OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly commissioned seven ultra-exclusive Swiss watches, with one for himself and six gifted to colleagues at the artificial intelligence company. All seven custom watches are inspired by Vanguart’s futuristic titanium Orb model, which starts at about $180,000 (approximately ₹1.5 crore).
These watches are far from typical corporate merchandise. They are among the more unusual employee gifts in OpenAI’s history, according to the Wall Street Journal. The extravagant gifts also highlight Silicon Valley’s culture of excess and its growing influence on the luxury collectables market.
OpenAI’s $180,000 AI-themed watches
The seven watches were developed by independent Swiss watchmaker Vanguart, specifically for OpenAI. This is the company’s lowest production amount ever recorded, with less than 200 watches produced in total, the OpenAI batch being rare.
Some of the images released by the Wall Street Journal include the OpenAI logo on the watches and various mentions of AI. The words “COMPUTE IS DESTINY” are carved around the rotor, and “SCALING” is on the crown pusher.
Perhaps the most tech-focused detail on the caseback is the “if AGI.aligned: deploy()” in Python-style. The inscription was in reference to the concept of using AI for “peaceful purposes”, says Vanguart co-founder Axel Leuenberger in a conversation with the WSJ.
According to Vanguart Chairman and Co-founder Mehmet Koruturk, about a third of Vanguart’s 33 employees were involved in the OpenAI project.
Not OpenAI’s first luxury watch gift
The watches are not OpenAI’s first high-end timepieces for its staff. According to a report, about 400 of these watches were made and were equipped with the OpenAI logo and the inscription “Good Research Takes Time” and were reportedly presented to OpenAI employees earlier this month by its CEO, Boris Power.
However, the Vanguart watches are in a completely different league. Starting at $180,000, they’re more in the ultra-luxury category than company swag, and the employee gift is more like a collectable.
Altman is also interested in luxury watches and cars. He’s been spotted wearing a Greubel Forsey worth approximately $650,000.
He has a Koenigsegg Regera and a McLaren F1. He has also owned several high-priced homes, including properties in San Francisco, a ranch in Napa Valley, and an estate in Hawaii.
While the watches might appear a bit over the top, they also reflect the grand image OpenAI has of itself as a company at the forefront of AI technology, with the exclusive benefits that come with that sort of luxury look like something out of an old-fashioned time. Getting one of the less than 200 Vanguart watches ever made is definitely a memorable moment of your time at OpenAI for 6 employees.
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