The Hamilton watch manufacturer renews its close ties to Hollywood with revered filmmaker Christopher Nolan in the film Oppenheimer. After contacting period collectors around the world, Nolan selected six period-accurate films that underscore the pivotal role of time in his fast-paced new thriller.
For more than 90 years, Hamilton has been the watch brand for filmmakers. Their collaboration with Hollywood and the film industry began in 1932. Since then, Hamilton watches have appeared in more than 500 major motion pictures.
Behind every appearance of a Hamilton on the big screen hides a close job with the filmmakers. Collaborations range from the custom creation of a prop clock, loan of current collection pieces, to the search for historical clocks that fit the period of the film.
In all cases, each watch is carefully chosen and designed to perfectly define the characters and capture the filmmakers’ vision in detail. Hamilton watches figure prominently in the storyline of Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s Universal Pictures film. Getting the watches, however, was not an easy task.
Nolan is known for the great attention he pays to the details of the plot and his characters. The filmmaker has trusted Hamilton once again to find watches that fulfill his vision. Aiming for the highest level of accuracy in terms of period and personality traits, the filmmaking team sought vintage watches for the wrists of three of the film’s main characters: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, and Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves, Jr. Even so, despite Hamilton’s extensive historical archive, the pieces selected for Oppenheimer all came from collectors. Taking advantage of the network of collectors and aficionados, Hamilton located six vintage models that emulated vintage watches from the 1930s and 1940s.
For J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy, they selected three different models, a Cushion B, an Endicott and a Lexington, which perfectly embody American design heritage with elegant Art Deco details. All three models symbolize the precision and focus of science, but with a modern twist of uniqueness.
Instead, Kitty Oppenheimer, played by Emily Blunt, wears a 14-karat gold Lady Hamilton A-2, a piece replete with intricate ornamentation. Hamilton’s military splendor also comes into play with Piping Rock and Military Ordnance watches on the wrist of Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves, Jr., played by Matt Damon.
The Oppenheimer film marks another chapter in Hamilton’s close collaboration with Christopher Nolan.
