Sourced from vintage collectors around the world, the curation of the six period-accurate Hamilton watch models underscores the pivotal role of time in Nolan’s new pulse-pounding thriller.
At the heart of cinema for over 90 years, Hamilton is the watchmaker of filmmakers. The collaboration with Hollywood and the movie industry began in 1932. Hamilton watches have since appeared in over 500 major feature films.
Every Hamilton watch presence in a film is the result of a close working relationship with filmmakers. Collaborations range from developing a custom prop watch to making watches available from the current collection to sourcing historical timepieces that fit the period of the film. In every instance, each carefully chosen or created watch serves to define both the character and the filmmaker’s vision. Hamilton watches figure prominently into the story of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, from Universal Pictures, in theaters July 21, 2023. Sourcing the watches themselves, however, was no easy task.
Nolan is known for his attention to detail in his construction of both plot and characters. The revered filmmaker once again collaborated with Hamilton to find timepieces that fulfill his vision. To achieve the highest level of period accuracy and expression of character, vintage timepieces were selected to adorn the wrists of three of the film’s central characters: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer and Lieutenant General Leslie Groves, Jr. While the Hamilton archives are extensive, the pieces selected for Oppenheimer were all sourced from collectors. Tapping our network of enthusiasts and collectors, we sourced six vintage references, leveraging period-specific timepieces from the 1930s and 1940s.
For J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy, three models were selected. The Cushion B, Endicott and Lexington each embody heritage American design with flourishes of Art Deco styling. The references balance scientific precision and focus with a pioneering spirit of individuality. In contrast, Kitty Oppenheimer, played by Emily Blunt, is adorned by the ornate Lady Hamilton A-2 in 14k gold. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s rugged military prowess is on full display with the Piping Rock and Military Ordnance watch on the wrist of Lieutenant General Leslie Groves, Jr., played by Matt Damon.
Oppenheimer marks another chapter in Hamilton’s close collaboration with Christopher Nolan.
ABOUT HAMILTON
Founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1892, Hamilton creates watches with a unique balance of authenticity and innovation. Its timepieces synchronized the first railroads and kept time for aviation pioneers and U.S. soldiers. The watchmaker of filmmakers, Hamilton watches have appeared in more than 500 movies and TV shows, with custom pieces playing a pivotal role in several Hollywood blockbusters. Striving to shape authentic characters and storylines through its timepieces, Hamilton designed the first branded watch to be featured in a video game. With a continued commitment to craftsmanship and accuracy, Hamilton launched the world’s first electric watch in 1957 and the first LED digital watch in 1970. A member of the Swatch Group, the global leader in watch manufacturing and distribution, Hamilton’s current collections combine its American spirit with true Swiss precision.
Learn more at hamiltonwatch.com and follow us @hamiltonwatch on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT OPPENHEIMER
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX®-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it.
The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. Oscar® winner Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves, Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
Academy Award® nominee Florence Pugh plays psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, Benny Safdie plays theoretical physicist Edward Teller, Michael Angarano plays Robert Serber and Josh Hartnett plays pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence.
Oppenheimer also stars Oscar® winner Rami Malek and reunites Nolan with eight-time Oscar® nominated actor, writer and filmmaker Kenneth Branagh.
The cast includes Dane DeHaan (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets), Dylan Arnold (Halloween franchise), David Krumholtz (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises).
The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan.
Oppenheimer is filmed in a combination of IMAX® 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography including, for the first time ever, sections in IMAX® black and white analogue photography.
Nolan’s films, including Tenet, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy, have earned more than $5 billion at the global box office and have been awarded 11 Oscars® and 36 nominations, including two Best Picture nominations.
ABOUT UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.