Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently on a two-day official visit to India, has been participating in multiple events alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. While diplomatic engagements are at the centre of attention, an unexpected topic has gained momentum across the country — the Russian leader’s fascination with luxury watches.
Putin is known for his passion for premium timepieces, many of which fall into the extremely high price range. According to reports, some watches from his personal collection are valued up to 5 million yuan, sparking widespread curiosity about the accessories he chooses to wear during international visits.
One of the most talked-about watches in his collection is a crocodile-leather timepiece, which the Russian President frequently wears. Experts say this particular model is among the most valuable in his collection and carries a price tag of around $500,000, roughly Rs 4.5 crore. The watch is crafted using sapphire crystal, platinum and crocodile leather, making it one of the rarest and most expensive of its kind.
Putin’s inclination towards premium watches has been well-documented over the years. A Moscow Times report notes that he was spotted about a decade ago wearing a Patek Philippe Perpetual valued at $60,000 (approximately Rs 48 lakh). He has also been photographed wearing the Blancpain Léman Aqua Lung Grande Date, another high-end watch worth nearly Rs 1 million.
His attachment to luxury watches has occasionally made headlines for personal gestures as well. According to The Guardian, Putin once gifted a Blancpain watch worth £5,500 to a factory worker. The worker’s son later shared that the family had never imagined receiving such an expensive gift, highlighting the President’s tendency to express his affection through premium timepieces.
The scale of his watch collection also surfaced publicly when the Russian opposition party Solidarity released a video showcasing various expensive models worn by Putin on different occasions. The video, which went viral online, estimated the total value of his luxury watches at 22 million rubles, further reinforcing the Russian leader’s reputation as a collector of rare and ultra-premium timepieces.