Luxury Timepieces and Custom Gems: The Real Cost of Tennis Excellence at the U.S. Open

When Million-Dollar Wrists Take Center Court

The U.S. Open isn’t just a battle for championship titles—it’s also where the world’s highest-paid athletes flaunt some of the most expensive wristwear and jewelry collections in sports. From custom diamond necklaces commemorating tournament milestones to timepieces that cost more than luxury sports cars, elite tennis competitors are turning the court into a runway for ultra-premium accessories.

The Price Tag of Prestige: Who’s Wearing What

Aryna Sabalenka, world No. 1, made a statement in her opening match with an entirely custom collection from Material Good. Her first-round victory was marked by a choker featuring eight pear-cut stones (seven white diamonds plus one imperial topaz), paired with a tourmaline necklace also set with eight small diamonds and matching drop earrings. While each custom piece carries its own valuation, comparable Material Good creations typically retail between $2,800 and $13,400.

The custom route also proved popular with other competitors. Madison Keys (ranked No. 6) debuted as Brilliant Earth’s inaugural athlete ambassador, sporting a specially designed $1,350 gold medallion necklace bearing her name. The piece features a four-leaf clover motif on one side and nine diamonds along its outer edge, complemented by embossed charms representing a horseshoe, sun, moon, heart, and key.

For those preferring established luxury partners, Amanda Anisimova (No. 8) turned to Tiffany & Co.'s Hardware Collection, accumulating over $10,000 in gold pieces across multiple items including two bracelets, earrings, and a pendant necklace worn during her Wednesday match.

The Watch Wars: Strategic Brand Alignments

The timepiece sponsorship landscape at the Open reveals significant shuffles among top-tier players. Alexander Zverev (Men’s No. 3) transitioned his endorsement from Richard Mille to Jacob & Co. this year, debuting what appears to be a model from the Epic X collection—retail range spanning $24,000 to $140,000—during his Tuesday appearance.

Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev (No. 15) switched from Bvlgari to Vanguart, showcasing what appears to be the same $180,000 titanium Orb timepiece he initially displayed at Wimbledon this summer during his Monday victory over Dino Prižmić.

Jessica Pegula (Women’s No. 4) and Emma Navarro (No. 11) both opted for the approximately $90,000 DB28xs Starry Seas from Swiss manufacturer De Bethune during their early-round matches, with American Tommy Paul set to wear the brand’s $90,000 DB28xs Steel Wheels model later in the tournament.

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (Women’s No. 12) selected Hublot’s $24,000 Spirit of Big Bang Steel Pavé diamond watch—the same brand sponsoring Novak Djokovic—for her Monday competition.

The Rolex Dynasty and Beyond

Rolex maintains its commanding presence in professional tennis, with sponsorship deals covering seven of the top 10 men’s and women’s players. Jannik Sinner (Men’s No. 1), a Rolex-sponsored competitor and Gucci global ambassador, previously wore a Daytona worth nearly $40,000 following his Wimbledon victory and a GMT Master II ‘Root Beer’ (retailing at $18,000) after his U.S. Open championship run last year.

Sabalenka carries dual luxury affiliations, maintaining her Audemars Piguet sponsorship alongside her custom jewelry partnerships. She previously captured the trophy while wearing a pink gold Royal Oak Offshore set with 32 baguette-cut rainbow gemstones valued at $114,000. Her Audemars Piguet partnerships have extended to wearing a $91,300 Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph while promoting collaboration campaigns.

At last month’s Cincinnati Open, champion Carlos Alcaraz lifted his trophy sporting a $38,000 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in Tiffany-blue—a nod to the tournament’s official trophy partner.

The Stratosphere: When Watches Cost Seven Figures

The upper echelon of tennis-related timepieces exists in an almost unimaginable price territory. Rafael Nadal, who retired last year, wore multiple Richard Mille watches valued at over $1 million throughout his career. His celebrated collaboration with the brand produced ten distinct models, including the $1.05 million RM 27-04 worn during his 2020 French Open and 2022 Australian Open victories, and the RM 27-05 manual winding flying tourbillon valued at $1.1 million at the 2024 French Open. These timepieces now command secondary market prices between $2 million and $3 million.

Alexander Zverev previously represented Richard Mille’s athlete partnerships, collaborating in 2018 to develop the RM 67-02—an ultra-light automatic watch featuring German flag colors retailing around $350,000.

Beyond the Court: Celebrity Spectators and Their Collections

The luxury accessory phenomenon extends well beyond competing athletes. Last year’s tournament attracted celebrity spectators sporting exceptional timepieces in the stands. Roger Federer, newly joined the billionaires’ club, sat beside Rolex’s CEO while wearing the brand’s ultra-rare Daytona 100th Anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans Yellow Gold model, estimated at over $250,000.

Other notable spectators included music icon John Mayer, Olympic champion Simone Biles, comedian Kevin Hart, rapper Travis Scott, NFL star Patrick Mahomes, and retired tennis legend Serena Williams—all photographed wearing premium Audemars Piguet timepieces. NFL player Travis Kelce opted for a Rolex Day-Date in 18K yellow gold featuring baguette-cut diamonds, while basketball talent Jayson Tatum selected a rose gold Patek Philippe.

The celebrity watch culture at the Open mirrors the competitors’ approach: each athlete and spectator strategically selects their timepiece not just for functionality but as a statement of status and taste within a community where seven-figure wristwear is casually observed.

Official Sponsorships Shape the Experience

The U.S. Open itself maintains luxury partnerships that frame the tournament’s identity. Tiffany & Co. renewed its multi-year official trophy partner contract in 2023, crafting five distinct awards annually—two Sterling silver Singles Championship trophies standing 18 inches tall and weighing nine pounds each, plus three Doubles Championship trophies weighing 5.5 pounds. The brand operates an on-site pop-up experience featuring a bespoke tennis racket embedded with 5 carats of diamonds alongside a 24-karat gold vermeil ball stitched with nearly 7 carats of diamonds.

Rolex has served as the “official timekeeper” since 2018, with branded clocks throughout the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Polo Ralph Lauren functions as the official outfitter and fashion partner, completing the luxury ecosystem that surrounds professional tennis at its highest level.

These official partnerships reflect how the U.S. Open has become as much a luxury brand showcase as a sporting championship, where the accessories worn on and off court communicate wealth, taste, and access to an exclusive circle of premium craftsmanship.