Top 5 Iconic Watches in Film
Watches often show up in blockbuster movie hits and can result in increased watch popularity and value, especially when shown on the wrist of a well-loved actor! We’ve put together our top five, favourite and iconic watches that have featured in film and made a huge impact.
Rolex Submariner 6538
The Bond movies are iconic amongst people of all ages, and Sean Connery wore the Rolex Submariner 6538 in the first few. The production of Dr. No had a much smaller budget than what we know today and with no help from Rolex, and it is said the film’s producer, Cubby Broccoli, gave Sean Connery the watch from his own wrist.
This watch created a huge impact in the timepiece world. Today, the average, well-kept Rolex Submariner 6538 can fetch anything up to six figures, though the exact one used in the film is likely to be priceless.
Heuer Monaco
In the well-known Steve McQueen movie, Le Mans, the presence of the Heuer Monaco is obvious. McQueen initially turned down an offer from the popular watch brand, Omega, as he thought they were using him only for promotional reasons. It was then that he opted to wear the Heuer Monaco.
The Heuer Monaco received a lot of screen time during this movie, and the watch really does owe its background to him.
Gold Rolex Day Date
For many, obtaining a gold Rolex watch has become a huge statement of achievement and/or wealth. Alec Baldwin famously wore this film in Glengarry Glen Ross, where he pronounced that his watch was worth more than Ed Harris’ car.
Worth over £20,000 today, this watch exemplifies success. Though if you’re fortunate enough to own one and you’ve seen Glengarry Glen Goss, we hope you don’t imitate Baldwin’s awful character!
Panerai Luminor
Panerai experienced some struggles with their sales back in the early 1990’s, however Sylvester Stallone managed to revive this in the fantastic movie, Daylight. Apparently, Stallone happened to be in Rome looking for a new watch, when he spotted a Luminor. He seemingly bought the watch on the spot to wear during the movie, as well as multiple others with his signature engraved onto the back.
Panerai quickly became one of the most recognisable luxury watch brands, with Stallone continuing to wear the brand in many of his movies.
Omega Speedmaster
Recently, Apollo 13 hit the cinemas and the most obvious and perfect watch choice for the movie was the Omega Speedmaster. This movie looked to capture accurate, specific details of a historic event, and therefore getting the watch that featured on the real Apollo 13 crew was vital.
It’s likely that Omega had a promotional agreement in place, however it would have been detrimental to the movie and brand if they had ignored the use of the only mechanical watch that is certified for spaceflight by NASA. The Omega Speedmaster doesn’t need movies to add to its legacy, as its incredible capabilities have been undoubtedly proved many times.
Here at Cuttings, vintage watches are our forte, and we have often stocked these watches in great second-hand, condition. If you’d like more information on the services we offer, including vintage timepieces, you can contact us here or by giving us a call on 01843 584488.