Talking Watches With Brooke Shields, Model, Actress, Entrepreneur, And Icon Of The '80s

Through her collection, which is a bit different from some we've seen in the past, you get a sense of a story. Look at each component individually, and you'll surely miss the forest for the trees. Quite possibly my favorite part of getting to see her watches is how much each one represents the era in which it came to be in her possession. More than that, Shields really wears these things. You can see it in the scratches in the cases, crystals, and bracelets.

And you won't find much by way of modern, in vogue, watches either. Many of these pieces were picked up in her early days as a model and actress. From Piaget to Cartier to Rolex, these pieces were acquired in all manner of ways, all across the world. One was quite literally thrown at her (you'll see in the video).

But why Brooke Shields, and why now? I mean, I don't think we really need a reason to talk to her, but of course, we had one. She recently founded her first entrepreneurial venture called Beginning is Now – a lifestyle brand aimed at promoting and showcasing women starting a new chapter in their lives. In addition, she has a new movie hitting Netflix, A Castle for Christmas. So before you chill too hard in front of the television this holiday season, sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of Talking Watches.

Shields jokes that what appealed to her about this watch was her ability to read the date when she was younger (something she says is becoming more and more difficult). But do you really need a reason to want a gold Rolex? I say no. This watch is particularly interesting because it is paired with a President bracelet typically found on Day-Date models. Key characteristics are the diamond markers and the matching gold dial. When this watch was purchased, it did not initially have the diamond-set bezel. That was something she added later – a way to upgrade a watch she loved ... the first real "fancy" watch she owned.

Two dressy Piaget watches – can you tell one from the other? Well aside from the obvious – i.e. the diamonds – one has a decided similarity to a Cartier Tank whereas the other has more of a picture-frame case shape (and no traditional crown at three o'clock). Both feature deep black dials, devoid of any sort of marking to reference the time by, as well a black leather strap. But there's more to the story. The Piaget in gold, without diamonds, was a gift to Shields from the brand itself, whereas the other watch has a more personal backstory. That was a gift from her mother – with whom she really shared in the passion of watches. It's special to her because it represents her first true dress watch.

More diamonds! And now they've spread from the dial to the case, to the bracelet itself. This watch is sort of a flex, too. Shields connects the purchase of this watch to a commercial shoot she did in Japan in the '80s. She recalls her mother had a watch hook-up in town (how cool is that?). For her, this watch is all about the diamonds, and I get it – especially after holding it in my hands. This thing just shines. As Shields puts it so eloquently, "it's just a bed of diamonds." Indeed it is. 

Partway through our conversation, Shields makes the observation that so many of these watches were connected to her work and, for that reason, it didn't feel like vanity to own them. They were tokens of her own success. This watch is emblematic of that very idea. She received this as a gift from Bulgari after working on a shoot with the brand in Italy. But she did not take the gift lightly, instead she really valued it (as you can see from the fact that it is still very much in her collection). Thinking back to the time she received the watch, Shields recalls, "For a lot of people, watches are watches. For me, they're always really important pieces of jewelry."

You might be wondering how a vintage Rolex GMT-Master 1675 with perfect patina and a faded bezel fits into a collection that – up to this point – was entirely gold, quite small, and featured diamonds. Well, it all has to do with a bit of romance, and a love story that goes back generations in Shields' family. The story involves a date, a taxi cab, and a watch left behind. Needless to say, this particular GMT-Master bears the name of its original owner engraved on the clasp, and is a watch she treasures dearly and wears often. 

According to Shields, it's a bit of a tradition in her family for her father to buy his daughters a Cartier watch – notably a Pasha. Her sisters were each given one, but she was not. She completely understood why not, considering the watches she already owned and was given over the course of her career. Nonetheless, she felt like she wanted to have one for herself to be able to share in that experience with her sisters, so she went and bought one. But this wasn't just ceremony. Like every watch in the collection, she wore this piece, and not just in private. This became her watch of choice in her starring role in the popular sitcom Suddenly Susan. So next time you find yourself watching an episode, keep your eyes peeled for this iconic Cartier on her wrist.

At first glance, what we have here is a humble, Explorer dial (three, six, nine) 34mm Rolex Air King on a standard stainless steel Oyster bracelet. But look closely and you'll find a very distinct, and very cool, pink-colored (salmon-adjacent?) dial. There's also a great story behind this one. It was a gift to her from her husband on their wedding day. Apart from this being a fantastic gift that has certainly aged well, it gets better when you turn it over. Inscribed on the back is a personal engraving that reads, simply, "Hello, Love. 5.26.2001"

Imagine this scenario for a moment. You're seated on a jet-ski, opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme (also on a jet-ski) and you're in a competition in which the winner gets a very special prize: A Rolex Datejust. Hearing Shields' story, it's not totally clear what the competition entailed, but it required retrieving items in the water while going full speed. Well, Shields won – besting the martial artist and actor – and proudly claimed her horological winnings. This all-steel Datejust has a sort of champagne-colored dial which gives a nice contrast to its overall look. This a watch that Shields sees as a rugged, toolish, everyday sort of piece – and I can't blame her for thinking that way. A steel Rolex Datejust is simply a classic. 

Sometimes you just want to have a Cartier Tank in your collection, and you don't need a reason. Shields has one though. She bought this watch as an homage to classic, iconic, women like Grace Kelly, Princess Diana, and Jackie O. The watch is an icon all its own with the signature rectangular case design, the simple Roman numerals, and the unmistakable blue Sapphire crown. But Shields reveals herself to be a true watch collector with this one because she switches out her straps to give her pieces a fresh new look. In this case, it was adding this blue strap which has resulted in the watch getting a lot more wrist time of late. 

We save the gold-est, and (definitively) heaviest watch in the collection for last. The Rolex Day-Date is the ultimate watch, and Shields chose a celebratory moment to pick hers up. After she landed the show Lipstick Jungle, she headed over to her AD, took one look at this watch, and made it her own. And it's easy to see what attracted her to it. I mean, just look at that dial  – it's like tie-dye meets dial design with a crazy, almost purplish, sunburst effect beneath the gold Roman numerals. In a way, this watch is the bridge between two eras of her collecting life. You have the modern Rolex sport watch on one side, in a large-ish 36mm sizing, and on the other, the loud, gold, '80s nature that we see in her early pieces. 

Videography: Will Holloway & David Aujero

Video Editing: Will Holloway

Photos: Will Holloway & David Aujero