Feature: The watches of The Gentlemen
Released in 2024 on Netflix, The Gentlemen sees English aristocrats pitted against ruthless London gangsters, along with a medley of religious fanatics, Irish travellers and an Albanian drug cartel.
With so much money swirling around, it would be remiss of the series’ props department not to ensure the cast were wearing top-notch timepieces. And from episode one it’s evident that keen-eyed watch-spotters are in for a horological treat. No expense is spared as we’re served up an irresistible mix of vintage and contemporary, with the redoubtable F.P. Journe making—to the best of our knowledge—an unexpected debut on the small-screen.
Not only that, the watches feel true to the people wearing them. Keep an eye out for the main character Eddie, who in the first episode goes from being an army officer sporting a humble Bremont to a Patek Philippe-wearing lord of the manor.
A second series of The Gentlemen is in the pipeline, and we don’t envy the person tasked with sourcing the next batch of watches for this fast-paced Guy Ritchie comedy caper. As we’re about to find out, it’s a tough act to follow...
Eddie Horniman wears: Bremont and Patek Philippe
We first meet Eddie Horniman (Theo James) as an army officer manning a military checkpoint in an unspecified country. So, his steel Bremont Broadsword, an official military watch, is an apt choice. Summoned home after learning his father, the Duke of Halstead, is about to pass away, we next see him out of his uniform and looking every inch the English aristocrat.
Eddie Horniman upgrades from a Bremont to a Patek Philippe in one episode - nice work! Image: Courtesy of Phillips
Soon, Eddie, who unexpectedly finds himself inheriting the dukedom instead of his older brother, has swapped his Bremont for a rose-gold Patek Philippe Nautilus chronograph reference 5990, a model that sells for more than £200k on the pre-owned market. Desperate to raise funds to pay off the drug barons who have taken over part of his estate, selling this watch never comes into the equation. From this, we can assume it has sentimental value, possibly bequeathed to him from his late father.
Freddie Horniman wears: Omega
Eddie’s wastrel brother Freddie might well have been the one wearing the gold Nautilus had he inherited his father’s title and estate. But the late Duke, knowing his first-born would squander the family fortune, made sure it was passed down to the younger—and infinitely more capable—Eddie, who doesn’t have a raging cocaine habit and a retinue of dodgy friends.
Freddie's Constellation is the steel version of this 1950s classic. Image: Courtesy of Bonhams
Freddie therefore has to make do with wearing his late father’s 1950s vintage Omega Constellation. It’s a handsome watch and in fine condition, but worth a tiny fraction of his brother’s Nautilus. That’s got to sting the hapless Freddie, who seems destined to be nothing but a burden to his family.
Susie Glass wears: Cartier
As the daughter of Bobby Glass, head of a vast cannabis empire, Susie (Kaya Scodelario) proves more than a match for Eddie in the business stakes, and she’s also fully on top of her watch game.
The gold Cartier Tank model worn by Susie Glass. Image: Courtesy of Bonhams
Susie, the most elegantly chic cockney gangster in TV drama history, sports a yellow-gold Cartier Tank. No slouch when it comes to high-end horology, in one episode she's put on the spot when asked to check whether a rare vintage Patek Philippe is genuine or fake, passing the test with flying colours.
Florian de Groot wears: Cartier
Cartier is also the brand favoured by the bearded Belgian drug smuggler Florian de Groot (Kristofer Hivju). During a scene in a restaurant where he unwittingly tucks into a plate of poisoned tartar de cheval (raw horse meat), his extra-large rose-gold Santos-Dumont on a strap can be seen tucked under the cuff of his jacket.
Florian de Groot wears a rose-gold Cartier Santos
Florian is yet another pin-sharp dresser in a series that’s riddled with stylish characters, and this timeless watch—the first commercially produced men's wristwatch, lest we forget—complements his debonair appearance.
Bobby Glass wears: Bremont
No TV series about London gangsters would be complete without the legendary Ray Winstone, who plays cannabis kingpin, Bobby Glass. Comfortably incarcerated in an open prison while still overseeing his criminal empire, he enjoys an epicurean lifestyle and unlimited visits from his daughter, Susie. And there’s no standard prison uniform for the dapper Bobby, who’s partial to silk cravats and heritage Savile Row tailoring.
The Bremont chronograph worn by Bobby Glass
He tops off his quintessentially British look with a watch (or “kettle”, in cockney parlance) from the UK brand Bremont, a chunky ALTI-ZT chronograph with a GMT function. Perfect for jet-setters, not so great for a man stuck behind bars.
Stanley Johnston wears: F.P. Journe, Girard-Perregaux, Patek Philippe
He may be mixed up in some murky business deals, but the American billionaire Stanley Johnston (Giancarlo Esposito) is refinement personified. From fine vintage wines to bespoke suits, he clearly considers himself a bit of an aesthete.
An F.P. Journe Chronometre Souverain was an inspired choice. Image: Courtesy of Phillips
The props department could have taken the easy option, slapped a gold Royal Oak on his wrist and be done with it. But they really upped the ante here, pairing him with a platinum F.P. Journe chronometré Souverain (likely the first time an F.P. Journe has appeared in a TV series) and a rose-gold Girard Perregaux Ferrari chronograph.
In one scene he mentions the fact that he’s wearing a Patek Philippe reference 1518, but we never actually see it in full. Since this rare perpetual calendar sells for upwards of $11m, it's understandable that the props department used the watch equivalent of a body double here.
Henry Collins wears: Rolex
This corrupt boxing promoter and money launderer (played by Max Beesley) wears a Rolex that we can’t quite make out but it’s almost certainly a yellow-gold Day-Date on an Oyster bracelet.
At least one person has to wear a gold Rolex Day-Date in a TV series about gangsters
One thing it definitely isn’t, as reported by some sources, is a Daytona as there are clearly no pushers on the case. Frankly, the wardrobe department phoned this one in. It’s the blindingly obvious choice for a mid-ranking gangster, though not the wrong one.
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