January 26, 2018
Breguet helped Gary Oldman transform into Winston Churchill. Image courtesy of Focus Features
Swiss watchmaker Breguet is recreating history, replicating a timepiece worn by a legendary figure.
For the movie “Darkest Hour,” the brand created a copy of Winston Churchill’s Breguet No 765 pocket watch, helping to costume actor Gary Oldman for the role. With this film alignment, Breguet gains product placement as well as a platform to share this piece of its brand history.
Breguet on the big screen
Mr. Churchill’s timepiece, nicknamed “the turnip,” is mentioned in a number of biographies on the British prime minister. Originally purchased in 1890, Mr. Churchill inherited the pocket watch from his grandfather John Spencer Churchill, the 7th Duke of Marlborough.
The original pocket watch is on display at the Imperial War Museum in London. The timepiece is positioned next to a portrait of Mr. Churchill by photographer Yousuf Karsh.
Breguet's replica of Winston Churchill's pocket watch. Image courtesy of Breguet
From Jan. 22, the replica made for Darkest Hour is touring the U.S. following a stop in Breguet’s New York boutique on Fifth Avenue, the pocket watch will travel to Las Vegas and Beverly Hills, CA.
Focus Features’ Darkest Hour is based on true events, and follows the early days of Mr. Churchill’s time as prime minister, as he had to face the beginning of World War II.
Darkest Hour official trailer
Mr. Oldman won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for his role. He is also nominated for an Academy Award for Lead Actor.
Darkest Hour has also picked up Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Costume Design, among other categories.
Luxury product placement in films is common, but some brands have made special creations for the big screen.
Toyota Corp.’s Lexus is showing its vision of mobility 700 years in the future through a creative partnership for the big screen.
The automaker has aligned itself with filmmaker Luc Besson’s production company EuropaCorp, with the first product of this collaboration visible in the director’s science fiction feature film “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.” The spacecraft created, while fictional, enables Lexus to highlight its innovation and forward-thinking attitude (see story).
Share your thoughts. Click here
