On the big screen, what our protagonists wear can say more than their dialogue ever could. The choices go beyond aesthetics and can show what’s underneath the character. It’s the subtle touch, an intentional detail that grounds the character in our world (even if they are a superspy or a timeline-jumping martial artist). In the case of watches, the choices can betray whether your favorite protagonist values function over luxury, or vice versa.
Rolling Stone Philippines rounded up several iconic timepieces in cinema that not only kept the story moving, but also became an integral part of a character’s narrative arc.
The Rolex Submariner in the ‘James Bond’ franchise
Every leading man who’s stepped into the role of James Bond has also had to don the suave, dapper style of the famous superspy. Nothing emphasized this more than in the franchise’s first three movies, than the timeless Rolex.
Sean Connery as James Bond in Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), and Goldfinger (1964) sports a Rolex Submariner ref. 6538, a highly precise tool watch explicitly designed for scuba diving (perfect for spies who frequently find themselves in underwater danger). The franchise propelled the model to collector stardom, earning it the alias, “The James Bond Rolex.”
The Tag Heuer Link Chronograph in ‘The Bourne Trilogy’
Matt Damon gets up to some pretty dangerous stunts as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). Despite crawling up buildings, engaging in high-speed car chases, and crashing his car underwater, Bourne consistently wears a sporty Tag Heuer Link Chronograph, proving that the model can endure the most dangerous day-to-day tasks of the covert operative.
The Casio A158WA in ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’
While the affordable and functional digital watch has been a staple of minimalists, 80s enthusiasts, and practical engineers, the Casio A158WA made a star cameo in the Academy Award-winning A24 sci-fi, Everything Everywhere All At Once. Waymond Wang, played by Ke Huy Quan, sports the model both when he’s running the laundromat and when he’s kicking ass as his alternate timeline version, Alpha-Waymond.
The IWC Ingenieur in ‘F1: The Movie’
Since 186, IWC Schaffhausen has built a steady reputation for being one of the most luxurious and timeless watch brands. It makes sense that Brad Pitt (who himself is a watch enthusiast), in preparation for his role, reached out to IWC about customizing a watch for his character, racer-for-hire Sonny Hayes. The result was a sleek, old-school model that paid homage to a vintage Ingenieur SL ref. 1832 while including a slimmer frame and a vibrant olive green dial.
For the avid watch collector, IWC Schaffhausen has also recently introduced IWC. Curated., its offering of hand-picked historical IWC watches. Individually selected by experts from the IWC Museum, the collection features some of the most significant models of the brand’s watchmaking history, with each one meticulously inspected, restored, and serviced by IWC’s dedicated watchmakers.
