Jazz and watches ( Pic heavy )

Deafboy · Jun 1, 2020

0uss
Perhaps the fanciest one i found today is Satchmo's gold watch, a gift from from Ben Pollack in 1929 and inscribed on the caseback " Good luck always. To Louis Armstrong from Musicians on Broadway "
He wore it proudly quite regularly.

I love the pictures and the thread.
I wonder about the watch on Louis Armstrong's though. It seems more contemporary than 1929. The size, shape, center second indicates a 1940's or later. Here's another picture.

0uss · Jun 1, 2020

Shucks! Most pictures found online tell us little information due to their low quality. 🙁
Round watches are trickier to identify naturally compared to others with distinctive shape or feature. It's really fun nevertheless!

Found this cool shot of Cannonball Adderly performing on stage in 1965 rocking what appears to be a Doxa Graphic. 🥰

Rodeor · Jun 7, 2020

Thanks for a great thread. Lots of memories in the pictures and of course interesting watch info.
Looking forward to following this.

0uss · Jun 12, 2020

Ella Fitzgerald had a good taste for fine watches as good as her golden voice. Found some pics of Lady Ella wearing a Rolex King Midas. She prederred performing wearing this cool watch.

Her 1936 Patek Philippe in platinum and diamonds and a white-gold bracelet has been sold by Antiquorum in 1997.

She also wore a cool Cartier Baignoire when receiving her National Medal of the Arts from president Reagan in 1987.

Another interesting watch is Sammy Davis Jr's. He went to Vietnam in 1972 to represent president Nixon's Special Action Office For Drug Abuse Prevention. His mission was to observe the military drug abuse rehabilitation program, and talk to and entertain the troops.
He setteled for a Heuer Monaco for his mission. A watch that cannot be unseen! Wondering who the lucky owner might be..

AAAKK · Jun 14, 2020

Miles with his Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox GT

Miles-Davis-Jaeger-LeCoultre-Memovox-c-Rolling-Stone.jpg

0uss · Jun 16, 2020

AAAKK
Miles with his Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox GT

from afar it looks white and " kind of blue " 😁 Thank you @AAAKK 👍 I stumbled across this photo on Facebook today. 👍

0uss · Nov 8, 2020

Sammy davis Jr's Gold Rolex Datejust ref 16008 with onyx dial 😀

rob#1 · Dec 17, 2020

The great Dexter Gordon in Paris... but what’s he wearing?

0uss · Dec 17, 2020

This is a tricky one! One thing is certain though, the sophsticated giant must be wearing a sophisticated watch. 😀

0uss · Aug 29, 2021

Dear folks, i hope it's okay to contribute further to this old thread. I found two more rather interesting photos worth mentioning.

The first is what appears to be a Porsche design by Orfina chronograph 1 in black PVD on none other than Dizzy Gillespie's wrist!
A fascinating combo and the shot is really spectacular! 😀

The second one is actually the cover of Wynton Marsalis's book: To a young jazz musician. The very talented trumpeter is wearing what appears to be a Cartier Tank lemon with roman numerals. Can't go wrong with that. 🥰

spe777 · Aug 30, 2021

This thread is amazing. Never knew Sammy Davis Jr. had a Monaco or Dizzy an Orfina/PD PVD chrono.

Nathan1967 · Apr 8, 2022

Leon Thomas and a Seiko 6117 World Timer!

On 1973’s Full Circle Album. There’s a great cover of Santana’s Just in Time to See The Sun on this album.

rob#1 · Aug 1, 2022

Any guesses as to Miles’s chronograph?

https://twitter.com/Diana_Kuegler/status/1553741941925416961/video/1

Omegafanman · Aug 1, 2022

rob#1
Any guesses as to Miles’s chronograph?
https://twitter.com/Diana_Kuegler/status/1553741941925416961/video/1
https://twitter.com/Diana_Kuegler/status/1553741941925416961/video/1

Rare I am any good at these but from some pilot story research and photo hunting I would say that it a Breitling. Probably a Navitimer given the date.

johnireland · Aug 2, 2022

Musical artists, just like actors and race car drivers and doctors and all of us, approach their choice in watches from different points of view. Cool, functional, glitzy, simple, a classic, the latest noise, of sentimental value, something they forgot within months after they bought it. Sometimes it's a tool, other times a fashion statement, and sometimes a life-long companion. Wonderful thread...great pictures (I can almost hear the music) thanks to all who contributed them. This will never be an old thread.

0uss · Aug 2, 2022

rob#1
Any guesses as to Miles’s chronograph?
https://twitter.com/Diana_Kuegler/status/1553741941925416961/video/1
https://twitter.com/Diana_Kuegler/status/1553741941925416961/video/1

Glad to see this thread alive thanks to your wonderful contributions. 👍

Like @Omegafanman pointed out, Miles Davis indeed wore a Breitling Navitimer in the Salle Pleyel, Paris - On November 3rd 1969.
Here's the cleanest picture of the said watch.

Credit: AFP/ Eleonore Bakhtadze.

An article by Hodinkee also shed light on the legendary trumpeter's timpeiece: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/spotted-a-breitling-navitimer-on-the-wrist-of-miles-davis-cihtml

Curiously enough, I recently came across one of Davis' watches. Turns out this Curb Link bracelet is an 18k white ( or yellow ) gold Piaget with a back-wound JLC movement. This is hands down my favourite one so far!

Credit: Instagram/Foundwell.

Matty01 · Aug 7, 2022

Very cool thread

Radyson · Aug 7, 2022

Amazing thread!!!
Thank you!

hen · Aug 9, 2022

Norwegian/Polish jazz musician Jan Garbarek. First picture is supposed to be from 1979 the last two are from 1977.

Jan Garbarek - Wikipedia

JasonF · Aug 14, 2022

Last night at the Village Vanguard - a wonderful show at a venue that needs no introduction. I was wearing my 1961 Omega Constellation. A perfect combination, cheers!