Why Movies and TV Shows Have Such Excellent Watches Now
StyleExpensive watches in film and on TV are nothing new, but with an army of online horology sleuths now tracking down every piece in record time, Hollywood’s costume designers are leveraging the experts to find the very best options.By Finlay RenwickJanuary 3, 2025Save this storySaveSave this storySaveFor experts like Eric Wind who know a lot about watches, sitting down to enjoy a film or TV show can offer up unexpected distractions. Like the time he noticed Ben Affleck wearing a 2000s Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea in Argo, a film based on events from the late ’70s. “It was so obvious,” he says over the phone from New York. “It was about three times the thickness of a Rolex from that period.”Ben Affleck’s modern Rolex Sea-Dweller in ’70s-set Argo. Or in 2008’s The Bank Job, a less Oscar-worthy film, where Wind clocked Jason Statham with a post-millennial TAG Heuer Monaco, despite it being set in 1971. He also picked up on continuity errors in Succession, with Sarah Snook rocking different Cartiers from one scene to the next, and heard a story about the crew losing an ultra-rare gold Tag on the set of The Wolf of Wall Street.“It can be like nails on a chalkboard if you know your watches,” says Wind. “Most films use fakes to avoid the insurance costs, but [increasingly more] people want the genuine article.”Jason Statham’s too-new TAG Heuer Monaco on The Bank Job. Production companies now hire and consult with people like Wind. Previously a VP senior specialist for Christie’s auction house, he now runs a booming vintage business from his base in Florida. One of his biggest wins was sourcing an original ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex Daytona for 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians. “People thought it was a fake,” says Wind, “because how could a real Paul Newman worth $500,000 have ended up in this brief little scene? I was proud of that one.”Brands such as Cartier have seen the benefits of loosening up and working alongside a production. “I know they supplied watches for Succession,” says Wind, “because I was hoping to be involved, but brands are savvy now. They see the opportunity.”Alongside noted dealers and experts, most productions work with a dedicated prop master whose job involves sourcing essential background items. “One thing you might not think about,” says Laura Roeper, prop master on The Bear, “is continuity. So obtaining the exact [same] Rolex after not filming for months is a challenge. A lot of watches are rentals and you just hope you can find them in time!”Christopher Storer, director of The Bear, is a noted clothing and watch enthusiast, who works closely with Roeper on nailing down the details of pieces like Olivia Colman’s Rolex Submariner or Will Poulter’s Omega Seamaster. “We work with real chefs daily,” says Roeper, “so seeing what they are wearing is a big part of how I choose the watches.”Will Poulter sports an Omega Seamaster on The Bear. Lynda Reiss, a prop master who has worked on shows including Stranger Things and True Detective, says the hardest thing is sourcing more than one of the same watch, especially when factoring in stunt and photo doubles who often do driving and hand inserts (primetime wristshot moments).Most PopularGQ RecommendsThe Best Shawl Collar Cardigans Are Waiting By the FireplaceBy John JannuzziGQ RecommendsThe Best Silver Chains Shine With Any Shirt (or Selfie)By Toby StandingGQ Recommends63 Ingenious Gifts for New Dads (Recommended by Less-New Dads)By Ali Finney“Once I’ve done a character breakdown,” says Reiss (who notes that David Harbour’s vintage Casio in Stranger Things is her favorite on-screen piece), “then I know which direction I want to go in. I find watches that will work for that brief. These are presented to the actor and they generally make the final choice. But I do usually gently push my first choice.”David Harbour’s vintage Casio in Stranger Things. For a highly specific brief, a costume designer might seek out someone like Daniel Somlo, a London-based authority with his own Burlington Arcade store to back it up. “We have a good relationship with Oscar-winning costume designer Janty Yates,” Somlo tells me. “She is Ridley Scott’s costume designer and regularly contacts us for watches to use in productions and advice.” Somlo has, to name just a few, sourced an Omega Constellation for Michael Fassbender and a Cartier Mini Tank for Penélope Cruz. “Mark Wahlberg wore my personal Rolex 1680 Submariner in All the Money in the World.”Mark Wahlberg wears Daniel Somlo’s personal Rolex Submariner in All the Money in the World. Most PopularGQ RecommendsThe Best Shawl Collar Cardigans Are Waiting By the FireplaceBy John JannuzziGQ RecommendsThe Best Silver Chains Shine With Any Shirt (or Selfie)By Toby StandingGQ Recommends63 Ingenious Gifts for New Dads (Recommended by Less-New Dads)By Ali FinneyAuthenticity is not just about nailing the look, either. “We have a lot of knowledge about how watches were worn and their purpose,” adds Somlo. It begs the question: are we close to so
For experts like Eric Wind who know a lot about watches, sitting down to enjoy a film or TV show can offer up unexpected distractions. Like the time he noticed Ben Affleck wearing a 2000s Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea in Argo, a film based on events from the late ’70s. “It was so obvious,” he says over the phone from New York. “It was about three times the thickness of a Rolex from that period.”
Or in 2008’s The Bank Job, a less Oscar-worthy film, where Wind clocked Jason Statham with a post-millennial TAG Heuer Monaco, despite it being set in 1971. He also picked up on continuity errors in Succession, with Sarah Snook rocking different Cartiers from one scene to the next, and heard a story about the crew losing an ultra-rare gold Tag on the set of The Wolf of Wall Street.
“It can be like nails on a chalkboard if you know your watches,” says Wind. “Most films use fakes to avoid the insurance costs, but [increasingly more] people want the genuine article.”
Production companies now hire and consult with people like Wind. Previously a VP senior specialist for Christie’s auction house, he now runs a booming vintage business from his base in Florida. One of his biggest wins was sourcing an original ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex Daytona for 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians. “People thought it was a fake,” says Wind, “because how could a real Paul Newman worth $500,000 have ended up in this brief little scene? I was proud of that one.”
Brands such as Cartier have seen the benefits of loosening up and working alongside a production. “I know they supplied watches for Succession,” says Wind, “because I was hoping to be involved, but brands are savvy now. They see the opportunity.”
Alongside noted dealers and experts, most productions work with a dedicated prop master whose job involves sourcing essential background items. “One thing you might not think about,” says Laura Roeper, prop master on The Bear, “is continuity. So obtaining the exact [same] Rolex after not filming for months is a challenge. A lot of watches are rentals and you just hope you can find them in time!”
Christopher Storer, director of The Bear, is a noted clothing and watch enthusiast, who works closely with Roeper on nailing down the details of pieces like Olivia Colman’s Rolex Submariner or Will Poulter’s Omega Seamaster. “We work with real chefs daily,” says Roeper, “so seeing what they are wearing is a big part of how I choose the watches.”
Lynda Reiss, a prop master who has worked on shows including Stranger Things and True Detective, says the hardest thing is sourcing more than one of the same watch, especially when factoring in stunt and photo doubles who often do driving and hand inserts (primetime wristshot moments).
“Once I’ve done a character breakdown,” says Reiss (who notes that David Harbour’s vintage Casio in Stranger Things is her favorite on-screen piece), “then I know which direction I want to go in. I find watches that will work for that brief. These are presented to the actor and they generally make the final choice. But I do usually gently push my first choice.”
For a highly specific brief, a costume designer might seek out someone like Daniel Somlo, a London-based authority with his own Burlington Arcade store to back it up. “We have a good relationship with Oscar-winning costume designer Janty Yates,” Somlo tells me. “She is Ridley Scott’s costume designer and regularly contacts us for watches to use in productions and advice.” Somlo has, to name just a few, sourced an Omega Constellation for Michael Fassbender and a Cartier Mini Tank for Penélope Cruz. “Mark Wahlberg wore my personal Rolex 1680 Submariner in All the Money in the World.”
Authenticity is not just about nailing the look, either. “We have a lot of knowledge about how watches were worn and their purpose,” adds Somlo. It begs the question: are we close to someone winning the Oscar for Best Costume Design for timepieces alone?
Surely it’s only a matter of time.
A version of this story originally appeared in the December/January 2024 watch supplement issue of British GQ with the title “Secrets of the Movie Watch Hunters”.
