Watches on the Big Screen: Ryan Gosling Special

There are actors who collect watches to stand out. Then there’s Ryan Gosling – who collects watches as if he’s trying to avoid being seen, yet somehow manages to do so.

It’s a bit of his superpower. He rarely says much in interviews, he has no gigantic statements on social media, and yet he continues to emerge as one of the best-dressed men in Hollywood.

If you look closely, you’ll notice that it’s often the watches that give him away.
They accompany him in his roles, in everyday life, in campaigns – but most importantly in those small moments when he dresses exactly as he wants.

And that collection is far more interesting than one might initially think.
Not because it’s the largest or the most expensive.
But because it’s well thought out. Nerdy. Fun. And above all: personal.

Patek Philippe Calatrava 5196G – the silent and elegant perfection

We start with Drive.
The film that made the entire internet sit quietly on their sofas, contemplating buying a scorpion jacket and speaking less.

On the wrist?
A Patek Philippe Calatrava 5196G.

The genius lies in how invisible it is.
It’s not an eye-catching Patek. It’s a thin, clean, almost zen-like watch that looks exactly the same today as it did eighty years ago. You get the feeling that even if the rest of the world is burning, the Calatrava will stand there looking exactly the same.

And it suits Driver perfectly: a man who never says more than necessary yet gets everything done.

Geek fact you can bring to dinner:

5196G is a modern watch that has completely skipped the second hand. Just hours and minutes.
It’s hard to get more minimal than that.

Vintage Omega in La La Land – the warm and human watch

In La La Land, something completely different happens.
Gosling's character lives in a romantic bubble of jazz clubs, lost eras, and general 1950s nostalgia.

And the watch? An old gold-toned Omega.

This is not a model you find displayed in a showcase at NK. This is the kind of watch that often lies in a small box at the bottom of a drawer, waiting for someone to rediscover it. Thin case. Plexiglass. Dial with a bit of charming patina.

The beauty of vintage Omega from that era is that they feel warm.
Modern watches are often perfect. Vintage Omega is... human.
They tick a little unevenly, reflect light in a different way, and carry traces of the people who lived a life before you.

It makes the whole role even better.
Because La La Land is really about dreams that you don't quite dare to let go of.
And such a story is told better with a watch that has also carried a few.

IWC Portugieser Chronograph – the best friend of finance

In The Big Short, the mood shifts once again.
There, Gosling's character is a slick financier, complete with sharp shirt collars, commenting on the world economy with a half-cocked smile.

On the wrist: an IWC Portugieser Chronograph.

This is a watch that almost looks like an Excel spreadsheet.
Clean, sleek, perfect symmetry.
It’s made for someone who wants to signal: I have a grip on the numbers – without having to say it aloud.

Moreover, the Portugieser is a true icon among watch enthusiasts.
It’s the model that brought IWC into the luxury segment, and the proportions are so well thought out that one might wonder if they did it with a laser compass.

It’s a watch that doesn’t try to impress – it simply is competent.
A bit like the character itself.

Ryan Gosling's Private Watch Collection

This is a watch that could have been the star of a Wes Anderson film.
Round, small, slightly domed, slightly uneven.
It almost looks like an old candy in a metal mold.

But Bubblebacks are significant.
It was Rolex's first major step into automatic movements – and many watch enthusiasts see them as the beginning of the modern Rolex era.

Gosling could have bought any modern Rolex, but he chooses one of the brand's most underrated vintage series. In my opinion, this choice makes him a true collector's friend.

When Gosling isn't filming movies or walking red carpets, his Submariner 16610 often makes an appearance on his wrist. It's almost ironic. Hollywood star, successful, style icon – and yet he chooses not the latest Submariner for overinflated prices, but an older ref. 16610 from the aluminum era. A generation that is lighter, thinner, and more "I'm actually going to use this as a watch."

The nerd in me loves it. For the 16610 is one of the last Submariner models that still feels a bit raw. A bit tool-like. A bit that it's built to actually dive, not just to be seen at brunch.

It's one of his most down-to-earth choices, and perhaps what makes it the best.

Finally, we have his Air-King 5500. A model that feels like the answer to the question: "What do you wear when you want to stop thinking?"

Air-King 5500 is, in fact, perfect in its simplicity.
It’s small, slim, completely clean in design, and works with almost any outfit.

It is also one of the most enduring Rolex models ever – and there’s a reason for that. It’s just… right.

As a brand ambassador, he often wears them publicly – and sure, they suit him well. But when given the choice, it’s primarily his vintage and classic models that come to the forefront.

A collection that doesn't try – and that's why it works

What I like most about Ryan Gosling's watch collection is that it feels honest. He doesn't collect to impress.
He collects because he likes things.

And perhaps that's exactly why we notice him. Not because he's trying to stand out, but simply because he doesn't need to.

His watches serve as little time markers in his roles, his style, and his life.