Few television shows have been as loudly or consistently praised for the quality and authenticity of its costumes, sets and props as AMC’s Mad Men. Now in its fifth season, the show continues to go to great efforts to source appropriate accessories to showcase a hyper real version of New York in 1966.
This obsession with historically accurate physical culture extends to the wrists of the characters, and for years watch fans have eagerly paused DVDs on partially blurred wristshots of Don Draper and his co-workers. The ability to accurately identify a watch from 50 paces (or a blurred screengrab) is a highly prized skill among watch fans. James Enloe, founder of Watches In Movies (the premier watches on screen website), attributes the desire for fans to identify watches as an extension of watchnerds' passion, and an important way to show off their otherwise esoteric knowledge. Of Mad Men, Enloe suggests that the there’s a double appeal for fans; “It makes for good watching simply for the ‘did they get it right?‘ factor. Are the watches worn proper for the period, or did something more modern slip in that shouldn’t have been there?” Today we’d like to take a closer look at some of the lesser stars of Mad Men: Four watches used in the most recent season.