Marsden’s appreciation for IWC grew after his stylist later outfitted him with an IWC Portugieser perpetual calendar.
Nicholaus Booth Photography LLC
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American actor James Marsden was introduced to high-end watchmaking with a gift commemorating a milestone. At the end of the last episode of the television series Ally McBeal in 2002, watch designer David E. Kelley generously donated IWC Portofino watches as a memento.
I had never had a great watch before, which sparked my interest in learning more about what makes a watch great, says Marsden, speaking of the brand’s new boutique in Palm Beach, Florida, which opened its doors in March. Before that, I read the time on my Nokia mobile phone.
Marsden’s appreciation for IWC grew after his stylist later outfitted him with an IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar to accessorize a tuxedo. He was amazed that the mechanical calendar watch could automatically adjust for months of varying lengths up to the year 2499, provided it was kept wound up and in continuous operation. I began to realize how special the process of making a really important watch is, and my appreciation for fine timepieces went stratospheric.
The Portuguese Perpetual Calendar
Courtesy of IWC
After IWC invited him to attend the former Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, or SIHH, watch fair in Geneva, Marsden became a super fan.
I showed up and looked at all the pieces there, and they were amazed at how much I knew about watches and movements,” Marsden says. He has been collaborating with the brand since 2014.
Marsden, who has a long list of career credits, including the HBO series Westworldfilming recently completed Knox leaves starring Michael Keaton, who is making his directorial debut. Marsden is also in a new mockumentary-style comedy series. Legal Department on Amazon Freevee.
penta recently asked Marsden what drives him when it comes to great watches.
PENTA: What is your watch style?
James Marsden: I am very utilitarian in my daily routines. Usually function takes precedence over form, but if you manage to have both, that’s the best. The watch I wear on a daily basis is an IWC Mark XVIII Spitfire pilot’s watch. It’s beautiful, but it’s a very basic utility watch, it’s a tool, and I like that it serves a function. I can wear it poolside or to a dinner party, and it serves all purposes. I also have nicer watches that don’t come out as much. A lot of people love bling, shiny diamonds and crazy stuff. I talk less about that. I’m more of a jeans and t-shirt type when it comes to watches. But one of my favorite IWC movements is the perpetual calendar that Kurt Klaus invented years ago. It’s a remarkable piece of ingenuity, and I marvel at the accomplishment.
What impressed you the most when you saw what goes into making these watches?
I went to the IWC manufacturing, where you put on a smock and enter these dust-free rooms. What fascinated me was the silence, you could hear a pin drop. I loved seeing the watchmakers concentrating while looking through a microscope, working out the smallest movements with their hands. Anything that requires passion, attention and love for detail to create something really special excites me, it can be watches, cars, wine. I’m into things that are hard to do and take a lot of literally moving parts to fit together.
What is your watch collection philosophy?
I don’t have a crazy ostentatious collection, but I do have some really nice watches. I know a lot of collectors who collect pieces to show them off. For me, what is important is that you have a connection with each of them, that there is a story. They each have their own personality, and it brings out that personality in you no matter what application you take with this watch. It’s easy to get expensive watches and show them off and never wear them. I do the same with watches that I do with cars, you have to drive them, they have to be loved. You wear them for the right reasons, because they have a soul and you have a connection with them.
Why does IWC connect with you?
I like history. IWC is steeped in a wonderful history. This also comes down to those watches having functions. The original Big Pilot, for example, looked like massive 55mm watches that served a purpose for pilots. The Portuguiser was more of a nautical maritime watch with a larger dial to help navigate ships traveling across the Atlantic. As much as I can see a lot of new watchmakers coming in and making a splash, I’m such a traditionalist. I like real elegance, simplicity and timepieces that have a story and a story behind them.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
