The Bold New Era: F1 Jewelry and Lewis Hamilton
In a sport built on speed, Lewis Hamilton changes Formula One forever, on and off the track.
Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers Press Conference during F1 Testing on February 18, 2026, in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Getty Images)
In 2022, Formula One driver du jour Lewis Hamilton broke ground by defying the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s (FIA) strict enforcement of its rule that no driver should wear jewelry during races. His argument: he couldn’t actually remove his distinctive diamond nose stud. That year, at the Miami Grand Prix, he reaffirmed his taste for bling, appearing adorned with three watches, multiple diamond rings, neck chains, and diamond stud earrings. A new era for luxury jewelry and motorsport had begun.
Seven-time World Champion, Hamilton famously told a reporter from The New York Times, “They say diamonds are a woman’s best friend. I disagree because they can be the same for men. I’m probably the only man in my sport who wears diamonds.”
Meet the Experts
Julian Day is a costume designer known for creating iconic, character-defining wardrobes in films including Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, Rush, and F1.
Jewelry designer Stephen Webster is known for his bold, “rock ‘n’ roll” aesthetic, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern, edgy designs.
Mike O’Connor is the founder of RESS Racing and a former F1 driver.
Since then, other F1 drivers, including Yuki Tsunoda in Chrome Hearts designs, Max Verstappen in his cord bracelets, and Romain Grosjean, who once refused to remove his diamond wedding band, have followed suit. Drivers now regularly wear jewelry not merely as promotion, but as an expression of personality and a rejection of traditional on-track norms.
As F1, entertainment, and fashion continue to converge, 2026 may be the year Formula One and luxury jewelry finally become true bedfellows.
The Old Glamour of Racing
While Formula One and elite motor racing have always been synonymous with a beau monde glamour, in the pre-social media era, motorsport stars were celebrated as much for their mystique as for their perceived timeless style.
The same was true of actors in the old glamour era who tried to capture something of the adrenaline, discipline, and masculinity needed to make it to the top of the grid: Steve McQueen (Le Mans), Paul Newman (Winning), who later co-founded the IndyCar team Newman/Haas Racing, and later the films such as Days of Thunder and Rush. Their only accessories were more understated symbols: a Rolex Daytona watch (the design has now been reinvented in 18K white gold and crowned with 36 brilliant-cut diamonds) or Persol 714 sunglasses.
BAFTA-nominated costume designer Julian Day, known for his work on larger-than-life film characters and creating the costumes for both films Rush and F1, notes the evolution of F1 stars and style. “Some of our previous and contemporary drivers have always had a distinct style and brought a certain fashion to the table,” he says. “But Lewis Hamilton has really broken the role of what a driver should dress like. His use of contemporary clothing and luxury brands has been a joy to watch.”
Among Hamilton’s most striking jewels worn from the cockpit are his 3.5mm Invisible Set diamond nose stud by New York-based luxury piercing brand Maria Tash and his “Divorce Ring” by the original “Rock ‘n’ Roll” jeweler, British-born Stephen Webster, MBE. “His team reached out to us when he was moving from Mercedes to Ferrari [in 2025] to design something with a ‘red stone’. I created a 10-stone signet ring with a red garnet,” Webster says. “My daughter coined the term ‘divorce’ about the ring due to his team move and it just stuck!”
F1 Jewelry and the Movies
The merging of modern-day F1 and entertainment has further conjoined luxury diamonds and motorsport, an arena where brands once only dabbled. A few years ago, it was a case of life reflects art when a marketing stunt at the Monaco Grand Prix to promote the new jewel-heist film Ocean’s Twelve turned into a mystery. Jaguar teamed up with Warner Bros. and Steinmetz Diamonds, mounting a 1.4-carat diamond on the nose of the car. When the race driver crashed, the diamond was never recovered.
This year’s Academy Award-nominated F1 film presents a more compelling case for the convergence of luxury jewelry and motorsport. Executive produced by Lewis Hamilton and starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, Pitt’s portrayal of male rebel, Sonny, includes his own jewels: layered necklaces featuring a distinctive emerald pendant on a beaded chain, a gold snake chain with an evil eye motif, and a silver chain with a spade medallion. Julian Day enthuses, “Brad loves jewelry and had his own [pieces] designed. My thoughts when creating the costumes and jewelry for the film were, ‘What would a young Lewis Hamilton wear now?’”
Hamilton clearly loves jewelry, and it makes other guys look at him like a hero, comfortable wearing bold pieces too.
Stephen Webster, MBE, synonymous with fearless, innovative jewelry, has been designing for rebellious men and women for five decades, and attests to Hamilton’s power to give timeless designs new seductive appeal. “We were like, ‘Wow, this is a new audience,” Webster says. “Hamilton clearly loves jewelry, and it makes other guys look at him like a hero, comfortable wearing bold pieces too.”
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Ring Effect
The first of Webster’s bold jewels worn by Hamilton was his signature “Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll” statement ring, first launched in 1999. Made using the ancient reverse intaglio technique, this not-for-the-shy piece comes in several iterations, including black onyx and white pavé diamonds.
Hamilton’s version, in 18K yellow gold and a cross-shape in golden citrine, caught fans’ attention during his recent appearance on the cult talk show Hot Ones, introducing a new Gen Z audience to the original design. Webster explains, “Times are so different than when I first launched the ring. Then, the only men who felt they could wear such a statement piece were in entertainment. It is due to hugely influential stars like Lewis Hamilton that men from all walks of life will now have a big rock inscribed with “Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll” as part of their everyday wear.”
Where Speed Meets Shine
This year, jewelry design inspiration is quite literally coming from the dashboard itself. Ress Racing has launched a jewelry line made from the metal of F1 cars. Founder and former F1 driver Mike O’Connor says, “Each collection is limited edition because the source material is finite – these are parts from the cars driven by the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and Niki Lauda. To wear the actual metal once driven to victory by the world’s greatest drivers is to carry a real piece of that moment with you. It transforms being a fan from something you watch into something you physically connect with.”
