BTS’s V is back on the horology scene. Having finished his South Korean military service in June to the A.R.M.Y’s delight (no, we don’t mean his fellow soldiers – that’s the name of the septet’s fanbase), the singer is wearing bigger timepieces than ever. And the ticker he wore for Vogue World 2025 is one of his most interesting yet.
For the magazine’s annual show-meets-fundraiser – which this year was hosted at Hollywood’s Paramount Studios as a celebration of the link between fashion and film – he wore a grey woollen overcoat with a matching grey wide-brim hat and a woven belt accessorised with norigae (Korean good luck charms). It got even more interesting when he lost the coat.
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The musician revealed a tailored, relaxed grey suit with a tonal shirt and tie. But the pièce de résistance was a Roger Lascelles timepiece hanging on a rope from his blazer pocket.
It’s a surprising choice in the very best way. Usually with K-Pop stars, it’s all iced-out Jaeger-LeCoultre watches or statement Cartiers (in fact, he’s the brand ambassador for the Panthere de Cartier line) – basically, the kind of watches that would set you back upwards of £50k.
The Roger Lascelles moment is a different story altogether. It’s actually not a watch at all – it’s a portable alarm clock which V (full name Kim Tae-hyung) has repurposed as a norigae-inspired pocket watch using a rope and decorative case.
The niche London-based clockmaker, founded in 1986, specialises in relatively basic antique-inspired quartz-powered clocks, from wall designs to standard alarm clocks as well as the teeny tiny size that Taehyung’s gone for. The best part? You can get one on the secondhand market for somewhere between £20 and £50.
Seeing as the guy’s got a hardcore fan base of over 69 million followers on IG, we’re expecting big things from the Roger Lascelles clock-pocket-watch flex. Just make sure you beat the A.R.M.Y Members to the limited few available on the pre-loved market – they know how to fight.