EXCLUSIVE: “Actor guy” James Marsden from Westworld wants IWC to make a PC with a split-seconds chronograph

Andrew McUtchen

James Marsden, a face you will recognise from at least one of your favourite films (guys: Zoolander, girls: The Notebook, me: Westworld), describes the moment he surprised/scared IWC‘s Creative Director, Christian Knoop, the night before. “I was chatting with Christian and I told him can you please make a perpetual calendar with a split-seconds chrono in a 43mm case. Please?” Knoop’s expression must have been somewhat like mine, read, the open-mouthed emoji with red cheeks.

“His mouth was agape, he was like ‘How do you know about the 89630 movement in my new perpetual calendar?’ And I was like, it’s because I’m obsessed. They made a perpetual calendar with a chrono in the older Da Vinci, I think it was 2004 or something, and they’ve brought that back now and I just love a chrono movement with a perpetual calendar. He was like… ‘How do you know this, actor guy?”

T+T: When did you get your first good watch?

James Marsden: An IWC was the first really special watch I was given when we wrapped the last season of a show… Ally McBeal in 2002… It was given by David E. Kelley… It was the first upper tier nice watch I’ve ever owned. It was a Portofino. It was such a nice generous gift that it made me want to start learning about them…

T+T: When did you go from being a bit into watches to being obsessed with them?

JM: I’m an extreme hobbyist. I got into collecting guitars and just this last couple of years I got into art and started learning about it, I don’t like to buy everything and learn about it later, I have to learn everything first. And then cars. My girlfriend will tell you, if you want to learn anything about anything, have me make into my hobby for a bit and I’ll tell you.