Cinephile, film buff, or otherwise movie obsessed? Here are some of the best watches in cinema
Tom AustinSaying that watch nerds have a love of cinema is a bit obvious, because who doesn’t? Movies have been the most popular form of entertainment for almost as long as they’ve been around. That said, we tend to go especially feral when an attractive watch shows up on the wrist of a favourite character, and frantically pouring over screenshots to figure out what people are wearing will always be a fun obsession. So, whether it’s something worn in your favourite movie or just a watch that reminds you of it, here are a few watches that blend a love of watchmaking and cinema. The hardest part will be limiting myself to just one Hamilton…
Hamilton Khaki Field Murph – Interstellar
The Hamilton Khaki Field Murph isn’t even close to being the first important wristwatch in Hollywood, but it seems to have had the biggest impact in recent years. The Murph was not merely just a costume accessory; rather, it was integral to the plot of Christopher Nolan’s 2014 hit sci-fi Interstellar. In my honest opinion, the Murph probably could have been a tremendously successful watch even without the movie connection.
The matte black dial and creamy faux-aged printing work so well alongside the cathedral handset, and the H-10 movement is well-regarded with an 80-hour power reserve. It has been such a popular model for Hamilton that they also brought out a 38mm model because 42mm is too large for many people, and although it loses the easter egg of ‘Eureka’ printed on the seconds hand in Morse code, that actually makes it more film-accurate. Price: A$1,600 (38mm), A$1,750 (42mm), both available from the Time+Tide Shop
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m – GoldenEye
James Bond is a pillar of style and escapism for many men who fantasise about the super-spy lifestyle. It’s fair to say then that whatever 007 wears is going to have a vast cultural impact, and since 1995’s GoldenEye, that watch has been an Omega. Specifically speaking, the Seamaster Diver 300m has been Bond’s most consistent model, even though the exact references and colour options have evolved with the collection. Still, as cool as the modern editions are, it’s those mid-late ‘90s watches that are forever cemented as Bond watches.
Seeing those wavy-blue dials on the wrist of Pierce Brosnan with his equally-blue eyes is an essential part of movie history, no matter what your favourite era is. For the purpose of the price on this list, I’ll use what the modern Diver 300m watches cost; however, a quartz-powered reference from the ‘90s will usually cost about A$2,000-A$4,000 at the time of writing. Price: A$10,525 (ref. 210.30.42.20.03.001)
Casio CA53W-1 – Back to the Future
I always like to include a watch that anyone can buy in these lists, and although Tom Cruise’s DW290-1V from Mission Impossible is a viable option, I figured I’d stick with a more congenitally attractive Casio. The CA53W-1 isn’t just cool for being a calculator watch—a concept which is still cool with young kids to this day—but it was also worn by Michael J Fox in Back to the Future II. It’s pretty much the same watch as the CA50 he wore in the first movie, but with some water resistance, and it’s still in production. In fact, Casio recently released a DeLorean-inspired Back to the Future limited edition to celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary, complete with a flux capacitor case back and adorned with an “OUTATIME” inscription.
Both the watch and the film are completely unpretentious, embracing a fun and playful attitude that speaks to all generations. Plus, you’ll have a calculator strapped to your wrist if your smartphone ever runs out of battery in a pinch. Price: A$79.95 (standard production model), A$300 (Back to the Future 40th anniversary limited edition)
Seiko SNJ025P ‘Arnie’ – Commando & Predator
When you see an ‘80s or ‘90s movie featuring a hugely muscled action hero with arms like tree trunks, there’s most likely going to be an equally chunky watch on their wrist. And if you’re going to pick just one of them to be a fan of, then Arnold Schwarzenegger would be a great pick. Arnie wore the Seiko reference H558-5000 in both Commando and Predator, with his gargantuan wrists almost dwarfing the 45mm watch. Naturally, enthusiasts have since dubbed this ana-digi beast the ‘Arnie’.
These days, a modern version with a solar-powered movement, the SNJ025P, exists within Seiko’s Prospex family. The tuna-can case is surprisingly wearable thanks to its tiny lugs only reaching out to 50.5mm, even though the diameter is now a whopping 47.8mm. The ana-digi hybrid display offers great functionality as well, ensuring a powerful presence on the wrist in many ways. Price: A$799
Hamilton Ventura – Blue Hawaii
Okay, so I failed my attempt to only list one Hamilton – it’s not my fault they have such a rich history with cinema! The Ventura is especially fascinating, considering it was among the first of Hamilton’s electric watches, which pushed watch technology rapidly. Its theatrical career is defined mainly by two movies, and they’re vastly different from each other. The first is Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii, where he sports his original Hamilton Electric from the 1950s, and the second is Men in Black from 1997.
There are heaps of modern references for the Ventura, proving that its popularity isn’t solely rooted in movie nostalgia. There’s even a set of new Venturas which were designed to honour Denis Villeneuve’s Dune series, even though they’re not featured in those films. However, it’s an eccentric enough watch that you’ll definitely be answering questions about it. Price: from A$1,370 in the Time+Tide Shop
Patek Philippe Calatrava – Drive
In 2011’s Drive, Ryan Gosling’s iconic character, known only as “The Driver”, is a fearless movie stunt driver who, in his spare time, puts his expert driving skills to good use as a getaway driver for armed robbers. Part of his surgical attention to detail in his work is his timekeeping, and the unusual Patek Philippe he uses to time his getaways while strapped to the steering wheel has become an icon in its own right.
Trouble is, it’s not a real Patek Philippe, as such. Based on a Calatrava, the prop team, along with Gosling’s own input as a watch enthusiast, designed a replica Calatrava so that a real one wouldn’t get damaged during the brutal fight scenes and driving stunts. Word has it that Gosling himself kept one for himself: the closest you’re going to get to it with a real Patek Philippe is probably a 5196G, but it still wouldn’t be the same. Price: N/A
Citizen Bullhead – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Cliff Booth is one of the two main protagonists in Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, played by a favourite of ours here at Time+Tide, a Mr Brad Pitt. In 2020, Pitt won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the role, and the watch on his wrist in the movie has since achieved cult status. The gold Citizen 8110 Bullhead Chronograph on a brown leather bund strap, which has become synonymous with Cliff Booth, isn’t available to buy anymore; however, Citizen still offers Bullheads in the form of the Promaster.
If you want the original, you’ll have to venture into the vintage market and expect to pay around A$1,700 for one in good condition. 2026 will see the release of The Adventures of Cliff Booth, directed by David Fincher and written by Tarantino, and leaked spy shots suggest that the iconic gold Bullhead may be making its return to the silver screen next year. Price: ~A$1,700 (secondary market)
IWC Ingenieur SL “Jumbo” ref. 1832 – F1
Another Brad Pitt watch, and another customised watch here: 2025’s blockbuster F1 movie was another film where watches played a big role, from Pitt’s protagonist Sonny Hayes turning down the Rolex Daytona he earned by winning the 24 Hours of Daytona at the start of the film (bragging that he already has one – what a flex) to the special IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 APXGP models dedicated to the film’s fictional 11th Formula 1 team that can also be purchased IRL. However, like Drive, the coolest watch in the film is one that you can’t actually buy.
Brad Pitt commissioned a custom take on the iconic vintage Genta-designed Ingenieur SL “Jumbo” with a green dial and gold hardware, which his character wears away from the track in the film. IWC never made a Jumbo with a green dial; however, the Schaffhausen brand is now offering a modern Ingenieur Automatic 40 with the same green/gold combo as Brad/Sonny’s IWC. Price: A$21,200 (Ingenieur Automatic 40)
Seiko 7A28-7000 Giugiaro “Ripley” – Aliens
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Seiko released the 7A28-7000 Chronograph specifically for its role on Ellen Ripley’s wrist in James Cameron’s 1986 sci-fi horror sequel, Aliens. The watch suits the futuristic, industrial landscape of the year 2179 perfectly, and when Ripley finds herself trapped with the Xenomorphs, it’s with her for the whole gruesome ordeal. But despite its futuristic looks, the watch was actually the result of a design project by legendary industrial designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, the designer responsible for iconic cars such as the BMW M1, the Volkswagen Golf Mk1, and the DeLorean DMC-12.
It was part of Seiko’s 7A28 chronograph series, which featured the world’s first serviceable, analogue quartz movement, which set a new standard in quartz horology. The Ripley watch was reissued in 2015 as the SCED035 Spirit/Giugiaro, and both have since become highly collectible in the Alien fandom and watch collector circles alike. Price: ~A$1,600 – A$2,000 (reissue), ~A$4,000 (original)
Suunto Core – The Equalizer
When you’re a former black-ops commando with a penchant for righting wrongs and serving vengeance with cold-blooded accuracy, what watch would you wear? Well, Robert McCall, the protagonist in the action thriller trilogy The Equalizer, wears a Suunto Core, a stealthy smartwatch he uses to predict how much time he has to dispatch his adversaries. Alongside a killer-grade stopwatch, it features an altimeter, barometer, compass, a depth gauge, and various time & date functions—everything an ex-special forces commando would need.
The watch plays a big part in the movie, and while there’s probably a bit of product placement going on, it’s well-suited to Robert McCall’s festidious attention to detail, and adds a real sense of accuracy and specificity to his character, played by the amazing Denzel Washington. Price: A$304
Heuer Monaco – Le Mans
The image above is probably one of the most iconic watch-and-movie connections of all time, and not only is it cool as hell, but it also contains imagery that defines a generation. The 1971 movie Le Mans features the unforgettably legendary Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, returning to the 24 hours of Le Mans endurance race a year after a crash that killed a fellow racer. The film focuses on the danger and psychology of endurance racing, and has barely any dialogue, which suited McQueen’s obsession with motorsport and his shy, reserved demeanour.
Of course, the watch that was on McQueen’s wrist for the film was the Heuer Monaco ref. 1133B. Its unusual square design and blue dial with white subdials have become symbolically associated with McQueen since his passing in 1980. That, with the Gulf racing colours on the racing suit, alongside McQueen’s effortless “King of Cool” appearance, has helped make the Monaco an icon today. The original movie watch sold at auction in 2024 for $1.4 million, but TAG Heuer still offers a Monaco with a similar aesthetic today. Price: A$12,300 (reissue), A$18,000 – A$27,000 (original)
Oris Modern Classic 7490 – Constantine
The mid-2000s saw a burgeoning of explosive superhero movies, but many purists prefer the earlier era, a time before the genre became over-commercialised and dominated by sprawling multiverses. One such movie that continues to go under the radar even today is 2005’s Constantine, featuring Keanu Reeves as the cynical, chain-smoking exorcist John Constantine. During his battle through the underworld, which eventually culminates in an unforgettable meeting with the angel Gabriel and Lucifer himself, John wears an understated and honest Oris Modern Classic 7490, which is seen on his wrist as he summons Tilda Swinton as Gabriel, and in an epic close-up as the seconds hand slows to a stop, as a disgustingly creepy Lucifer, played by Peter Stormare, manifests before him.
The watch in the movie is specifically the reference 633 7490 4061LS, which is sadly no longer in production and quite hard to find. It’s no doubt an effortlessly cool everyday dress watch, which is smart and sophisticated, even when banishing demons back to the fiery pits. Price: ~A$1,200 (secondary market)
Carl F. Bucherer Manero – John Wick
Remarkably similar to the watch he wore in Constantine, Keanu Reeves wore a Carl F. Bucherer Manero for his outing as the unstoppable marked assassin John Wick. In the gun-slingingly violent shoot-em-up John Wick quadrilogy, he’s understandably rather upset about the devastating murder of his puppy, and so he seeks revenge. This inevitably takes him on a 4-chapter journey through some of the most violent yet awesomely choreographed fight scenes in modern cinema, catapulting John Wick into cult-like status.
The watch is a part of John’s slick, sharp outfit, which also acts as bulletproof armour, and is seen in the early shots of John bonding with his four-legged companion, which is a brilliant emotional setup for how the film develops. The exact reference isn’t available from Carl F. Bucherer anymore; however, a similar 38mm model, the Urban, is exceptionally close. Price: A$6,300 (modern equivalent)
Heuer Carreras – Barbie
While Ryan Gosling is indeed one of TAG Heuer’s most high-profile ambassadors, he is a huge watch guy for sure. On several occasions, he’s been seen wearing well-selected vintage pieces from several brands, but most recently, he’s leaned towards vintage Heuer. Alongside numerous other TAG Heuer cinematic outings, Ryan recently played the delightfully clueless sidekick Ken in 2023’s Barbie, where, in a tongue-in-cheek product placement moment, he was seen wearing not one but three vintage gold Heuer Carreras, all hand-picked by Gosling himself.
The first was the 1158CHN from 1971, sporting a full gold Milanese-style bracelet; the second, a 110.515 with a barrel-shaped case and a striated dial; and finally, a 2448 NT, featuring a more classic gold Carrera case paired with a black leather strap. While these watches are highly collectable and increasingly rare, Gosling was seen wearing the hot-pink-dialled TAG Heuer Carrera at the film’s premiere, which is still available to buy if you want to channel that Kenergy. Price: A$5,200 (pink dial TAG Heuer Carrera Date)