The 7 Most Iconic Watches From Movies – Plus, Where to Get Your Own Luxury Timepieces

In our everyday lives, we use accessories like luxury watches to signify our commitment to taste, style, and elegance. In the movies, watches are no different – they tell the audience crucial information about the character sporting each timepiece. They signify that person’s values, social status, preferences, and so much more.

Today, we’ll take a deep dive into some of the most iconic watches ever seen on the silver screen. Plus, we’ll detail where to find comparable timepieces on the secondary market (hint: Avi & Co. has an incredible selection of cinema-worthy pieces).

Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Wolf of Wall Street, a chaotic yet compelling 2013 romp through the world of American excess. From the New York Stock Exchange floor to the halls of DiCaprio’s character Jordan Belfort’s luxe estate, Wolf of Wall Street exposes its viewers to countless instances of high fashion. But while Jordan Belfort wears a gold-plated Tag Heuer watch, it is his sidekick Donnie Azoff (played by Jonah Hill) whose Rolex watch truly steals the show.

Hill sports a yellow gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, an aspirational piece for many, that perfectly complements his finance-bro aesthetic. The yellow gold watch, which is complete with a striking black index dial, symbolizes to anyone watching the movie that Hill’s character has “made it” – he is riding out his wealth and indulging in the utmost luxury.

Shop our entire collection of Rolex watches at Avi & Co. – whether you love the Daytona or the Datejust, we have the perfect Rolex for you!

If you have never enjoyed Uncut Gems, a 2019 film starring Adam Sandler as a charismatic Diamond District jeweler who makes a precarious high-stakes bet, it’s time to curl up on the couch and be enthralled by this breathtaking crime thriller. Set in Manhattan, Uncut Gems treats its viewers to numerous ingenious costume choices (Sandler’s classic Ferragamo loafers, anyone?) – but the true standout of this film’s costuming is Adam Sandler’s iced-out Rolex.

Sandler plays Howard “Howie” Ratner, a jeweler who is struggling with family and personal troubles while aiming to maintain a (somewhat seedy) jewelry store that caters to big spenders. His preference for all things sparkly and shiny is evidenced by his diamond-studded Rolex Day Date, a watch that cannot help but catch you attention.

The Day Date that Sandler sports is a 18K yellow gold model that has undergone after-market modifications. Here at Avi & Co., we believe that investing in factory-set watches is the best way to preserve your investment – but that does not mean you have to sacrifice on bling! We have plenty of diamond-pave watches in stock that will quench your thirst for sparkle.

Brad Pitt starred in this 2022 action movie set on a fast-moving train. While Bullet Train did not exactly sweep awards season, it was still an excellent movie for the watch lovers among us. We spotted a rare 1940s Rolex Oyster Perpetual and a classic Cartier Tank along with our favorite watch from the movie: Brad Pitt’s Breitling AVI.

Pitt is a known enthusiast of the Breitling brand, and he has been photographed wearing these striking watches on numerous occasions, both on the red carpet and while strolling the streets of Los Angeles. Pitt is part of Breitling’s “Hollywood Squad” of ambassadors, a group that also includes Charlize Theron and Adam Driver. However, Pitt’s watch collection goes far beyond Breitlings – he is also known to own multiple Patek Philippe watches as well as a number of Rolex timepieces.

In Bullet Train, Pitt sported a 41 mm Breitling watch with a black leather strap, similar to the Breitling Navitimer pictured above. For any watch enthusiast who loves sporty yet chic timepieces with an aviation-focused heritage, Breitling is the perfect brand.

Often, people think of OMEGA watches when they think of James Bond movies – but in the original iterations of the films, Sean Connery sported a hefty Rolex Submariner. He wore this watch in Dr. No (1962), From Russia With Love (1963), and Goldfinger (1964). While the Rolex Submariner is certainly a well-known piece, Bond’s version differed slightly from the norm.

In the three movies listed, Connery wore a Rolex Submariner with a black dial and a black bezel. The interesting difference that sets it apart? Unlike many Submariners you might see today, Connery’s Rolex did not have a date window. It is actually somewhat difficult to find a “No Date” Rolex Submariner on today’s market, making this a coveted piece for its sleek look as well as its ties to the James Bond movie franchise.

In the 2000 film American Psycho, Christian Bale plays upwardly mobile investment banker Patrick Bateman. In that era, it was virtually a ritual of success for Wall Street professionals to invest in a Rolex watch as a symbol of their success – and that is exactly what Bale’s Rolex symbolizes to viewers in American Psycho.

While the Rolex brand was mentioned 26 times in the novel that American Psycho is based on, there is no mention of the brand in the movie aside from the fact that the watch is shown multiple times on Bale’s wrist. If you’ve seen the movie (no spoilers here!), then you can probably understand why Rolex did not want to be associated with the titular American psycho himself…

Bale’s Rolex in American Psycho showed off a timeless two-tone finish that combined yellow gold and stainless steel on the bracelet. It also showcased the brand’s classic fluted bezel that has become a hallmark of the Datejust model.

The OMEGA Speedmaster is well-known among outer space enthusiasts for its pivotal role in the Apollo 11 moon landing. It was the only watch that passed a rigorous series of tests designed by NASA, and it was worn by all three astronauts on the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Thus, it was the ideal choice for the movie Apollo 13, which was released in 1995 but details the specifics of a dangerous accident that occurred during the 1970 mission of the same name.

In the movie, Tom Hanks plays astronaut Jim Lovell, who wears the OMEGA Speedmaster “Moonwatch” as he helps the crew address their dangerous situation and navigate safely back to Earth. The docudrama received numerous awards and positive reviews – and the OMEGA watch itself played a pivotal role in the plot.

Shop our entire robust collection of OMEGA watches at Avi & Co.

In the 1996 action disaster movie Daylight, Sylvester Stallone helped to skyrocket the Italian watch brand Panerai to fame with his timepiece choice of the Panerai Luminor. The movie details the aftermath of an explosion in the Holland Tunnel, from which Stallone is tasked with saving the lives of numerous civilians. His A-list star status and his frequent casting in heroic roles certainly helped build the reputation of Panerai watches.

But the Panerai Luminor was not just an aesthetic accessory in Daylight. In fact, it played a pivotal role in numerous scenes, as it was used to time certain events (like the detonation of a bomb). Many scenes also featured the watch’s luminescent dial, which helped Stallone’s character navigate through the darkened tunnel and tell the time even when playing a rescuer in low-light conditions.

Explore the rich Italian heritage of our Panerai watch collection at Avi & Co. – whether you fall in love with the Radiomir or the Luminor, we have the perfect Panerai watch for you.

Whether you are looking for a watch inspired by the silver screen or a timepiece made for the cinematic happenings of your own life, accessorize like a main character with our diverse collection of watches at Avi & Co. We are a trusted secondary market watch retailer specializing in luxury brands like Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Rolex, and more.

We have three upscale showrooms located in New York, Miami, and Aspen, Colorado – wherever you’re located, we invite you to come visit us in person to try on the watch of your dreams on your very own wrist. There is nothing quite like feeling the weight of a luxury timepiece on your own body and soaking up the heritage of these masterful watches.

Schedule an appointment to visit us today – we cannot wait to help you find the watch of your dreams!