Anant Ambani, the youngest billionaire heir to the Reliance Industries empire, has an opulent taste in watches that screams extravagance. His collection, featuring Richard Mille and Jacob & Co. pieces, boasts a value in the millions, ranging from a custom Vantara timepiece immortalising his legacy to the one that caught Mark Zuckerberg’s eye at his wedding.
At a recent outing, Ambani flaunted Jacob & Co.’s one-of-a-kind Opera Godfather Baguette ‘Shiva’. Called a “musical masterpiece”, the watch is a crafty reimagination of the Godfather Baguette series. It features a Shiva figurine and is adorned with over 1000 diamonds. The watch also houses a music box that plays a signature tune with ‘Om’ placed on the dial. According to Watch of Luxy, it is valued at nearly $2 million (about Rs 12 crore).
Over 650 moving parts, 300 baguette diamonds, and a musical watch
The Jacob & Co. Opera Godfather Baguette “Shiva” watch, worn effortlessly by Anant Ambani, takes the brand’s signature musical timepiece to an entirely new level. Transforming it into a striking one-of-a-kind creation, the Shiva watch is crafted in 18K rose gold and is lavishly set with hundreds of precisely cut baguette diamonds, giving it a dramatic, jewel-like elevation on the wrist.
Inside, the piece is just as extraordinary as its exterior. The intricate movement, made up of 658 components, brings the watch to life through a fully animated mechanism. At its centre sits a hand-crafted figurine of Lord Shiva, a Hindu deity in his meditative state. The miniature idol, which also accompanies the Hindu symbol of ‘Om’, is placed within a mesmerising flying triple-axis tourbillon that continuously rotates, an ode to the complexity of the engineering.
The watch’s theatrical appeal is multiplied by the signature miniature music box mechanism. With the press of a button, it plays the iconic theme from The Godfather through an elaborate 120-note system, turning the timepiece into a mechanical performance as much as a watch.
The result is a remarkable blend of haute horology, jewellery craftsmanship and artistic storytelling—making this singular creation as much a collector’s showpiece as it is a functional timekeeper.
Anant Ambani’s watch collection
Estimated to be around Rs 200 crore, billionaire Anant Ambani’s watch collection tells much more than time. With some of the most iconic pieces ever made, the Ambani heir houses them in his collection, with a Rolex not even on the list.
Reportedly worth as high as Rs 75 crore, from the Swiss luxury watchmaker, Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime 6300G-010 is one of the only seven pieces ever made. The others in his collection include Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon 6002R-001 (~Rs 44 cr) and the Minute Repeater from the haute horologist, estimated to be between Rs 10-15 crore, an unlisted piece reserved for elite clientele
While several of these timepieces are hardly available off the shelf, they are rarely mentioned in catalogues, too. Made for the ultra-VVIP, they are ultra-rare and reserved for the richest.
He also owns several Richard Mille timepieces, also an elite Swiss horologist with French origins. The collection is estimated to be worth over Rs 50 crore, with limited edition pieces like the Rafael Nadal, Koi Fish, and Skull Blue Sapphire eitions from the Richard Mille collection.