Since the golden age began in the late 1920s, Hollywood has been synonymous with glamour, luxury and style. It is hardly surprising, then, that the luxury watch should have a particular place in the industry – both in the films themselves and adorning the top stars away from the cameras.
Some of the world’s most iconic watches have been featured on the silver screen. Whilst they are sometimes integral to the plot, they always offer a statement about the character wearing them. Here we present a selection of our favourites.
Le Mans: The Tag Heuer Monaco
Steve McQueen was highly regarded as “The King of Cool” when he made his passion project, the 1971 film Le Mans, in which he plays a driver competing in the legendary 24 hour race. Although he is said to have been approached by Omega, he chose a TAG Heuer Monaco watch for the film, which is easily recognisable by its square blue face and twin subdials. The same type of watch would also later be worn by Bryan Cranston’s character Walter White in the critically acclaimed TV series, Breaking Bad.
A new feature documentary, Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans, featuring previously unseen footage, is set to premier at the Cannes Film Festival this weekend.
Fifty Shades of Grey: Omega Seamaster and Speedmaster
Whilst the film (and the books upon which it is based) certainly divided opinion, the watches do offer a touch of class. The character Christian Grey wears Omega both in the books and on-screen; an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Chronograph and an Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Co-Axial Chronograph were used for the film. It’s an excellent choice, albeit an oddly accessible one for a billionaire who appears otherwise quite ostentatious with his wealth. Perhaps author research is to blame –one of the later books describes a platinum Omega watch given to the character Ana, but it’s not possible to match the description with any existing style.
Apollo 13: The Omega Speedmaster
Apollo 13 tells the story of the ill-fated mission to the moon in 1970. The film-makers went to some lengths to achieve both technical and historical accuracy, barring some decisions which were made for dramatic reasons. Therefore, it was important to have the correct watches; the Omega Speedmaster, which has a long association with NASA. It was, after all, the only mechanical watch certified by the space program, and it had already been to the moon with the Apollo 11 program.
Kingsman: The Secret Service: Bremont
The recent film Kingsman: The Secret Service is a very British spy action-comedy movie, based on a comic book by English and Scottish writers. The film-makers reached out to a range of heritage brands to create the wardrobe for the film, including Cutler and Gross eyewear, George Cleverley shoes and, of course, Bremont watches. The limited edition Kingsman range created for the film includes the black DLC version worn by the trainee agents in the film, as well as the rose-gold and steel versions worn by their mentors. Keen-eyed viewers will also note Bremont co-founder Nick English in a cameo role as one of the Kingsman agents.
A sequel is reported to be in development already; whether that will include the commissioning of a new series of watches is yet to be seen.
Meanwhile, if you’re desirous of a touch of Hollywood glamour for your wrist, Banks Lyon jewellers can offer an excellent collection of truly stylish and sought-after timepieces. Simply contact us by calling 01524 38 48 58 and we will be more than happy to help.
{star-snippet}