Time is ticking on for Indiana Jones. Later this month, the snake-fearing, satchel-toting adventurer careens back onto our screens, but he’s far from the fresh-faced whippersnapper audiences first encountered in Raiders of the Lost Ark. In Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fictional archaeologist will have over 70 years on his clock; fast approaching artefact status himself. And yet, for the first time in the franchise, Harrison Ford’s hero will be able to track those passing months and minutes with his very own wristwatch.
This is a big deal. Never before has Indy buckled up a watch – although there has been plenty of fan-led speculation about the type of timepiece the character would strap on. A Reddit thread from five years ago went tongue-in-cheek when suggesting a Movado ‘Museum’ (geddit?), but also submitted a suitably flag-waving Timex, and the rare Rolex ‘Bubbleback’: a grail watch worthy of the last crusader.
A Quora forum, more recently, proposed either Longines’ ‘Lindbergh Hour Angle’, or a sturdy Jaeger-LeCoultre ‘Reverso’ for Jones. “Or some other period correct rectangular watch,” the post continued. “A Hamilton, IWC or Omega”. It’s fedoras off to this keen user, then, as Indiana Jones’ official wristwatch is revealed to be…
What watch does Indiana Jones wear in The Dial of Destiny?
A Hamilton American Classic ‘Boulton’ Quartz. First introduced in 1941, it’s a simple enough proposition — just £675, with a stainless steel case and quartz movement. It’s been reissued a handful of times over the years, always maintaining its Art Deco look, and Hamilton tells Esquire that this consistency is one of the key reasons the watch works so well in the film.
Hamilton American Classic Boulton Quartz
Hamilton American Classic Boulton Quartz
“The Boulton is definitely a timeless piece,” says Vivian Stauffer, Hamilton’s CEO. “In the 1940s, when it was first launched, we already had a model with a brown strap and gold case. In the 2000s, we introduced the ETA quartz movement to the Boulton and, after 2003, to this exact reference”.
How did the filmmakers select this Hamilton model?
Costume designer Joanna Johnston (Back to the Future; Mission: Impossible) may have been responsible for Indy’s iconic leather jacket, fedora and khaki military trousers this time around, but the Oscar-nominee’s team tells Esquire that the Hamilton decision was made by the prop department – along with input from the watchmaker itself.
“The choice of the Boulton for the character is based on the era — but not only that,” Stauffer explains. “It also reflects Indiana Jones’ personality as archaeologist, and it captures both his inquisitive mind and thirst for noble pursuits”.
And, while it may be slightly dressier than the brand’s more popular models, the Boulton undergoes the same tests of toughness that every Hamilton must endure. Whether that be shock testing, water resistance (30 metres, in this case) or even temperature trials, it’s the ideal choice for a film that sees Jones travel from Morocco’s sweltering souks to the depths of the Aegean. But does Stauffer think they made the right choice?
“I think it depends on your personal view of the character,” the CEO tells Esquire. “There are definitely various different watches that would have been a match for the movie. However, in terms accuracy of the time period and also in terms of the character, we believe that the Boulton is, definitely, the perfect match”.
Why was Hamilton the watchmaker for Indiana Jones?
Hamilton has a lasting association with cinema – and action heroes in particular. James Bond wore a Hamilton Pulsar in Live and Let Die. Captain America plumped for a Khaki Field Auto in The Avengers. Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark wears a Ventura XL Skeleton, John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan wears a Khaki Field Chrono and Bruce Willis’ John McClane a Jazzmaster Viewmatic Auto.
It’s trickier, however, to spot a cinematic Boulton. Tom Hanks wore one in You’ve Got Mail, as did Steve Martin’s Inspector Clouseau in the 2006 reboot of The Pink Panther. But, aside from those appearances, the model is lesser-seen on the big screen. That’s not to say it isn’t popular. It’s just that, as Stauffer explains, the watchmaker has a well-oiled, three-pronged process to ensure the right watch ends up on any one character’s wrist.
“The first approach, which is the most beautiful one in terms of creativity for the brand, is to develop a prop watch. We created prop watches for 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick, and Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and Tenet. Another opportunity comes when they need a timepiece that fits the time period of the movie. So we loan them watches from our Hamilton museum collection”.
Or, for the third option – and was the case with Indiana Jones – Hamilton makes a current watch available to the crew. So, while this particular dial may not always have been destined for Dr. Jones, the brown-strapped, brassy-cased Boulton is the watch both we – and the retiring professor – will be getting for this final film adventure.
