- Business Insider asked style experts about the most popular watch brands worn by tech titans.
- It is said that a watch has become more than a status symbol: it is a personal branding tool.
- Old-school brands like Casio are hot and luxury brands like Omega and Cartier are booming.
Unlike financial professionals who have long understood the value of a “statement,” those in the technology sector have been characterized – and even mocked – for their fixation on utility and simplicity. (Think: the old tech bro uniform of jeans and a hoodie.)
But some tech titans are moving toward their own fashion choices, and since the pandemic, that increasingly involves a watch, experts say.
Paul Altieri, CEO and founder of online watch resale marketplace Bob’s Watches, told Business Insider that there are two types of elite in Silicon Valley. “Some, like Bill Gates, go for the $50 model, and some wear Omega, Richard Mille or Rolex,” he said.
Additionally, there are those like Apple CEO Tim Cook and 23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki who prefer the convenience of a smartwatch.
Most executives are looking for “the genius factor” or something unique in their watch, Victoria Hitchcock, a fashion stylist and personal brand in the San Francisco Bay Area, told BI.
And as they play more roles in the public eye, they seek to improve their style and status as potential fashion icons, Hitchcock said.
It seems like what you have on your wrist has become another personal branding tool. With that in mind, here’s a look at the trending watches in Silicon Valley.
businessinsider
