowly.
How do you decide what to wear?
I always keep my watches together, all ten of them, right by my bed. Whatever I’m feeling that day, I wear. It is usually the Patek just because I love that watch. I love the heaviness and the weight of it. Sometimes it’s the ‘Batman’ Rolex. Sometimes it’s the Submariner. It’s however I’m feeling, you know?
What do you like about the bund strap on your Submariner?
It didn’t actually come with that band. But my dad had the old helicopter band [so-called because in the event of a cockpit fire it would protect the pilot’s wrist from a super-heated metal watch] and I loved it so much. I went to my dad’s friend in LA – I call him The Watch Guy, because he knows everything about watches – and I bought a suede helicopter band and a leather helicopter band and it’s so cool. I love it.
Because it feels different?
It just gives it more of a vintage feel and makes it a lot more comfortable because it’s thicker and wider than the actual face of the watch. And it looks a lot cooler.
When would you wear your Rolex ‘Hulk’?
My wife actually loves that watch. So usually if I’m doing something with my wife, I’ll wear that. When I take her for dinner, I put that on. Or if we’re just hanging out, really. I just love having a watch on my wrist. If we go see a movie, if I take her for dinner… she loves that watch.
What about dress watches?
I have the square Cartier watch [18ct yellow gold Cartier Panthère]. Actually, my mother-in-law [Claudia Heffner Peltz] bought me and my wife matching ones last Christmas. I love that one. It’s very cool. It’s timeless. That and the Patek are my two dress watches.
Do you talk watches with your dad?
I love talking to my dad about watches. But he has a bit of a better collection than me, so far. Ridiculous. If I accidentally bang any of my watches I call him and he’s like ‘Ok – do this, do that’. He’s amazing. So, yeah. We always talk about watches – and he always tells me what he has and what he’s getting next.
What’s dad’s advice if you bang your watch?
I bumped my Patek the other day and I called him. I was like ‘Okay…’ It was just a little scratch on the glass. It wasn’t on the gold or anything. And he actually said ‘If you file it down or you take it to someone to get it polished out, it can lose value’. So I actually haven’t got it fixed. It’s, like, a tiny scratch on the glass.
How many watches has dad got?
I’d guess he has, like… 50? But he only wears 15-to-20. He has his favourite ones.
He’s an ambassador for Tudor
Yeah. Some of my favourite watches are Tudors, actually. I always try and steal them [laughs].
Your younger brother Romeo has been spotted wearing a nice Richard Mille. The 18ct white gold RM010
Romeo loves watches as well.
Do you swap them around?
No, because his wrists are a lot smaller than mine.
Is the whole family into watches?
My mum likes watches… the only person who doesn’t like watches is my wife. She’s not really a watch person but I’m trying to get her into it. A little bit.
Give it time
I know I know, totally – we’ll see.
What have you got your eye on next?
I think I really want the same Patek [Nautilus] I already have but in white gold. Or the rainbow Rolex [Rainbow Daytona]. Which is, like, ridiculous. But that’s one of my dream watches.
Hasn’t your dad got one of those?
My dad has that one, yeah. And I want it so badly. And I was like ‘Maybe in a few years… I need to, you know… work [at getting it]’. Hopefully in a few years I’ll be able to get it. We’ll see.
Can’t you can persuade him to hand it down?
I might have to just take it and not tell him.
