Many times, watches in movies are just another part of the background; a merely set dressing. But when watches are worn correctly, they not only add dimension to the film but deepen our understanding of the characters. In this article, we will take a look at the 21 most iconic watches worn in movies. Check them below…
1. Martin Seamus “Marty” McFly – Back to the Future – Casio CA53W Twincept Databank
Ask for something more futuristic and you’ll have to return to [check notes] Casio again?! The Casio CA53W Twincept Databank is well-fitted in the wrist of Marty McFly. And if the watch looks futuristic now, imagine how it would have been to go to the grocery store back in 1985 wearing one of these.
2. Matthew McConaughey – Wolf Of Wall Street (2013) — Rolex Datejust 36
Matthew McConaughey got his well-deserved Oscar back in 2014 for killing it in the Dallas Buyers Club but he was not wearing a watch at that time. So we dug a bit deeper and found out that he was sporting a 36mm Datejust Rolex while performing in the Wolf of Wall Street. Financial fraud, stockbroking, and living life in the fast lane: you could not be wearing something else on your wrist during those days.
3. Al Pacino – Scarface – Omega La Magique
“…You don’t have the guts to be what you want to be…You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your fucking fingers and say that’s the bad guy…” Hope I’m not going too loose with this one. It is one of my favorite scenes from Scarface and with this performance and scenario, who would have thought that Tony Montana (Al Pacino) was adorning his wrist with an elegant and equally beautiful Omega La Magique.
4. Ryan Reynolds – 6 Underground – Chopard
Everyone’s wearing a Chopard in 6 Underground: From the good to the bad guys and everyone in between! Chopard is well-presented in 6 Underground thanks to a lovely cast mentioning here Ryan Reynolds, Melanie Laurent, Dave Franco, Corey Hawkins, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. It sure is a publicity stunt but for as long as the movie is great and the watch is also that good, I have no complaints. 5 ★ from us!
5. Michael B Jordan – Without Remorse – Casio G-Shock GW7900B-1
In the Amazon movie, Without Remorse 2021, you will find Michael B Jordan, sporting a Casio G-Shock ref. GW7900B-1. The G-Shock is part of the G-Rescue series and comes with a large rugged case and a black resin band. Typical of Casio’s G-Shocks. Further features of the watch include Casio’s multiband 6 atomic timekeeping, which is solar-powered and has tide & moon data among many other features. Price the last time I checked? $150.
6. Pierce Brosnan – After The Sunset – Panerai
There are a couple of reasons I can list for the ones who haven’t watched After The Sunset to stop what they’re doing and go watch it (sure, after reading this article). First, Salma Hayek plays in the movie. Secondly, the plot is uncommon, the screenplay is great, and other actors like Pierce Brosnan, Don Cheadle, Naomie Harris, and Woody Harrelson, have helped bring one of the greatest movies of the 2000s. As for Panerai, it is a Luminor Marina reference PAM00091.
7. Robert Downey Jr. – Spider-Man: Homecoming – Hamilton Ventura Skeleton Auto
Ventura Skeleton Auto is a limited novelty watch part of a limited edition with only 999 pieces made. It was released in 2017 and made its debut in the wrist of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in the Spider-Man: Homecoming movie of the same year. It features an intricate spider web and an exposed gear dial in pure black.
8. Arnold Schwarzenegger – Terminator Genisys – Police Watches
Looking for a badass watch? You got it. Design-wise, Police watches, feature skeleton dials, other times engraved skulls. No surprise Arnold Schwarzenegger was wearing one in Terminator The Genisys and The Salvation as well.
9. Don Draper – Mad Man – Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
Don Draper joins the list of iconic movie characters and watches worn by them, just by putting a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso on his wrist. The iconic timepiece and its concept were born out of necessity. As you may or may not know, JLC Reverso came out as a solution back in 1934 for British officers in India who were looking for something that could resist while they played Polo. And here it is, on Don Draper’s wrist while amusing us in the Mad Man series.
10. Steve Carell – The Office – Timex Perpetual Calendar
The beloved character from The Office, Michael Scott (Steve Carell), was seen in many episodes wearing a humble Timex Perpetual Calendar. It is typically Timex affordable but unlike other Timex watches it mimics the sleek lines of a dress watch. The watch Michael Scott wore during his adventures in Dunder Mifflin was auctioned off in 2007 by NBC along with other items from other shows like 30 Rock, Las Vegas, and Friday Night Lights.
11. Pulp Fiction – “Gold Watch”
In Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece, you will find a very hilarious scene where Christopher Walken as Captain Koons has its 5 minutes with a family heirloom and its unique story. If you’re curious to know about the watch that involves a bit of rampant bodily smuggling, World Wars, and, we are referring to a legitimate field watch from WWI, but it is not definite. No one knows for sure what watch it specifically was the one in Pulp Fiction.
12. Jason Statham – Parker – Richard Mille
As a 20 years old watch brand, which is relatively young, Richard Mille has managed to put themselves on the horological map for good. And that is partially thanks to brand ambassadors. World-renowned and beloved celebrities opt for a Richard Mille and that’s because it looks good on the wrist and it’s accurate: It reminds you exactly how rich you are. Speaking of which, Jason Statham as his character Parker is on a mission and tries to disguise himself as a very wealthy man. He shows up with a Richard Mille on the wrist which appears to be a RM 011 Felipe Massa model.
13. Leonardo DiCaprio – Blood Diamond – Breitling Chrono Avenger
During his adventures in the movie Blood Diamond (2006), Leonardo DiCaprio is seen wearing a Breitling Chrono Avenger. The 44mm watch is made of titanium, it has a black dial, somehow mistaken by the blue reflection of the sapphire crystal.
14. Christian Bale – American Psycho – Rolex Datejust
It’s been a week now since I first watched American Psycho for the first time, albeit it was released over 20 years ago. Didn’t find it as good as people say it is. However, the screenplay was fine and the performance of Christian Bale was the only thing that made me go through the movie. Well, people like it for a reason and most definitely you should not miss it out. And if you’re going to enjoy a perfectly useless afternoon watching American Psycho, at the scene where William Defoe interrogates Christian Bale at his office, you’ll see the latter wearing a Rolex Datejust. This should be one of the few scenes as everyone from the characters could be wearing a Rolex but they disappear inside the sleeves.
15. Steve McQueen – Le Mans (1971) – Tag Heuer Monaco
Tag Heuer Monaco is “The Grail Watch” for many and it takes no effort to understand why. Its distinctive lines, accuracy, and its connection with the world of sport and motor racing cars add to its success. The watch was worn by the “King of Cool ” Steve McQueen during Le Mans released in 1971. Its antihero persona compliments the badass Tag Heuer Monaco.
16. Tom Hardy – Venom (2018) – Bremont U-2 51 JET
I find it reasonable for Tom Hardy, a London-born actor to kinda show his patriotism and promote the well-deserved Bremont brand. In the blockbuster movie Venom (2018) Tom Hardy is wearing a custom-made piece unique Bremont U-2 51 JET. The watch was made by the founders of the brand and Hardy decided to wear it on the set. “Tom has been a Bremont fan for some time” Nick English (co-founder of Bremont) said in an interview earlier in 2018.
17. Christian Bale – Batman Begins – Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Grande Taille
One of the richest people in the world, Bruce Wayne appears in one of the scenes of Batman Begins wearing a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Grande Taille. It also was Wayne’s watch of choice in The Dark Knight.
18. Daniel Craig – Casino Royale – Omega Seamaster Professional
In his debut in 2006 as the big screen’s most famous spy, Daniel Craig (The actual James Bond), adorned his wrist with not one but two Omega Seamasters. The Casino Royale James Bond wore an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M CO-Axial and an Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial.
In this one scene when Bond meets Eva Green (Vesper Lynd), she takes careful care of his watch. – Rolex? …she asks, eying his watch. – Omega, replies Bond.
19. Brad Pitt – Once upon a time in Hollywood – Citizen 8110A Automatic Bullhead
Brad Pitt is a jewelry collector in real life and the decision to equip his wrist with a Citizen 8110A Automatic Bullhead in that eye-catching extra-wide bund leather watchband gave initial thought to some of us. It couldn’t pass unnoticed! Well, it is part of the set dressing and also deepens the character of Cliff Booth, a halfway there broke stuntman in 1969’s Hollywood.
20. Matt Damon – Bourne Trilogy – TAG Heuer Link Chronograph
It could not pass unnoticed. The watch that was worn by the Oscar-winning actor Matt Demon, starring in the Bourne Trilogy is a TAG Heuer Link Chronograph: Model CT1111. BA0550. While dealing with amnesia and someone always trying to kill him every now and then, Jason Bourne got himself a nice Tag Heuer Link Chronograph to keep track of time and look even cooler.
21. Brian Cox – Succession – Patek Philippe
If you’ve seen at least just one episode of the Succession, you already know what it is all about. The family competition, drama, deals, spirit of entrepreneurship, and all the power and money within the big patriarch family. No wonder the wrists of the characters are adorned by brands like Patek Philippe, Cartier, Panerai, Rolex, and Vacheron Constantin. But this one scene where the patriarch of the big family, Logan Roy (Brian Cox) receives a Patek Philippe for his birthday from his son-in-law tops them all. The way the billionaire receives the gift, the creme-de-la-creme of watches, gives us all a lesson about materialism.
