In a world where "look at me" red carpet style reigns, you might think a grand gesture would create the biggest impact. But as it turns out, the smallest details make the man—especially when it comes to being the best dressed.
And even though La La Land didn't actually win best picture this week (resulting in one of the most memorable Oscar moments we've ever seen), Ryan Gosling has proven himself to be a solid menswear style-setter time and time again.
One remarkably effective tool in his arsenal: a fantastic wristwatch. This tiny detail, seemingly small and insignificant, is an area where Gosling ultimately excels. Throughout his career, some pretty fabulous watches have appeared in both Ryan's films and real life—intelligent choices revealing an important facet of his character's personality or quietly respecting the dignity of a formal occasion.
In 2011's Drive, he wears a beloved watch supposedly handed down to him by his father: a sentimental piece based on a style made by Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe. While the one used in the movie is a prop stand-in for the real thing, it does bear a close resemblance to a white gold Patek Philippe reference 5196G. The manually wound watch features a minimalist dial with simple hour indices and a small seconds sub-dial located at six.
In that same year, Rolex made a couple of appearances in Crazy, Stupid, Love in the form of a yellow gold bubbleback reference 3372 (circa 1930s-'40s) and a more recent Rolex Submariner reference 16610 from the early 2000s. And in the real world, the actor was spotted earlier this year wearing a Rolex Air King reference 5500 with distinctive 3-6-9 Arrow Head hour markers and an attractive off-white dial while attending January's Golden Globes ceremony. Naturally, he won.
Throughout La La Land, Gosling wears vintage clothes with a distinct nod towards the '40s and '50s, imitating the style and era of the jazz musicians that his character idolizes. A simple gold watch is worn from beginning to end, with one quick closeup revealing a '50s Omega as he reaches to change the radio station in his cherry-red '82 Buick Riviera.
Here's a closer look:
There's more to come. Gosling's next project—Terrence Malick's Song to Song—premieres this year at South by Southwest, a fitting debut for a film about the music scene in Austin, Texas. Advance stills reveal Gosling wearing yet another Omega, this time a 34mm automatic steel 1950s Seamaster (a watch worn previously at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival) featuring an unusual linked bracelet nicknamed "Beads of Rice."
His next project where the watch is sure to play a leading role will pair him once again with La La Land director Damien Chazelle for a movie entitled First Man. Currently in pre-production, Gosling is set to play astronaut Neil Armstrong in the story of the legendary space mission that led to him being the first man to walk on the moon. Swiss timekeeper Omega will most certainly be heavily featured; the Speedmaster worn by Armstrong during the mission is one of the most famous watches of all time.
But before that, there's the Blade Runner 2049. And while Gosling's coat is a standout in the trailer, there aren't any watches visible in advance clips or stills. That said, a fantastic photo of current director Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) with Ridley Scott, Harrison Ford, and Ryan recently surfaced, where Gosling's personal Rolex Air King is clearly visible on his wrist.
Which means that, for the moment, we've got to wait for more. But while we do that, we can take a look at last night's Oscars. Rolex was not only the exclusive sponsor of the 89th Academy Awards Greenroom, but a sponsor of the entire Academy Awards broadcast itself. And even though Gosling didn't bring home the gold, he was dressed perfectly for the evening in Gucci paired with the ideal costar, his trusty Rolex—the perfect supporting timepiece.
