Rolex Submariners that appeared in movies ~Actor's Watch #73~

"Actor's Watch" focuses on watches worn by actors in movies, television, etc.
In this 72nd installment, we will be looking at Rolex Submariners that have appeared in movies .

*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/

The Submariner was born in 1953 as the world's first "diver's watch with a rotating bezel" and has always been one of the most popular luxury sports watches to this day. It can be said to be the " symbol of sports Rolex ". This time, we will focus on movies that feature the Rolex Submariner.

Submariner in the 007 series

Sean Connery in "Goldfinger"

*Source: https://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com/

When you think of a movie that features a Submariner, many people probably think of " Goldfinger " (1964) . The Submariner (Ref. 6538) worn by Sean Connery as James Bond in this film is the second-generation model, the first Submariner to be chronometer-certified. Its biggest feature is the 8mm diameter "large crown" without a crown guard.

James Bond wears a Submariner on a NATO strap with his white tuxedo , which was a truly innovative look in the 1960s, when a dress watch was a given with a tuxedo. It can be said to be the ultimate outfit for the perfect man.

☞#2 Read James Bond's Submariner [Sean Connery Edition]

Roger Moore in Live and Let Die

*Source: https://www.reddit.com/

The third James Bond, played by Roger Moore , wore a Submariner (Ref. 5513) in two films, " Live and Let Die " (1973) and " The Man with the Golden Gun " (1974).

The Submariner that appeared in "The Man with the Golden Gun" was just an ordinary one, but the one that appears in "Live and Let Die" is a " magically modified Submariner " that emits a strong magnetic field to bend the trajectory of bullets and has a bezel that rotates at high speed to turn into a saw. It's a spy gadget that adds a touch of glamour to the "bright and fun spy action" of Roger Moore's 007.

☞#4 Read James Bond's Watches [Roger Moore Edition]

Timothy Dalton in "License to Kill"

*Source: http://nuovo-identita-london-orologi.blogspot.com/

As of now, the last Submariner worn by James Bond was in " License to Kill " (1989), starring the fourth James Bond, played by Timothy Dalton .

In stark contrast to the Roger Moore era, this is a serious, heavy action film, with many action scenes taking place underwater and under the sea, emphasizing more than ever the robustness of the Submariner (Ref. 5513) worn on Bond's wrist.

☞#9 James Bond's Watches [Timothy Dalton Edition] Read

The Submariner worn by the famous actor

Steve McQueen in "The Towering Inferno"

*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/

Steve McQueen , one of the great actors representing Hollywood in the 1960s and 1970s, was one of the actors who wore a Submariner in a movie. In the masterpiece panic movie " The Towering Inferno " (1974), which depicts firefighters battling a fire that broke out in a 138-story skyscraper, he played the leader of the fire brigade and wore a Submariner (Ref. 5512) on his wrist.

"The Towering Inferno" is a film starring Steve McQueen and Paul Newman , two of the biggest stars of the time. What's interesting about it is that it's a film starring two great actors whose names are used as nicknames for vintage Rolexes: Explorer II (Ref. 1655) and Daytona (Ref. 6263, etc.) .

☞Read #3 Steve McQueen's Monaco & Submariner

Robert Redford in "All the President's Men"

*Source: https://productplacementblog.com/

The Watergate Scandal of 1972 forced President Nixon to resign, becoming the first American president to do so. In All the President's Men (1973), a film adaptation of the memoirs of two newspaper journalists who followed the scandal at the time, Robert Redford , who played the real-life journalist Bob Woodward, wore a Submariner (Ref. 1680) .

This watch has the " Submariner " inscription in red, and is commonly referred to as the " Red Sub ." Since Woodward himself was a fan of the Red Sub, Robert Redford, who plays Woodward in the film, also wears a Red Sub.

☞#19 Read "America in Turmoil" and Rolex in the Late 1960s

Submariners in 1990s Movies

Gabriel Byrne in "The Usual Suspects"

*Source: https://senatus.net/

The Usual Suspects (1995) is a masterpiece of suspense movies that represents the 1990s. I'm sure many people were fooled by the narrative trick that effectively uses flashback scenes. I was one of those fooled. (laughs)

The Submariner (Ref. 16610) is worn in this film by Gabriel Byrne , who plays Keaton, a former detective who leads a group of eccentric criminals in planning a drug heist. The coordination of the suit and the Submariner perfectly creates the aura of a wild, handsome, intelligent, but sometimes dangerous, old man.

Denzel Washington in "Courage Under Fire"

*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/

In the controversial film Courage Under Fire (1996), which depicts a military conspiracy unfolding behind the scenes of the Gulf War, Denzel Washington wears a Submariner ( Ref. 16610 ) as Lieutenant Colonel Serling, who investigates the truth behind the death of a female officer, Captain Karen Walden ( Meg Ryan ), who was killed in action.

This seems like a fitting choice of watch for an honest, down-to-earth and sturdy soldier who is growing increasingly distrustful of the military and struggling to carry out his duties.

☞#22 Read about the famous actor Denzel Washington's watch

Bill Paxton in Titanic

*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/

In the 1997 blockbuster Titanic , directed by James Cameron and starring Leonardo DiCaprio , Bill Paxton plays Locke Lovett, a treasure hunter who searches for jewels that sank to the bottom of the ocean with the Titanic, wearing a solid gold Submariner ( Ref. 16808) .

The yellow gold Submariner seems to express, in a single watch, the dual nature of Locke: an oceanographer researching the sunken Titanic, and at the same time, a jewelry hunter searching for treasures hidden in historical sites.

Submariners in movies since the 2000s

Kiefer Sutherland in "24"

*Source: https://www.watch-id.com/

24 is a TV series that depicts the war against terrorism of CTU agent Jack Bauer ( Kiefer Sutherland ) . In the first season, Jack Bauer wears a Submariner (Ref. 16610) .

However, in the second season, Jack Bauer's watch was changed from a Submariner to a G-SHOCK (Ref. DW6600) . Given the harsh war against terrorism where a one-second delay can be fatal, I believe that the extremely accurate and durable G-SHOCK was the "right choice."

☞Read #45 Kiefer Sutherland's Watch

Nicolas Cage in "National Treasure"

*Source: https://productplacementblog.com/

Nicolas Cage is a great actor who has done everything from Academy Award-winning movies to B-grade sci-fi horror. He plays a treasure hunter in the adventure blockbuster " National Treasure " (2002), who pursues the treasure of the Freemasons and uncovers the mystery of "the hidden history of America."

In this movie, he wears a Submariner (Ref. 16610) . There are some scenes where he is flooded in the underground temple, making you think, "I'm glad he's wearing the Submariner." This is a Disney production, so please watch it with your children.

☞#21 Read "The Wristwatch of the Strange Actor Nicolas Cage"

Jeremy Renner in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

*Source: https://www.spotern.com/

Jeremy Renner, who is also well known for his role as Hawkeye in The Avengers , plays a member of Ethan Hunt 's ( Tom Cruise ) team in the fourth Mission: Impossible film. The watch he wears is a Submariner (Ref. 116610LN ) .

Although there are no scenes involving water that would make use of the watch's waterproofing, there is one battle that takes place on the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, so the Submariner was probably chosen as a luxury watch that is most robust.

Steve Carell in "The Big Short"

*Source: https://p3.no/filmpolitiet/

The "Subprime Mortgage Crisis" occurred at the end of 2007, when loans made to home buyers became non-performing loans, causing financial collapse. The Big Short (2015) is an economic suspense film that depicts investors who made huge profits by short selling loans as the mortgage bubble bursts.

In this film, Steve Carell plays Mark Baum , a man modeled on Steve Eisman , a real-life investor who speculated in anticipation of the subprime collapse, and wears a Submariner ( Ref. 116610 ) . It is not certain whether the real Eisman wore a Submariner, but we have finally entered an era where Submariners can be worn by investors and wealthy people appearing in films, where previously Rolex Day-Dates were the norm.

Jonah Hill in "War Dogs"

*Source: https://www.spotern.com/

"War Dogs " is a comedy drama based on a true story about the success and downfall of a young arms dealer, directed by Todd Phillips of the " Hangover! " series. In this humorous film, Jonah Hill, who plays the role of an arms dealer who has risen to fame, wears a Submariner (Ref. 16610) .

With its well-proportioned shape and how it fits perfectly around larger arms, you can see why this model is so long and popular with everyone.

Submariner worn by actress

Vanessa Redgrave in "Desire"

*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/

A photographer happens to visit a park and takes a photo of a man and woman kissing. When he enlarges the photo, he sees what appears to be a man holding a gun and a dead body. The suspense thriller " Blow Up " (1967), directed by Michelangelo Antonioni , a master of Italian cinema, won the highest award (Palme d'Or) at the Cannes Film Festival. In this film, Vanessa Redgrave , who plays a woman who pressures the photographer to hand over her film, wears a Submariner (Ref. 5513) with a different strap.

Nowadays, it is quite common for women to wear men's watches, but in the 1960s, women rarely wore men's watches, and this style caused a big stir in the fashion industry at the time.

Cameron Diaz in "Knight and Day"

*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/

Following " Vanilla Sky " (2001), " Knight and Day " (2011), starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz , is a romantic action film about a brilliant CIA spy and an ordinary woman who falls in love with him and get caught up in a global conspiracy.

In this movie, Cameron Diaz wears a Submariner ( Ref. 16610 ) . She always wears it even in feminine outfits like swimsuits and dresses, which makes it stand out even more. However, it doesn't look out of place and shows the change in the times, where men's watches have become "watches that are acceptable for women to wear."

summary

What did you think?

As you can see, in the 1960s and 1970s, the Submariner was only seen in action movies such as the " 007 " series and " The Towering Inferno ," but in the 1990s it began to be seen in suspense films, and since 2000 it has often been worn by actors playing suited businessmen.

The screen conveys the history of how the Submariner, which was a " professional " watch that took advantage of its robustness and waterproofness, has evolved into a " luxury " item that evokes images of high status and high income.

As a watchmaker, I would like to continue to keep an eye on the future to see how the concept of a "wristwatch" will change or whether it will remain the same as the spread of IT tools such as smartwatches and smartphones.

see you!