Some actors collect watches because they appreciate the mechanics, the craftsmanship and the occasional opportunity to put something extremely expensive on their wrist. Ravi Kishan, however, seems to approach his timepieces with rather more character, much like the roles he has built his career around. Having moved effortlessly through Bhojpuri cinema, Bollywood, television and politics, Kishan is now returning to the notoriously chaotic world of Mirzapur:The Movie, which is set to arrive in cinemas on September 4, 2026. The actor is once again stepping into the spotlight with the franchise’s familiar mix of power, ambition and mayhem. Away from the guns, gangsters and political manoeuvring of Purvanchal, however, Kishan’s wrist tells a rather different story, one involving some of the biggest names in Swiss watchmaking, from the unmistakable elegance of Cartier to the technical fireworks of Audemars Piguet, Hublot and Richard Mille. Because when your professional life involves playing characters who are constantly fighting over power, it certainly helps to have a few serious complications keeping track of the time.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked is hardly the sort of watch one buys because the battery has run out. It is a serious piece of haute horlogerie, built around one of the brand’s most technically interesting innovations: the double balance wheel system. Instead of relying on a conventional single balance wheel, the movement uses two balance wheels and two hairsprings mounted on the same axis, working together to improve stability and precision. The openworked architecture then makes a considerable effort to ensure you can actually see what you have paid for. With its unmistakable Royal Oak case and integrated bracelet, it combines the industrial geometry that made the collection famous with the sort of mechanical theatre that appeals to serious collectors.
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Santos de Cartier Skeleton
Then there is the Santos de Cartier Skeleton, which demonstrates that Kishan’s collection is not entirely interested in shouting. The Santos has one of the most recognisable silhouettes in watchmaking, tracing its origins to the pioneering aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, but the skeletonised version turns the normally restrained Cartier design into something considerably more revealing. Much of the dial is opened up to expose the movement beneath, with the Roman numerals effectively becoming structural elements of the architecture. It is elegant, recognisable and mechanically interesting without looking as though it has been designed specifically to frighten small children. In a collection that includes some serious horological machinery, the Santos provides the necessary dose of sophistication.
Hublot Big Bang
The Hublot Big Bang takes an entirely different route. If the Santos is wearing a tailored suit, the Big Bang has turned up in a leather jacket and asked where the loud music is. Hublot’s signature chronograph became one of the defining watches of contemporary luxury sports horology by combining an oversized presence with an aggressively modern approach to materials, construction and design. The layered case architecture, prominent bezel and bold dial give it the visual impact expected from a watch designed to be noticed from across the room. It also makes sense for Kishan, whose public image has always been considerably more expressive than understated. The Big Bang does not attempt to disappear beneath a cuff. It arrives first and introduces itself afterwards.
Richard Mille RM 11-03 Flyback Chronograph
And then we reach the Richard Mille RM 11-03 Flyback Chronograph, where the phrase “luxury watch” begins to sound rather inadequate. Richard Mille watches have become synonymous with extreme engineering, lightweight materials and an unapologetically futuristic approach to mechanical watchmaking, and the RM 11-03 is very much part of that school of thought. Its tonneau shaped case houses a flyback chronograph, allowing the chronograph to be reset and restarted with a single operation, while the openworked construction gives the wearer an uninterrupted view of the mechanical architecture. The watch was designed with performance in mind, using advanced materials and a construction philosophy closer to motorsport engineering than traditional dress watchmaking. It is large, technical and gloriously complicated, which is essentially horological shorthand for saying that it is not interested in being sensible.
