Michael Jordan Wore a $2 Million Watch to Celebrate His NASCAR Team’s Victory

Photographs: Getty Images, Purnell; Collage: Gabe Conte

A couple of things you might not know about Michael Jordan: The GOAT co-owns a NASCAR team and absolutely loves his watches. (And we mean really loves ‘em—we’re talking about a man who got on the Datograph train well over 20 years ago.)

Those two disparate worlds collided this week when MJ was spotted celebrating his 23XI team’s latest victory at the GEICO 500 with a rare, ludicrously expensive timepiece on his wrist: the Purnell Escape II Absolute Sapphire Blue Moon. Purnell, a Genevan producer of “hyperwatches” (for lack of a better word), makes the horological equivalents of a Pagani Utopia—technically proficient and aesthetically wild, they represent the pinnacle of forward-thinking haute horlogerie.

The Escape II Absolute Sapphire Blue Moon is built around the Spherion, a Purnell take on the triple-axis tourbillon, and the fastest-revolving tourbillon in the world. (The tourbillon, you may recall, was invented by horological genius Abraham-Louis Breguet in the late 18th century to counteract the effects of gravity on a pocket watch movement. Today, it’s used as an indication of savoir-faire and watchmaking competency in wristwatches, even though a wristwatch—which is worn in multiple positions throughout the day by virtue of its design—effectively negates the very need for such a mechanism.)

Within the Escape II Absolute Sapphire Blue Moon, a limited edition housed in a 48-millimeter blue sapphire case, are two Spherions, each of which features a titanium cage set with 152 tiny, brilliant-cut diamonds. The tourbillon axes rotate at 8, 16, and 30 seconds, making for a mesmerizing visual dance, while the manually-wound movement offers 32 hours of power reserve, as indicated by a display at 9 o’clock. Below 12 o’clock, meanwhile, is the main time display, whose indices consist of baguette-cut blue sapphires.

The watch was visible on the wrist of a thrilled Jordan as he hoisted winning 23XI driver Tyler Reddick’s young son, Beau, in the pit, asking him if he was going to celebrate his dad’s win. MJ, a respected collector, has long rocked some of the world’s most notable timepieces, including the early aforementioned A. Lange & Söhne Datograph, a diamond-studded, gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, the sci-fi-esque Urwerk UR-220, and the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli.

Jordan’s collection is a reflection of his unique standing at the confluence of athletics, culture, and—well—everything else. It’s only fitting that his watches would likewise represent the best of what’s available—and some of what’s available only to him.

Caleb Williams’ Patek Philippe Calatrava

Caleb Williams, the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, seems to know his way around a good watch already. The 22-year-old quarterback showed off his adventurous fashion sensibility by pairing a Chrome Hearts jacket with metallic nail polish and a Patek Philippe Calatrava Skeleton, a special take on the maison’s famous dress watch. Available in several metals, the Skeleton measures 39 millimeters and is powered by the Caliber 240 SQU movement, a completely skeletonized caliber whose inner workings are visible via both the dial and caseback.

Lana Del Rey’s Jacob & Co. Fleurs De Jardin

The “Video Games” singer strapped on a watch that will either tickle your fancy or get your hackles up, depending upon your horological disposition: The rose-gold Jacob & Co. Fleurs de Jardin is far from subtle, resembling a flowery garden in miniature. But even if you’re not taken in by its exquisite gem-setting, there’s no denying the wonder imparted by its JCAM31 movement: A flying, double-axis tourbillon is joined by an orbital dial and rotating “flower beds.” You read that right: the entire dial spins, making a full revolution once every ten minutes. A limited edition of 12 pieces, it speaks to both Jacob & Co. and Del Rey’s unique take on Americana.

Tom Brady’s Cartier Crash

Brady is the latest in a who’s-who list of athletes, singers, and celebs to strap on the definitive It watch of the past few years: the Cartier Crash. Its murky origins now debunked, the Crash—with its curvaceous profile and Dali-esque dial—has become the timepiece of the moment, whether in solid-dial or skeletonized form. Brady’s version, in platinum on a leather strap, is a fun take on what was born as a yellow gold watch way back at Cartier’s London outpost in the late 1960s. Significantly rarer than said gold versions, it’s powered by the brand’s 1917 MC movement with 38 hours of power reserve.

Novak Djokovic’s Hublot Spirit of Big Bang All Black

If you’re the world number-one tennis player, you can probably cast subtly to the wind when choosing which watch to pair with a tuxedo. While accepting the 2024 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award in Madrid, Serbian phenom Novak Djokovic did exactly that, strapping on a Spirit of Big Bang All Black Pavé 42mm. Set with 50 black diamonds and housed in a black ceramic, tonneau-shaped case with a skeletonized dial, it looks like the result of a working group staffed by members of both the Department of Defense and Tiffany & Co.

Originally Appeared on GQ