Feature: House of Gucci Gets Its Watch Game Spot On (Almost)
No big-budget movie set in the glamour-soaked world of luxury fashion would be complete without a humdinger of a watch line-up, and director Ridley Scott’s new film House of Gucci delivers the goods.
Aside from alerting you to the fact that Jared Leto’s performance is either (A) a career high that showcases his versatility, or (B) an offensively hammy turn better suited to a camp Italian ice-cream vendor in a Little Britain sketch, we’ll stay away from any plot spoilers and stick to the luxury watches themselves…
Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) Keeps It Classy
Easily the most stylish character in the film, Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) is mostly seen wearing a classic Cartier Tank in yellow gold on a black leather strap. Previously worn by everyone from Andy Warhol to Ralph Lauren, it’s a solid choice for the impeccably dressed heir of a luxury goods company.
Later on in the film, he wears the same Cartier while climbing fully clothed into a bubble bath with wife Patrizia, played by Lady Gaga. Bad news for a watch that has all the water resistance of a dish cloth.
Understandably, that’s the last we see of his Tank. But, hey, there are worse ways for a watch to die than drowning in a bath with Lady Gaga.
A Cartier Tank gets an unfortunate soaking in the movie. Image: Bonhams
He’s also spotted wearing a rose gold Boucheron Epure model with a concentric white dial that closely resembles a vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox. We’re not sure if the Boucheron is intentionally standing in for a Memovox but, either way, at 42mm it’s a little large for a mid-1990s dress watch.
Towards the end of the film, when Gucci’s finances are in turmoil, he’s criticised for his extravagant spending, which includes the purchase of an unseen Patek Philippe Reference 2523—a rare vintage World Time model that today reaches up to around $4 million at auction.
There is one other watch on which the camera never lingers quite long enough.
Spotted: an elegant watch with distinctive hooded lugs, like this vintage Movado. Image: Bonhams
This is another gold watch on a black strap but with distinctive ‘hooded’ lugs. It’s a design that dates back to the 1930s but a number of brands used these lugs, from Ulysse Nardin to IWC to Movado.
We’ll wait for the DVD release when we can hit that pause button and have a proper look.
Paolo Gucci (Jared Leto) Is Brand-Loyal
Meanwhile, Maurizio’s hapless cousin Paolo is a car-crash of a character, a Ron Jeremy look-a-like with a penchant for raspberry-coloured corduroy suits. And his watch choice is only marginally more sedate.
Jared Leto's character wears a Gucci watch with the brand's iconic stripes
Loyal to his brand, Paolo wears the same model throughout the movie, a quartz-powered time-only Gucci gold watch with a dial bearing the iconic Gucci stripes. It's not quite as striking as this tiger dial model but we reckon this would have better suited Paolo's colourful character.
Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino) Wears The Godfather Of Horology
An apt watch for the elder statesman of cinema, the impressive Breguet Classique Moonphase worn by Al Pacino (as Aldo Gucci) wasn’t actually available during the 1980s when all his scenes were set.
Still, the watch is exactly the kind of thing a wealthy, elderly Italian gent would wear, and it certainly doesn’t strike a discordant note with Aldo’s bold pin-stripe suits and silver bouffant hair.
Rodolfo Gucci (Jeremy Irons) Wears The Impossible
Finally, Rodolfo, Maurizio’s father, is played by English thespian Jeremy Irons and he too sports a timepiece from one of horology’s greats—a classy Vacheron Constantin Overseas. However, since the Overseas line has only been around since the late 1990s and Rodolfo Gucci died in 1983, he could never have actually worn it.
That said, we’re prepared to cut the film’s stylists a bit of slack on this one.
The Overseas was a continuation of its 222 model that was launched in the late seventies as Vacheron’s answer to the two iconic steel sports watches released by rivals Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe—the AP Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus, respectively.
Rodolfo Gucci, played by Jeremy Irons, wears a Vacheron Constantin Overseas
The Overseas boasts the same compact design and sporty elegance as the 222, and, despite the mistake, it hardly causes a distraction.
A Ford Mondeo seen parked in a field during a battle scene in Braveheart? Now that's a distraction.
As for that outrageous Jared Leto performance, watch the film and decide for yourself.
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