Lee Pace, the elven-king-turned-murder-suspect, needs watches
Borna BošnjakGalactic emperor, elven king or supervillain – Lee Pace refuses to be typecast, lending his chiselled chin to a variety of larger-than-life characters. Nominated for an Emmy for his work in Pushing Daisies and hailed for standout performances in Soldier’s Girl and Lincoln, his newest silver-screen foray sees him play a suspect in the slasher-murder-mystery ordeal that is Bodies Bodies Bodies. The lusciously locked and substantially eyebrowed gentleman recently appeared in a Mr Porter interview, lounging in a grey sweatsuit and rocking a black kimono. But one notable omission from the shoot was watches. Pace has been seen wearing a myriad of pieces in the past – from modern Breitling and Omega to vintage Rolex, yet none featured here. Time we fixed that.
The vintage – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 14790TR
The shaded, menacing stare anchored by a kimono-like gown (or gown-like kimono) and socks and slides needed an equally badass watch. To go along with the mixed-metal jewellery choice, a two-tone piece was in order. A Cartier Santos or Rolex Datejust would’ve been good, if somewhat obvious choices, and it just so happened that I came across a wonderful two-tone AP a few days ago, courtesy of a friend. The Royal Oak 14790TR combines rose gold and the cold, grey-blue tones of tantalum in this 36mm masterpiece – perfect when worn loosely, stacked with the chain bracelet. And yes I hear you – wearing a metal bracelet next to a watch is usually sinful in my book too – but the not-giving-a-f*ckness of the whole situation would make the fit that much cooler.
The budget – Serica 4512
While I could easily see a two-tone Datejust or the AP pictured above with this luxe velour Celine sweatsuit, I thought the dichotomy of an affordable watch pairing would be more interesting. The Serica 4512 has the vintage vibes that this relaxed, ’80s vibe commands, yet its sterile Cali dial and modest proportions land it squarely in IYKYK territory. Much like the fit itself, it’s simple but not boring, which is the caveat that befalls many minimal designs.
The modern – Bulgari Octo Finissimo sandblasted gold
This tie-dye ensemble paired with neutrally coloured specs, bucket hat and trench coat screamed Octo Finissimo to me the moment I saw it. Not just any Finissimo, however. The sandblasted surfaces of this recently discontinued solid rose gold model are a perfect tonal play for the fit, and it just had to be this one. In a world where white metals normally command the “stealth wealth” game, this Octo Finissimo stands out by perfectly blending in.