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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s performance in The Smashing Machine has been acclaimed for its transformative subtlety and nuance. The most electric man in all of entertainment toning it down for Benny Safdie (and pulling it off) has seemed like the stuff Oscars are made of since the project was first announced. But when Johnson appeared at the annual Academy Museum Gala in LA over the weekend, he did so with a markedly unsubtle watch strapped to his wrist. Johnson’s wrist game has been impeccable for years now, with his rotation containing everything from classic Rolexes to chunky action-star Panerai pieces. He showed out in a series of stunners from Chopard for much of The Smashing Machine’s rollout, but mixed it up for the Saturday night’s gala with one of the most impressive timepieces we’ve seen him in yet. Don’t bother checking Chrono24 for this one—you won’t find it. The actor hit the red carpet wearing a spectacular Blancpain Métiers d’Art Damasquinée. While Blancpain is mostly synonymous with the legendary Fifty Fathoms dive watch, the Métiers d’Art collection takes the brand in the opposite direction. Where the Fifty Fathoms’ allure comes from its technological prowess as a diver, the Métiers d’Art pieces focus on aesthetic craft mixed with horological innovation. The result is a line of one-of-a-kind watches handcrafted in Switzerland at the Blancpain headquarters. Johnson’s one-of-one beauty featured a 45-mm red gold case—a whopper on most wrists, but just right for a supersized superstar. The dial, a three-dimensional work of art, features a gold dragon climbing through gilded clouds, all crafted using techniques dating back to the 16th century. Featuring a Blancpain 15B caliber movement, the piece is finished off with a brown alligator leather strap. If you’re hoping to pick up a Métiers d’Art piece of your own, start saving up: You’ll need $ 146,500 to strap on the Damasquinée at your next wedding, birthday party, or bar mitzvah. On second thought, Johnson’s $40K Rolex is starting to look a whole lot more reasonable.
