Meet GQ’s 2024 Watch Collector of the Year, Who Takes the Most Beautiful Wrist Shots on Instagram
StyleThe Watch Illuminati crowns its champion.By Cam WolfDecember 27, 2024Jaclyn LiSave this storySaveSave this storySaveThis is an edition of the newsletter Box + Papers, Cam Wolf’s weekly deep dive into the world of watches. Sign up here.For the third straight December, I’m pleased to officially crown GQ’s Watch Collector of the Year. The contenders and ultimate winner reflect exactly what we’ve come to expect from timepieces in 2024. The very best collectors treat convention like a dirty word—most of the tickers that show up below are set with carats and carats of diamonds, feature stone dials, or can’t even be classified as traditional wristwatches. The four finalists sported time-tellers in big glam cuffs, pendants, and even tubes of lipstick. In 2024, watches are fun—and that’s well represented by the upper-crust of collectors.As always, our panel of experts submitted nominations during the annual GQ Watch Survey and voted again this week to name a winner.4. Michael, @f**khublotWe here at Box + Papers are a family organization, and don’t condone cussing but…with a collection like Michael’s we’re going to let it slide. Heck, @F**kHublot can come over and jump on my couch with his shoes on if he promises to bring along even just one of the watches that made him a Collector of the Year contender. Within the past 12 months, he acquired a white-gold Cartier Chiech, a watch made in the single digits for back-to-back winners of the famously dangerous Paris-Dakar rally. The rest of his collection is rounded out with Rolex, Rolex, and more Rolex: glittering Daytonas, the honeycomb-dial Milgauss, and gem-set Day-Dates, including a blinding and possibly unique variation he calls the “Discoball.”3. John Goldberger, @goldberger/Auro Montanari, montanariauroThis is the third consecutive year that Montanari—who goes by the nom de plume John Goldberger—has appeared on this list. And honestly, it’s downright shocking that he’s yet to walk away with the top spot. Montanari is one of the most legendary collectors in the watch game for good reason: Few people have better taste, and even fewer follow it with such zeal. I’m most tickled when the Italian collector squeezes in widely accessible and affordable pieces, like a new Omega MoonSwatch or G-Shock, between the gorgeous rarities in his collection. He wears cool “ladies” watches from Gübelin, rocks golden pendants from Omega, isn’t turned off from fashion watches, and still manages to bring the vintage Rolex heat. “It's quite hard to choose a better collector when THE collector is on the list,” Blamo! host Jeremy Kirkland said of Montanari.2. Hannah, @crazykirbyhIt goes to show just how strong the competition was this year that Hannah is only taking home the silver medal. Nobody was further ahead on the trend curve. She gobbled up only the best and rarest jewelry watches with stone dials, in cuff form, and with teasing secret dials—the dominant aesthetics of this year. It’s not just that Hannah posts the coolest and most unique timepieces I’ve ever seen—it’s that she does so with hall-of-fame consistency. She drops photos of a watch I’d consider a grail at least a few times a week. “Hannah was ahead of the current trend towards Piaget, Cartier, and everything else, and continues to buy and collect some of the weirdest shit I've ever seen,” said Tony Traina, the editor and founder of Unpolished (and recent GQ contributor!). “I learn something from almost every post. Beyond that, she truly lives up to her Instagram name: crazy!”1. Jaclyn Li, @a.dose.of.timeLi is finally getting the crown she deserves. Like Montanari, this is her third time on the list. “It’s her year. She’s been patient,” Adam Golden of Menta Watches wrote definitively. And what a treat it is for the rest of us to have an excuse to stare deeply at the sumptuous photos she takes of vintage Pateks, Rainbow Daytonas, and a Cartier Crash. So how, after two years, did Li manage to ascend to COTY status in 2024? She changed up her game plan. “There was a time when I felt my collection needed a cohesive theme, with every piece reflecting a meticulously curated vision,” she said over email. “But I soon realized this left little room for spontaneity or joy—I was overthinking instead of appreciating. Over the past year, my approach has become more organic.”Li’s strategic rethinking reflects what seems to be happening in watch collecting more generally. There are fewer strictures and a lot more fun. She has ultra-traditional (and ultra-beautiful) Breguets, but the mix also includes Richard Mille; Anoma, an affordable newcomer brand inspired by spaceships; and Berneron, our panel of experts’ favorite watch of 2024.Most PopularGQ RecommendsThe Best Shawl Collar Cardigans Are Waiting By the FireplaceBy John JannuzziGQ RecommendsThis Aesop Sale Smells Too Good To Be True (But It Is)By Danielle DiMeglioStyleZara Dropped the Buzzer-Beater Collaboration of the YearBy Reed NelsonThe Berneron Mirage was the latest addition
This is an edition of the newsletter Box + Papers, Cam Wolf’s weekly deep dive into the world of watches. Sign up here.
For the third straight December, I’m pleased to officially crown GQ’s Watch Collector of the Year. The contenders and ultimate winner reflect exactly what we’ve come to expect from timepieces in 2024. The very best collectors treat convention like a dirty word—most of the tickers that show up below are set with carats and carats of diamonds, feature stone dials, or can’t even be classified as traditional wristwatches. The four finalists sported time-tellers in big glam cuffs, pendants, and even tubes of lipstick. In 2024, watches are fun—and that’s well represented by the upper-crust of collectors.
As always, our panel of experts submitted nominations during the annual GQ Watch Survey and voted again this week to name a winner.
4. Michael, @f**khublot
We here at Box + Papers are a family organization, and don’t condone cussing but…with a collection like Michael’s we’re going to let it slide. Heck, @F**kHublot can come over and jump on my couch with his shoes on if he promises to bring along even just one of the watches that made him a Collector of the Year contender. Within the past 12 months, he acquired a white-gold Cartier Chiech, a watch made in the single digits for back-to-back winners of the famously dangerous Paris-Dakar rally. The rest of his collection is rounded out with Rolex, Rolex, and more Rolex: glittering Daytonas, the honeycomb-dial Milgauss, and gem-set Day-Dates, including a blinding and possibly unique variation he calls the “Discoball.”
3. John Goldberger, @goldberger/Auro Montanari, montanariauro
This is the third consecutive year that Montanari—who goes by the nom de plume John Goldberger—has appeared on this list. And honestly, it’s downright shocking that he’s yet to walk away with the top spot. Montanari is one of the most legendary collectors in the watch game for good reason: Few people have better taste, and even fewer follow it with such zeal. I’m most tickled when the Italian collector squeezes in widely accessible and affordable pieces, like a new Omega MoonSwatch or G-Shock, between the gorgeous rarities in his collection. He wears cool “ladies” watches from Gübelin, rocks golden pendants from Omega, isn’t turned off from fashion watches, and still manages to bring the vintage Rolex heat. “It's quite hard to choose a better collector when THE collector is on the list,” Blamo! host Jeremy Kirkland said of Montanari.
2. Hannah, @crazykirbyh
It goes to show just how strong the competition was this year that Hannah is only taking home the silver medal. Nobody was further ahead on the trend curve. She gobbled up only the best and rarest jewelry watches with stone dials, in cuff form, and with teasing secret dials—the dominant aesthetics of this year. It’s not just that Hannah posts the coolest and most unique timepieces I’ve ever seen—it’s that she does so with hall-of-fame consistency. She drops photos of a watch I’d consider a grail at least a few times a week. “Hannah was ahead of the current trend towards Piaget, Cartier, and everything else, and continues to buy and collect some of the weirdest shit I've ever seen,” said Tony Traina, the editor and founder of Unpolished (and recent GQ contributor!). “I learn something from almost every post. Beyond that, she truly lives up to her Instagram name: crazy!”
1. Jaclyn Li, @a.dose.of.time
Li is finally getting the crown she deserves. Like Montanari, this is her third time on the list. “It’s her year. She’s been patient,” Adam Golden of Menta Watches wrote definitively. And what a treat it is for the rest of us to have an excuse to stare deeply at the sumptuous photos she takes of vintage Pateks, Rainbow Daytonas, and a Cartier Crash. So how, after two years, did Li manage to ascend to COTY status in 2024? She changed up her game plan. “There was a time when I felt my collection needed a cohesive theme, with every piece reflecting a meticulously curated vision,” she said over email. “But I soon realized this left little room for spontaneity or joy—I was overthinking instead of appreciating. Over the past year, my approach has become more organic.”
Li’s strategic rethinking reflects what seems to be happening in watch collecting more generally. There are fewer strictures and a lot more fun. She has ultra-traditional (and ultra-beautiful) Breguets, but the mix also includes Richard Mille; Anoma, an affordable newcomer brand inspired by spaceships; and Berneron, our panel of experts’ favorite watch of 2024.
The Berneron Mirage was the latest addition to her collection, which she showed off on Instagram earlier this month in a stack with vintage Bulgari jewelry. Stacking is still slightly controversial in the collector’s community, but even the notoriously exacting Sylvian Berneron had to give it up for Li. “Jac is OG as you know, we have to let that one go,” he wrote in an Instagram comment. That’s the power of being the Collector of the Year. I emailed Li about her collection, well-lit photos, and that Berneron stack below.
Your newest watch is a knockout. Tell me about your journey getting the Berneron Mirage and why you’re a fan of stacking.
A little over a year ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Sylvain over a delightful lunch in Geneva where he presented me with a prototype of the Mirage. It quickly became clear that Sylvain wasn’t just an astute collector with taste I deeply admired but also a passionate artist with an extraordinary eye for detail. I left that meeting inspired and, about a month later, decided to acquire a Mirage Sienna. Having recently taken delivery of it, I can say that Sylvain’s creation is far more than a timepiece—it’s a profound expression of his artistic vision and engineering brilliance. Sylvain has created his own language in self-expression, and I am very happy for all his success.
Regarding the “Berneron Stack”: Over the past year, I dove into somewhat of a rabbit hole for vintage Bulgari jewelry pieces, especially curb link bracelets with colored stones. One bracelet in particular, the one pictured in the wrist-shot with the Sienna almost never leaves my wrist and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the Mirage as part of the stack—with great care, of course. ;)
How did you first get into watches?
I was never seriously into watches until my senior year of college in 2020 when I initially wanted to find a fitting gift for my mom’s 50th birthday. Knowing nothing about watches, I began my research process and—after about a month—decided to gift her an annual calendar from Patek Philippe. It was by far the biggest purchase I had ever made, and together with some help from my dad, we made it work.
Not long after, I realized that I hadn’t stopped reading about watches, this time purely for my own enjoyment. That was how I knew I had caught the bug.
How would you describe your taste in watches?
That’s a great question and a tough one to answer, as I’m still figuring it out myself. I now focus on two types of watches: vintage pieces and modern creations by people I admire. My journey began with a passion for vintage Cartier, which later expanded to include vintage Patek Philippe. Today, I’m drawn to watches with personal meaning, often connected to the individuals behind the creations. Still, vintage remains closest to my heart—it’s humbling to be a custodian of objects that will outlive me, carrying their stories into future generations.
You take probably the most beautiful watch shots on Instagram. What’s your secret? And did a love of watches inspire you to up your photography game or was that always an interest of yours?
Honestly, all the credit goes to one thing: lighting. Natural light is my best friend when it comes to watch photography—it’s the only lighting condition I work with. My passion for photography began back in junior high, when I started experimenting with both film and digital formats. Over the years, I’ve developed a love for capturing landscapes and street scenes during my travels.
I’ve always envisioned @a.dose.of.time as a photography page, with watches serving merely as the subjects. The emphasis has always been on the artistry of photography itself. My goal has been to create a harmonious gallery of tranquil, visually soothing images that offer viewers their daily “dose” of watch content.
What was your favorite watch pickup of the year and why?
The Cartier “Temple Exclusive” Crash skeleton in platinum would probably be the most meaningful, as it coincidentally featured my school colors and was a way of commemorating an award I had received while in school for my lab project. It also came completely unexpected, and I was very elated to have gotten that “call” from Cartier.
What’s the piece you wore most this year?
Interestingly, I’ve probably had more empty-wristed days this year than in the past few. Since starting my consulting role at Phillips in New York, I’ve found it much more practical and comfortable to forgo wearing a watch on days when I’m handling and cataloging watches for our sales. Wearing my watches can sometimes be distracting, and I prefer to focus fully on the pieces we’ve curated for the auctions. That said, if I had to choose, my first series Patek 3970 or my Kari Voutilainen likely received the most wrist time in 2024.
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