Guy Ritchie has always known that the quickest way to tell you what maketh a man is to show you what he’s wearing. Okay, it’s not exclusive to the British director, but throughout his celebrated filmography, a bespoke suit, a pair of handmade shoes, or an expensive car have all done the job that a clumsy monologue could. And in Netflix’s latest season of The Gentlemen, it’s the myriad luxury watch references that do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Naturally, the newly minted Duke Eddie Horniman gets the deepest rotation of the lot, cycling through six watches as he gradually becomes more comfortable with the role he's inherited. The supporting cast are more economical with their choices, but their watches are no less revealing.
So, after a little forensic wrist-spotting, here are the best watches we've spotted in The Gentlemen.
Eddie Horniman – Rolex Cosmograph Daytona
Eddie Horniman has perhaps the most interesting wrist rotation in The Gentlemen, which makes sense given he spends the entire season evolving into the Duke he was always meant to be.
The first is a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (ref. 16520), the iconic "Zenith Daytona" stainless steel model produced before Rolex integrated ceramic bezels. Often referred to by collectors as the panda, thanks to its white dial and contrasting black subdials. Expensive enough to establish the family money, but not yet a six-figure reference – well, he was only shooting some partridge after all.
Eddie Horniman – Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph
If the Daytona establishes Eddie's old-money credentials, his Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph (ref. JLQ713257J) is the reference to show just how much of a watch guy the Duke is.
Originally created for polo players who wanted to protect the fragile crystal and dial of their watches during a match, the Reverso’s reversible case has become one of the most recognisable silhouettes in Swiss watchmaking – an example of watchmaking's better designs beyond the press material.
Cico Maldini – Rolex Submariner Date
Perfectly suited for the ostentatious Italian mobster, Cico Maldini’s Rolex Submariner Date is the full-gold variety, with an 18-carat yellow-gold case and bracelet, black dial, and black Cerachrom bezel. It’s the furthest thing from subtle.
There's a long history of full-gold sports Rolex being associated with the more colourful corners of the underworld, from the mobsters of the 1970s onwards, and Cico's choice feels like a knowing continuation of the tradition.
Eddie Horniman – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Moving the train along, few watches communicate inherited wealth as well as Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (ref. 26674ST.OO.132OST.01), one of the three horsemen of the sports watch.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar combines Gérald Genta's unmistakable octagonal case and integrated bracelet with one of traditional watchmaking's most demanding complications. Alongside the time, it tracks the day, date, month, Moon phase, and leap years, requiring no manual adjustment for the differing lengths of months. Perfect, then, for the jet-setting Duke looking to conquer the European market.
Bobby Glass – Panerai Luminor Date
The first Panerai in this list, gracing Bobby Glass’ wrist, and carrying many of the markers that you’d expect from the Italian watchmaker: a cushion-shaped case and enormous crown protector.
It’s an expensive piece, certainly, but much of the Panerai Luminor’s (ref. PAM01041) appeal has historically been rooted in utility, legibility, and its strong military ties beyond the precious-metal flexing that defines some of the other watches in The Gentlemen.
I’m calling this one the knuckle duster of the line-up, which, for a character as volatile as the incarcerated Bobby Glass, works perfectly. It’s a watch that looks like it could take a beating.
Eddie Horniman – OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional
Every serious collection needs something you can actually use, which is why the OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (ref. 310.60.42.50.10.001) is perhaps the one watch in his rotation that you could genuinely call a tool watch with a straight face.
By now, of course, we all know OMEGA’s reputation as the first watch on the moon. But beyond the press release, the Speedmaster's manual-winding chronograph and tachymeter scale have remained remarkably close to the formula that accompanied NASA astronauts to the Moon.
It's also arguably the most Eddie watch of the lot given his military past, particularly when you compare this reference to the considerably more extravagant pieces elsewhere in his collection.
Eddie Horniman – Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètre Chronograph Moon
Jaeger-LeCoultre's Duomètre Chronograph Moon (ref. Q622252J) is a considerably more esoteric proposition than the Daytona or Speedmaster elsewhere in this list, with the brand's Dual-Wing architecture that separates the timekeeping and chronograph functions into two independent mechanisms.
There’s no real explanation for why he’d elect to pick up this reference beyond Ritchie’s use of costume as characterisation. Of Eddie's six, this is the collector's watch – a watch made for watch nerds. The one that suggests there's considerably more going on beneath the surface than the Duke initially lets on.
Eddie Horniman – Panerai Radiomir Quaranta
Panerai's Radiomir Quaranta (ref. PAM01026) takes the unmistakable DNA of the Italian brand's military diving watches and reduces it to 40mm, making it considerably easier to wear than the relatively enormous Panerai references that helped establish the brand's modern reputation.
It appears when Eddie is dressed down, away from the more formal trappings of Halstead Estate, and works as the perfect visual cue for a military man through the Italian brand’s close naval connection. Arguably, my favourite prop of the lot.
Sheikh Khaled Suliman – Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222
The Vacheron Constantin's Historiques 222 (ref. 4200H/222J-B935) on Sheikh Khaled Suliman is easily one of my favourite cues of the series. Yes, it’s gold. Yes, it’s an absolute stunner; one you would immediately notice from across the room. But without the almost immediate ID that someone could perhaps conjure of Cico Maldini’s Submariner.
Originally designed by Jörg Hysek in 1977, the 222 was Vacheron Constantin's answer to the integrated-bracelet sports-watch revolution sparked by the aforementioned Royal Oak. Its modern revival has become one of the most coveted pieces in the brand's catalogue.
Lord Hawthorne – Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days
Another Panerai, which makes me think The Gentlemen either has a commercial agreement with the Italian brand, perhaps as a sweetener for the many filming locations across the Med, or that Guy Ritchie himself is a huge fan.
After all, Hugh Bonneville’s corrupt Lord Hawthorne doesn’t exactly have military ties in this season, so the choice of the Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days (ref. PAM00515) demands some scrutiny.
The watch draws heavily from Panerai's early military history, with the Radiomir case design and sandwich dial recalling the instruments originally developed for Italian naval commandos. The manual-winding movement gives it an appropriately old-school mechanical character, so perhaps that’s the connection to one of the oldest English institutions.
Still, for someone who confidently walks the dark corridors of power in the English capital, I’d have put him in something understated – classy. Perhaps a Patek Philippe Calatrava or a vintage Breguet.