Ryan Gosling’s Drive Watch: a Vintage Patek Philippe

When Drive (the film from 2011) hit theaters, watch enthusiasts were all talking about the awesome Patek on Ryan Gosling’s wrist. The movie had a distinct vintage style, and the vintage Patek Philippe had a starring role with the amount of screen time it got. During the intro, you’re introduced to both Gosling, the getaway driver, and the Patek, which times his 5-minute limit during a heist.

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Outside of his critical success as an actor, Gosling is also known as a style icon. He feels the costumes for his roles are integral to the characters themselves and had his input on them for Drive, along with the pick of the watch, an essential piece to his character. He was drawn to the understated class of a vintage Patek, which paired well with the calm, enigmatic character he played.

Was the watch used in the film a replica?

To be sure, the watch we see in Drive is a replica that was made specifically for the film. They did this to avoid harming any real vintage Pateks, as filming a stunt-driving movie would probably have damaged them.

With Patek still continuing their traditional styling for many pieces, they still have a modern equivalent to the vintage-inspired replica from the movie. The Patek Philippe Calatrava collection, which they started making in 1932, fits the bill. The current Calatrava styled with small seconds subdial and hour markers match up nicely to the one worn by Gosling in Drive. It comes in either white or yellow gold 37mm case, with either a brown or leather alligator strap

Not to be forgotten, Ron Perlman plays a starring role opposite Gosling and also sports a watch to match his persona.

Ron Perlman’s watch in Drive: Breitling Bently Chronograph

Playing a hardened gangster, Perlman wears a big, brash Breitling Bentley Chronograph.

A replica was also used for this piece. It’s a solid match for a Current Breitling Bentley Chrono with the same faceted bezel. The real version includes a date aperture that the movie replica does not, but looks like it fits on the same huge 48mm stainless steel case.

Also see:
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