One of the world’s most influential collectors, John Mayer’s interest in timepieces goes beyond the loveliest and the rarest examples from Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. He is as much a fan of Daytonas as of G-Shocks and his collection includes an impressive assortment of both modern and vintage watches from a wide range of brands
The first great watch purchase for Mr. J C Mayer was a Rolex Explorer II, picked up in Atlanta at a time “before his friends graduated college”. His fixation with watches started at an early age. For a child that clearly did not have many possessions, a watch felt like a tool that accompanied him and made him feel more equipped. Fast forward to today, the man owns an absurdly expansive and mysterious arsenal of timepieces. When questioned whether this was an intentional investment plan, Mayer responded coyly: “I’m a musician, I’m a misfit, I’m an idiot. This does not represent a complex algorithm that I worked out to make money”. To him, it represents “all the drugs [he] never did”.
In recent years, his taste and influence can be tangibly felt amongst the watch community - ranging from establishing strong alliances with his favorite horological giants such as Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, to sending market prices soaring for certain references he deems underrated or overlooked.
Though there is absolutely no doubt that JM will continue serving captivating watch content for decades to come, we here at Wristcheck thought it would be an intriguing exercise to revisit some of the watches that have already made a public appearance. Given the breadth of the collection, we are in no way attempting to compile an exhaustive encyclopedia of what may or may not sit in John’s vault at home. For this first installment, let us explore and dig into the deep cuts before moving onto a highlight reel of the greatest hits.
John Mayer's IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot Ref. IW5002
Though many may assume that the early collecting bug began mostly with Rolex (technically true), IWC is arguably where it all kicked off for Mayer. Speaking candidly with Ben Clymer, John details that he heard about the Big Pilot in 2002 on a visit to Las Vegas - and this he admits is the genesis of his obsession with watches from a mechanical standpoint. The reference in question is the Ref. 5002. It became a companion on the road whilst touring, doubling as a highly legible clock on the nightstand of many hotel rooms.
Perhaps controversially, then, was the open letter written directly to the powers that be at International Watch Company in January of 2005. In it, John expresses his concern that one of his favorite watchmakers had begun to veer off its path of producing (in his own words) what might be considered “the most tool watch of all tool watches”. Shortly thereafter, IWC responded and gracefully embraced the feedback from their famous fan - releasing a slew of pilot watches that helped to reignite the passion that JM had, and continues to have, for the brand.
John Mayer's Panerai Luminor 1950 Ref. PAM00127
Though Rolex famously manufactured some of the early Panerai examples for the Italian Navy, what really put the brand on the map was Sylvester Stallone - who could be spotted wearing a behemoth 44mm Luminor in the mercenary-centric flick “The Expendables”. Around the same time period, John was photographed with an even more unwieldy 47mm Panerai Luminor 1950 - on a gauntlet strap no less. Mayer could be seen wearing this piece during his “Continuum” era - arguably his most celebrated and lauded album to date featuring hits such as “Stop This Train” and “Vultures”.
Nicknamed “the Fiddy”, this model is a stellar example of what Panerai does best. Complimenting this massive watch was a domed sapphire crystal and a secure cam levered crown guard mechanism. As with many Panerai models, this tends to be a love it or hate it situation. If one is in the former category then it would be wise to move with haste as these were released in 2002 in a limited run of 1,950 - as its name would suggest. This watch is seldom seen on the wrist now, but represents a moment in time when oversized divers were the watch du jour. Although trends are by their very nature cyclical, share your thoughts on whether the market is ripe for a large watch revival.
John Mayer's Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Selfwinding Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked
Speaking of enormous watches, imagine designating a supremely technical Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept as a daily driver. Described as one of the watches he has worn the most over the last five years, the hulking self-winding tourbillon features an openworked dial and is light as a feather thanks to its titanium case. The white band has been substituted for a blue counterpart.
Waxing poetic about this particular purchase, John recalls “wanting something inarguably special, something I could look at and see its value reflected by way of complexity of design and materials, not temporarily outsized demand”. This certainly fits the bill.
Alongside the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon in white ceramic which JM had also acquired, the hyper modern watch receives abundant stage time on tour with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead. To sum up his relationship with the concept pieces released by Audemars Piguet, John goes on to state that “[t]here's never been a time I've glanced down at it and not been a little blown away. It's that rare supercar that’s also a daily driver”.
John Mayer's Rolex Submariner Ref. 5514 “COMEX”
Everyone and their mothers tend to reach for the Rolex Submariner once they decide to acquire their first serious watch - that is, if they can even get their hands on one from an authorized dealer. Needless to say, some of the Submariners in Mayer’s possession are much more serious.
This example is visually stunning, boasting a beautifully faded gray bezel and matte dial - but there is more than meets the eye. Once the name of the French diving company, “COMEX”, comes into conversion, the collective ears of seasoned Rolex collectors prick up. This is dangerous territory for those who enjoy dissecting every last detail of the many different Rolex variants released over the years. Among the most covetable are the incredibly rare batches produced for COMEX in the 1970’s. Even rarer still is a 5514 disguised as a 5513 - on which the dial is usually signed COMEX but is absent in this instance. Fitted with a helium release valve, these early models could in theory be considered both an ordinary Submariner and a precursor to the more aquatic Sea-Dweller. Unsurprisingly, JM also has stashed away a Rolex Ref. 1680 COMEX. Due to the astronomical prices COMEX pieces fetch on the secondary market, these rarely even come into contact with water anymore.
John Mayer's Patek Philippe Ref. 5004G with Salmon Dial and Luminous Hands (Piece Unique)
As one of the many Ref. 5004s in hands of Mayer, this one is of particular note. The model is generally recognizable for its colossal crown with a pusher in the center and split second timer function. Five different metals (or six depending on who you speak to) make up the composition of the watch. This iteration, however, is a piece unique made specifically for Mayer in 2012 - salmon dial, name engraved on the back at the factory, and specially requested luminous hands. The rationale for the latter is to be able to see the watch on stage in the dark, making this example the only Ref. 5004 with luminous hands. Hilariously, this stunning one-of-a-kind timepiece has been worn “zero times” on stage. The ultimate act of stunting.
John Mayer's A. Lange & Söhne Double Split, Ref. 404.035
Possibly one of the least known watches to reside in the Mayer household is this beautiful A. Lange & Söhne Double Split. During his first visit to the famed Cellini Jewelers in New York, a Datograph caught his eye - but when he flipped it over to see the US$45,000 price tag he retched and internally exclaimed “nope, that’s not for me”. Since then, JM has gone on to procure at least one other rare item from the brand, namely the iconic Double Split - which in addition to a split seconds complication, also incorporates a second second minute counter - a world first in 2004.
JM’s quiet affinity for the German watchmaker was alluded to in the first ever episode of Talking Watches, and audiences subsequently caught a glimpse of the Ref. No. 404.035 Double Split in a New York Times article back in 2015. To house the impressive complications, the thick 15.3mm platinum case has often been affectionately compared to a hockey puck by enthusiasts.
