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Watches in movies: who wears what in Interstellar, Kingsman and Bond films

Abid Rahman

Abid Rahman
Abid Rahman
Why you can trust SCMP

Guess what's back? No, it's not measles or bootleg jeans (shudder), it's the watch column! OK, that's enough enthusiasm, let's get back to business. So, a lot has happened in the watch world since we last spoke, and a lot more is on the horizon (yes, we're talking about the Apple watch and the death of civility it will engender). But to ease us back into proceedings, I wanted to quickly touch upon something light and breezy: the movie watch.

Although nothing will top the egregiously risible Mac and Me (seriously, google it), product placement is pretty blatant in Hollywood movies these days. You don't merely get a fleeting glance of a watch anymore, rather an awkward, lingering straight-on shot (the chief culprits are Omega and the James Bond franchise). The product placement in Skyfall was rife but, thankfully, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-axial (right) is so easy on the eyes one isn't going to complain too much. This is an elegant and yet brutish watch, a bit like Bond really. And if you're not won over by its looks, then what's inside will surely impress. Even though it appears to be pretty simple, the Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-axial is feature-packed with a chronometer, date window, helium-escape valve, screw-in crown and unidirectional bezel, which on top of the 600 metres of water resistance makes this the perfect diving watch but also great for weekend use and, to be honest, as an everyday watch, too. The 42mm case is made of steel and the black dial works as a great counterpoint to the case and bracelet. Inside is a gem of a movement, the calibre 8500 co-axial featuring all of Omega's class-leading innovations and pumping out a hearty 60 hours of power. Prices for the Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-axial are available upon request.

Next up is a brand that basically owns Hollywood movies. Think of any major recent release and chances are the watch featured will be a Hamilton. Indeed, Hamilton is so closely involved with the movie business it organises its own film awards. The latest Hamilton watch to have everyone agog is the one used in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, which doubled as a time and dimension spanning communication device. OK, I'm not doing the movie justice, it's epic, but the watch got so much screen time it needed a credit.

Now the sad news, the watch that Murphy (Jessica Chastain) uses in the film was created especially for the movie, meaning you can't buy it. But! You can get the next best thing: the Khaki Pilot Day Date (right), which was worn by Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and is just as nice. Another 42mm steel-case watch, the Khaki Pilot Day Date is an easily readable, robust aviation watch that also features the date and day. Unfussy, well made and with a sprinkling of Hollywood glamour, the Khaki Pilot Day Date costs just shy of HK$8,000.

Lastly, we have the Bremont ALT1-WT/WH World Timer Automatic Chronograph (right) from the movie Kingsman: The Secret Service, which came out on Thursday. First off, the movie is excellent; it's a less campy, more self-aware Bond movie, I suppose what they call meta-narrative irony. I'll put down the Barthes now. Anyway, yes, this is a lovely little timepiece that will set you back HK$42,453 and for that you get a 43mm steel-case watch that features a world time function, a chronograph stopwatch and a date function. The design is classic, simple and elegant and there's a lovely discreet Kingsman logo on the dial. Inside is a Swiss-made but Bremont-modified movement, so it has strong credentials. But the design is the real winning factor, making this a watch that can be all-action and discreetly sophisticated at the same time.
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