When it comes to the Jonas Brothers, talent – and good taste – clearly runs in the family.
Nick, Joe and Kevin all boast rather impressive watch collections, the three musical siblings all sharing a passion for haute horlogerie. Youngest brother Nick’s is particularly lavish, with the 29-year-old regularly rocking Richard Milles and diamond-encrusted Bulgaris, and eldest brother Kevin’s is the most understated, both in terms of quantity as well as sheer value.
But Joe’s is perhaps the most mature. The middle brother owns a truly diverse range of watches from a wide variety of watchmakers: Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Maurice Lacroix… But his favourite brand is easily Rolex – indeed, he’s rarely seen without his white gold GMT-Master. But his favourite watch, another Rolex, is a bit more obscure.
Out with brother Nick in New York last week, Joe was spotted having a cup of joe at Hugh Jackman’s New York café, Laughing Man Coffee, wearing a 1960s Rolex Oysterdate ‘Mickey Mouse’ – an eclectic choice with a rather emotional backstory.
While it’s funny that a celebrity that got his start on the Disney Channel would rock a vintage ‘Rollie’ with Mickey Mouse on the dial, Joe’s not just wearing this for brand loyalty’s sake. Nick actually gifted the watch to Joe, his best man, ahead of Nick’s wedding to Priyanka Chopra in 2018. According to Joe, it was the same watch their grandfather wore his entire life – a touching, thoughtful gift.
Mickey Mouse watches are a time-honoured tradition, the famous fictional rodent appearing on everything from mass-produced tchotchkes to high-end Gérald Genta retrograde pieces. Rolex, too, had a rather unlikely licensing deal with Disney from the 60s up until the 80s. Typically, Mickey Mouse watches use Mickey’s hands as watch hands, but Rolex’s take on the genre use standard hands and hour markers, a somewhat unusual choice.
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Prices for Mickey Mouse Rolexes vary wildly. For example, this 1972 model that’s very similar to Jonas’ successfully sold at a Christie’s auction for US$9,375 back in 2019. It wouldn’t be out of the question to assume that Jonas’ watch is worth five figures – but the sentimental value makes it truly priceless.
The grandfather connection aside, Mickey Mouse watches are actually a real ‘watch nerd’ thing. Joe rocking such an idiosyncratic piece speaks volumes about his character as well as his passion for horology: in short, real men wear Disney watches.
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It’s also nice that the Jonas Brothers have this shared passion for watches. Maybe that’s why they’ve been able to stay successful as a band (and largely drama-free in the public eye) for so long: shared passions and interests beyond simply being siblings.
Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to tell our siblings we expect to be gifted a Rolex when we get married. Seems only fair…