Jason Bourne's Watches - The Watches From the Bourne Movies
Some describe Jason Bourne as a more modern, American version of James Bond (I mean even the initials “J.B.” are the same"). And indeed the two film series share quite a bit in common, including a charming lead (Matt Damon in 4 of the 5 Bourne films and Daniel Craig as the most recent Bond protagonist). As a less than rabid fan of the Bond films, I always appreciated the films’ close association with watches, earlier Rolex and more recently Omega. That had me wondering about whether the filmmakers of the Bourne films were as meticulous their watch selection for the actors and questioning what watch does Jason Bourne wear? While it appears they were not as meticulous as in Bond, there are still a few notable wristwatches that appear throughout the Bourne series. Let’s take a look.
The Watches of the Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identity is a 2002 film based on Robert Ludlum’s 1980 novel of the same name. The movies follows Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), a man suffering from total amnesia, without an identity or background except that he has a talent for fighting, linguistics and self-defense. In the movie Bourne attempts to figure out who he really is.
So what watch does Jason Bourne wear in the The Bourne Identity. It turns out that he wears a Tag Heuer Link Chronograph, released in 2001, Ref. CT1111.BA0550. This quartz chronograph comes in a reasonable 42mm and is available on the secondary market for about $2,400.
An image of Bourne’s watch in The Bourne Identity. Photo courtesy of watchesinmovies.info
Jason Bourne isn’t the only character spotted wearing a watch in The Bourne Identity. Alexander Conklin, played by Chris Cooper, is a major antagonist in the first film. While he is wearing a watch in the film, after hours of researching, I could not pinpoint the exact watch. It is a digital watch, but does not appear to fit any Timex (Ironman) or Casio being made at the time.
The Watches of the Bourne Supremacy
Jason Bourne is back in the 2004 sequel The Bourne Supremacy, but apparently Mr. Bourne’s wristwear does not change. He is once again wearing the same Tag Heuer Link Chronograph. To me this is a missed opportunity by Tag Heuer to build buzz about a second model, that is if there was some sort of partnership between the movie and the brand (like Omega and James Bond).
The Watches of the Bourne Ultimatum
If you guessed that Jason Bourne was once again wearing the same Tag Heuer Link Chronograph for the 2007 The Bourne Ultimatum, you’d be correct. Once again we lament the lost opportunity to feature additional timepieces in such a successful movie franchise.
The Watches of The Bourne Legacy
Change of protagonist change of watch? 2012’s The Bourne Legacy is the first Bourne film to feature Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) instead of Jason Bourne. With this substantial change came a substantial change in wristwear. In the film, Cross wears an IWC Pilot's Watch Rattrapante Chronograph Top Gun Ref. IW379901. Like many of IWC’s offering, this watch comes in at the large size of 46mm. This ceramic watch is currently available on the secondary market for around $9,400 USD.
The Watches of Jason Bourne
Matt Damon was back as Jason Bourne for the 2016 film Jason Bourne and he finally upgraded his wristwatch. While Bourne wears another Tag Heuer, this time it was the blacked out Tag Heuer Formula One Chronograph. This piece, also a quartz chronograph, is a little more sleek in design. Though discontinued you can get one on the secondary market for around $1,200 USD.
Nicky Parsons, portrayed by Julia Stiles, was another protagonist and partner in all four of Damon’s Bourne films. We were able to spot Stiles wearing a watch at one point during the filming of Jason Bourne. While we can’t be sure the watch she is wearing, it appears to be a simple Skagen with mesh bracelet. Such a watch is very affordable and will only set you back around $155 USD.
