Look at Jensen Huang’s wrist at any public appearance and you will notice something missing. No Rolex, no Patek Philippe – nothing. For a man whose net worth is $130 billion and who has spent over three decades leading one of the world’s most valuable technology companies, the bare wrist is a deliberate choice.
And the reason behind it says more about his philosophy than almost anything else he has ever said in public.
“Very few people know this, but I don’t wear a watch”
According to Fortune, Huang first revealed the habit publicly at the Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association conference in 2023, where he said simply: “Very few people know this, but I don’t wear a watch. Now is the most important time – just dedicate yourself to now.”
The reason? A very uncomplicated one. He elaborated further:
“I don’t aspire to do more. I aspire to do better at what I’m currently doing” Rather than chasing the next milestone, Huang said he waits for the world to come to him – a reasoning that feels almost at odds for a CEO, especially the CEO of a company that has become synonymous with the AI revolution. He summed up is philosophy with this line, “the present moment matters most.”
As per Benzinga, this extends directly into how he runs Nvidia. “People who know me understand that Nvidia operates without a detailed long-term plan,” he said. “Our definition of a ‘long-term plan’ is simply: what are we working on today?”
The gardener in Kyoto who changed everything
The deeper roots of Huang’s philosophy trace back to a single encounter in Japan. As per the Times of India, during a 2023 visit to a moss-covered temple garden in Kyoto, Huang stopped to speak with a gardener who had been tending the same space for over 25 years using small tweezers and minimal tools. Huang asked how he managed such meticulous, painstaking work.
The gardener’s response was four words: “I have plenty of time.” The exchange stopped Huang in his tracks. “I rarely find myself chasing things,” he said. “I concentrate on the present and truly enjoy my work.” It is a story he has returned to repeatedly in interviews – showing just how impactful that brief encounter was in shaping Huang’s life
As per Fortune, Huang has been wearing his signature all-black leather jacket for at least 20 years – a spokesperson confirmed this to the New York Times – making the watchless wrist part of a broader, consistent personal uniform built around simplicity and presence.
The irony, as Fortune notes, is that the man who refuses to track time has spent 31 years at the helm of a company that has arguably shaped more of the future than almost any other. “I don’t have a watch,” he has said. “I’m focused on now.”