Ryan Gosling’s watch in ‘Project Hail Mary’ should win best supporting actor
Ryan Gosling’s latest film, Project Hail Mary, has been a hit with audiences and critics, but the timepiece on the star’s wrist throughout the film might be even more worthy of praise
By Cayle Reid
PROJECT HAIL MARY stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who awakens on an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he got there. Grace has been sent to space in a last-ditch effort to save humanity from impending doom. Now all alone, he’ll need to save the world all by himself – except, he’s not really by himself.
You might think we’ve just spoiled the whole film – we would never! The companion we’re referring to isn’t some stowaway on board Grace’s ship or an extra-terrestrial visitor, it’s the watch on his wrist. That’s right, while his memory is hazy and his situation dire, Grace does have a watch that can aid him on his quest. And, suitably for a futuristic sci-fi film, the watch in question isn’t just some Casio – it’s a cutting-edge TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5.
The Connected Calibre E5 bridges the gap between conventional watchmaking and modern smartwatches. Its lightweight titanium case gives it the traditional look of a TAG Heuer watch, but black DLC coating and subdials with smartwatch functionality give it a distinctly technical appearance. The matte black ceramic bezel enhances the sense of futurism, which is ideal for a film set primarily in space.
The most striking element of Grace’s model of the Connected Calibre E5 is its bright red rubber strap – a customisable feature we might add, meaning Grace picked that colour out himself. Against the cold, metallic atmosphere of space, the colour scheme creates a strong contrast while adding to the watch’s dynamism.
TAG Heuer are one of only a few Swiss watchmakers to offer a luxury alternative to the ubiquitous Apple Watch, and the E5 does have the software credentials to justifiably be worn by an astronaut. It offers heart rate and sleep tracking as well as other wellness features. TAG Heuer’s brand-new proprietary operating system also finds a home in the model. We see Grace make use of the watch during the film, timing high-risk manoeuvres and monitoring his vitals.
As for the question of how Grace can afford the watch on a middle school teacher’s salary, the Connected Calibre E5 is surprisingly affordable. The model starts at $2,400 for the 40mm version and tops out at $3,850 for a 45mm special edition.
This is not the first time Gosling and TAG Heuer’s partnership has crossed over to the big screen. In The Grey Man, he wore a Carrera Calibre 5. In The Fall Guy, he donned a Panda Carrera Chronograph. Off-screen, Gosling’s TAG Heuer collection has also been turning heads as he wore a Chronograph Seafarer to the Project Hail Mary world premiere earlier this month.
We’re not sure if a watch can be eligible for an Academy Award, but if it is, we could have a contender for next year’s best supporting actor. Project Hail Mary is in cinemas now.
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