In our watch-related movie of the week, it’s a gold classic worthy of his wrist.
When films aim to address historical issues, they are often labelled as “based on a true story”. This is a very specific wording that gives directors a lot of creative leeway to create their own interpretations of historical events. Moviegoers, especially those who are passionate about the particular subject matter depicted in the film, resent this artistic freedom. In the end, films are not history; they are movies – condensed, scripted, dramatizations of real events.
This preamble prepares us for our “replica luxury watches the Movie” selection this week: “Selma” (2014). The film stars David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. who led marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in an effort to bring national attention to the civil rights struggle in the South and to end voter suppression tactics against black Americans.
David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. wears his solid gold Rolex Datejust watch, blue shirt and hat, and sunglasses alongside Carmen Ejogo, who played Coretta Scott King in “Selma.
David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr. in “Selma” wearing his solid gold fake Rolex Datejust watch alongside Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King. Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
You can say how accurately this film deals with historical events as they happen. It was quite difficult to distill it into a tight two and a half hours. Of course, while the film deals with heavy, history-altering themes, we’re here for the most trivial part – a watch. It’s a detail that the creators got very right. As worn by Oyelowo, MLK Jr.’s watch of choice is a fairly rare solid gold watch from one of the most recognizable watch brands on the planet.