Ah, “Mad Men“: the series chronicling the crazy lives of the even crazier men and women on Madison Avenue in the 1960s. If you can look past the incredible amount of sexism, adultery (hey, it was 1960s New York for heaven’s sake), dubious morality and a hint of racism, the show devotes a great deal of attention to detail.
The team behind this consists of three extremely respected figures when it comes to the “behind-the-scenes” worlds of film and TV series: we are talking about Scott Buckwald and Ellen Freund, who have joined forces and expertise with Emmy-winning costume designer Janie Bryant so that they can recreate the atmosphere of the 1960s through costumes, art, and, for the joy of this article, watches.
Many of the pieces to appear on screen are not replicas, but were rented from Derek Dier, owner of WatchesToBuy, who describes himself as someone who “has been buying and selling vintage watches for over 35 years, supplying them to collectors and the movie business.”
Anyway, without needing any further introduction, it’s time to dive into the world of Mad Men and discover the watches on the wrists of the actors in this award-winning TV series.
Don Draper – a progression through the seasons
First Season
The first piece on the list is a Master Memovox by Jaeger-LeCoultre in the “Tuxedo” version, worn by the key character in the series. This is the unofficial name given to the watch with a white dial with a black outer ring and steel case.
This line of JLC was very popular with businessmen in the 1960s: the mechanical alarm clock function served as a personal assistant and, especially with the “Tuxedo” configuration, was more than appropriate for events and formal settings-a perfect watch for Don Draper, and one that compliments the hustle and bustle of the “Big Apple” in the first season.
The Master Memovox was discontinued at the end of the decade, only to be reintroduced in 2012 with the “Tribute to Deep Sea” version. Take a look to find out their differences!
Second Season
The Master Memovox was not the only Jaeger-LeCoultre on the protagonist’s wrist: in the second season, Don Draper switched to a beautiful yellow gold Reverso Classique with a brown leather strap.(Find the story of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso here).
Introduced in 1931 as a watch for polo players (the rotating case function serves to protect the glass), shortly after its launch, the Reverso became sought after by men of different lifestyles.
Elizabeth “Betty” Draper, la moglie di Don, sfrutta la caratteristica omonimia del Reverso ed incide il fondello.
In 2012, JLC collaborated with the executives of the series to create the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin – Tribute to Mad Men: a stupendously successful idea. Limited to 25 pieces, this very elegant watch is very similar to the “Tribute to 1931” from the year before: both pieces have a stunning matte black dial and very bright baton hands. The case back is engraved with the logo of “Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce,” the name of the company advertising the series.
High-resolution reproductions of old Jaeger-LeCoultre promotional posters can be found in the box, making this piece a “must have” for vintage enthusiasts.
Forth Season
This season, Don Draper is working with Rolex executives on a North American advertising campaign, so a re-styling was to be expected. The SCDP Creative Director opts for the Rolex Explorer I, unmistakably recognized by the Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock on the shiny black dial, accompanied by the Oyster bracelet.
This was a very natural choice for Don: the Explorer, with its smooth bezel and slim case, is a very versatile piece that can be worn at the office and at black-tie events (although it remains a sports watch). A Submariner would probably not have been able to offer the same result.
Fifth Season
Stage managers needed to find a new distinctive watch for Don Draper for the new season. Having already used Rolex and Jaeger-LeCoultre, the team selected the Omega Seamaster DeVille ref.166.020 with a black dial-a piece that dates back to 1966. Not coincidentally, 1966 is precisely the year in which this season is set.
This choice was probably due to the popularity of the Seamaster collection in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. These watches were aimed at those who enjoyed sailing, diving, and other water sports. The DeVille were the more formal and elegant versions of the Seamaster family: much more refined than the standard Seamasters with white dials.
Although the Reverso and Explorer are certainly more recognized and acclaimed in the eyes of the general public, the DeVille (at least in my opinion) is the watch synonymous with “Mad Men.” Not only because I am personally fond of vintage Omegas, especially Seamasters, but more because of the fact that the main character wears this piece for the entire duration of the fifth season until the end of the series (last episode of the seventh season). It is the watch that accompanies Don Draper during his character’s most important evolution.
Reference 166,020 also made an impression on the actor who plays the main character-Jon Hamm. So much so that the DeVille has entered the actor’s personal collection. In fact, Hamm even wears it on the April 2013 cover of “Rolling Stone” magazine.
Roger Sterling
The silver fox named Roger Sterling, Don Draper’s colleague, is a classy and extremely charming man. The piece that best describes the character is a 1959 Tudor Oyster-Prince ref. 7967: a watch that mounts Rolex’s first automatic movement.
Derek Dier gave the nickname “Tuxedo” to this version of the Oyster-Prince because of the black-silver dial. This piece is more conservative than Don Draper’s, reflecting the difference between the two generations. Just like Jon Hamm’s Omega, John Slattery fell in love with this Tudor. The actor who plays Sterling also wanted to take this piece home!
Megan Draper
Don’s wife, Megan Draper, wears a Jules Jürgensen Est.D 1740.
This watch has an ellipse-shaped 14kt white gold case and a diamond bezel. It is a very elegant piece and is worn perfectly by Megan (Jessica Paré) who takes advantage of the wealth and Jet-Set lifestyle of the 1960s.
Pete Campbell
In season five, deputy manager Pete Campbell – played by Vincent Kartheiser – wears a strange Hamilton “Sputnik”.
This watch has a multidimensional case with flared lugs and a dial that perfectly reflects the design of the 1960s. Remembering that the Hamilton “Sputnik” was the house’s most affordable piece at the time, it is a good choice by the creative team.
Ken Cosgrove
In the third season, a Hamilton Electric can be found on the wrist of the executive played by Aaron Staton. Not to be confused, however, with the Ventura: a piece equally popular in the decade due to the fact that it was worn by Elvis Presley. The watch was given to him by a customer who was very impressed with his work.
In the third season, a Hamilton Electric can be found on the wrist of the executive played by Aaron Staton. Not to be confused, however, with the Ventura: a piece equally popular in the decade due to the fact that it was worn by Elvis Presley. The watch was given to him by a customer who was very impressed with his work.
Just as Pete Campbell’s “Sputnik,” the Hamilton “Electric” has spectacular loops-take a look!
We don’t want to give away the plot of the series, but it is really interesting and compelling to analyze the character traits and compare them to the watch tastes, especially in how they change accompanying the characters through the seasons. When you look a little closer, the choices are perfectly appropriate. It is no wonder that, partly because of the watches worn during Mad Men, so many Emmy awards have been won.
Oltre ad essere di ottima manifattura, sono proprio quelli che potrebbero candidarsi per il tuo primo orologio. Ancora incerto? Abbiamo scritto una guida a riguardo proprio qui!
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