3 of The Greatest Watches in Modern Hollywood History

Great watches in great movies often go unnoticed, recognized only by a small minority of moviegoers. We find that shameful, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to feature some of the most beloved watches in history’s most iconic and critically acclaimed films.

Just a few weeks ago, we published an article about three of Hollywood’s all-time most iconic watches. As we started brainstorming watches that best fit the theme of that piece, it became immediately clear that only writing about three watches would be an injustice to the movie and timepiece industries.

So we split the article up.

This week, modern movie watches are getting their (latest) moment in the spotlight. We curated a short list of three watches from movies made after 2010 – that’s still modern, right? – and explained why they made such a commanding impression on moviegoers everywhere. From classically inspired timepieces to the latest and greatest in luxury goods, the three watches on this list deserve to be lauded for their role on the big screen.

1. Carl F. Bucherer Manero AutoDate | John Wick (2014)

The Manero AutoDate (as it’s worn in the John Wick franchise) is a classically inspired yet sleek timepiece perfectly befitting of Keanu Reeves’ character. Featuring a 38mm case constructed from silver-toned stainless steel and a band from Louisiana alligator leather, the Manero AutoDate seamlessly combines form and function. Powered by a Swiss-made automatic movement and water-resistant up to 30 meters, this Carl F. Bucherer deserved to withstand the test of (at least) four action-packed adventures on John Wick’s wrist.

Keanu Reeves often sported this watch with the face on the inside of his wrist rather than the outside. This choice was another thoughtful detail the franchise’s producers remembered to address, as an outward-facing watch can reflect light – a less-than-ideal problem for an assassin attempting to remain hidden. Additionally, this positioning can make the watch easier to read in some situations and may help to protect the crystal from damage.

The Manero AutoDate retails for ~$2,900, according to Carl F. Bucherer’s website.

2. TAG Heuer 1000 Professional | Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

The cast of Wolf of Wall Street was star-studded in more ways than one. Besides an A-list group of Hollywood stars in front of the camera, Scorsese’s modern masterpiece featured an assortment of timepieces that would make any investment banker jealous.

While several of these exotic watches deserve a feature in this week’s article, it would be impossible to ignore the most prominently featured watch of the entire movie: Jordan Belfort’s TAG Heuer 1000 Professional.

This gold-plated (that’s right, plated) TAG Heuer is seen throughout the second act of the movie and proudly rests around DiCaprio’s wrist on the film’s official poster. According to one Hodinkee article, DiCaprio himself selected his character’s watches for the film, and this was one of two he picked. There were several cinematic reasons behind this choice, but one of the crucial ones worth noting is that the TAG Heuer Professional line offered aspiring who’s-who’s a wallet-friendly(-ish) alternative to Rolex.

TAG Heuer discontinued the 1000 series in 1992, but secondhand examples of this iconic watch can still be purchased for ~$2,500 at the time of this writing.

3. Khaki Field Murph Auto | Interstellar (2014)

Hamilton reigns supreme when creating big screen-worthy timepieces, and the watchmaker yet again hit the nail on the head with the Khaki Field “Murph” Auto in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (2014). We already featured one Hamilton watch in our last list of Hollywood’s most iconic watches (let’s hear it for the Ventura!), but it’s impossible not to include another, especially given its role in arguably one of the greatest films ever made

The original film prop was never intended for production. However, following the movie’s success, Hamilton created a retail version of the Khaki Field Murph Auto in 2019, giving fans a chance to take home their own piece of the movie. The retail version features a 42mm stainless steel case, automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve, and the word ‘Eureka’ printed in Morse code in lacquer on the second hand.

You can purchase the Khaki Field Murph Auto for $995 on Hamilton’s website.

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