Pope Leo XIV’s watch: Everything you need to know about the brand, style and where to buy it

Robert Francis Prevost, who has been elected as the first ever American head of the Catholic Church, will be a “second Pope Francis”, according to the new pontiff’s brother.

And eagled-eyed online sleuths appear to have identified one particular way in which Prevost is indeed set to emulate Francis.

The subject of their scrutiny is, we can all agree, a crucially important question, second in precedence only to the new pope’s choice of name: what watch does he wear?

“Back to tradition” with attire - but watch follows Francis

When Prevost was unveiled as pope yesterday, stepping out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, his initial choice of attire was actually identified as a departure from his predecessor.

While Francis opted for the extreme simplicity of all-white garments after being elected in 2013, Prevost - who has chosen to be known as Pope Leo XIV - added more ornate, red and gold flourishes to his look.

“Pope Leo XIV swayed back to tradition” with his choice of robes, notes USA Today’s Greta Cross.

However, albeit it is not quite as basic as the $50 Swatch timepiece worn by Francis, the watch spotted on Leo’s wrist appears to be pretty much in keeping with the former pope’s restrained tastes.

Although the internet continues to debate the exact identity of the black and red number seen peeking out from underneath his sleeve, it is widely believed to have been made by the Swiss brand Wenger.

The Watch Business, a social-media handle that specializes in watch-related content, has identified the pope’s accessory as belonging to Wenger’s Ranger series.

“Simple, understated choice”

A company that says its products are “reliable, functional, [and] well-designed,” Wenger describes itself as a watch maker for people who “like to put their trust in top quality at a reasonable price”.

“It’s a simple, understated choice,” says the online watch expert Wrist Enthusiast. “This model is currently out of stock, but like most Wengers, it retailed for under $200. A watch that fits the moment and the man.”

Wenger watches sell for just a fraction of the cost of the timepieces worn by the two popes that came before Leo and Francis.

John Paul II, who was pope from 1978 to 2005, was known for his appreciation of the luxury brand Rolex. During his pontificate, for example, the Pole was seen sporting a Rolex Datejust, whose cheapest model is available at a mid-four-figure price.

Meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI also had high-end preferences. The Bavarian, who served from 2005 until his resignation in 2013, was known to wear the Erhard Junghans Tempus Automatic, a luxury piece by the German manufacturer Junghans.

“Very down-to-earth”

A man described as “very down-to-earth” by ABC papal commentator Rev. James Martin, Leo’s apparently modest choice of watch - like his choice of name - seems consistent with the picture that’s developing of the 267th pontiff: an unassuming individual who is expected to be an ally to the disadvantaged, as Francis was.

“I think he’ll follow right in [Francis’s] footsteps working for the underprivileged,” Leo’s brother, John Prevost, told the Chicago media outlet WBBM yesterday.

The new pope has “a deep feeling for the disenfranchised, for the poor, for those who were not listened to”, John Prevost continued.

Speaking to Reuters in the wake of Leo’s election as pope, Rev. Mark Francis agreed that the Illinois native is “a voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church’s outreach to the poor”.

Rev. Francis, who has known the pope since the 1970s, added: “He has a wry sense of humour, but was not someone who sought the limelight.”

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