Remember me
There’s a video doing the rounds of Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley and the Hamnet cast and crew dancing to Rihanna’s “We Found Love” as they celebrate wrapping filming. As is often the case, Mescal is bringing the energy/heat/vibes (and some dad-esque dance moves last seen in Aftersun).
That was also the case earlier this weel, when Mescal – suited and booted in Gucci – and members of the Hamnet cast linked up again at a special GQ dinner, hosted with the actor’s favourite wrist-candy-maker, Cartier.
Watch fans are now accustomed to seeing Mescal rock something Cartier-coded when he’s out and about – be it a vintage Tortue on the Golden Globes red carpet or a diamond-studded tiara on the current cover of British GQ. Man’s got range, we’ll give him that. And he’s like a moth to exposed light bulbs when it comes to seeking out vintage Cartier grails to wear. It makes whatever arrangement he has with the French luxury maison all the more wholesome, because he’s not just strapping on the latest iteration of a Tank – instead, he's evidently been knee-deep in the Cartier archives, hellbent on finding a watch that means something to him.
The latest is a pristine banger from 1973 that really does make you marvel at the craftsmanship achieved more than 50 years ago. There’s a quiet poetry to the circle-within-a-circle 18K yellow gold case of this vintage Cartier Vendôme. It bring a slightly larger presence to Mescal’s wrist than his usual choices, while the thick, immaculately positioned Roman numerals give a look and feel of quiet grandeur.
“When it comes to his choices, Paul Mescal moves like a seasoned watch collector rather than a cynical surrogate for a brand. More often than not, his selection represents a deep cut into Cartier’s rich archive of vintage design with vaguely exotic pet names to boot: Tortue, Fabergé, Gondole,” says horological consultant and creative director Young Brando of the YouTube channel Watches ’n Style. “The irony of a highly rated Gaelic footballer turned into an acclaimed actor wearing smaller, daintier, even feminine versions of vintage Cartier pieces is not lost on me. It evinces a certain self-confidence and maturity as a collector on Mescal’s part that, combined with his studious approach to Cartier’s history, makes him in many ways the ideal ambassador.”
The art deco–esque Vendôme takes its name from Place Vendôme, a Parisian street that was home to Cartier’s flagship store and to this date continues to see fabulous people and things on the daily. If I were to hedge my bets on a left-field reason why Mescal went for this watch, it’d be the unique shoulder lugs that help seamlessly connect the case to the bracelet. After all, Mescal has great big broad and brooding shoulders too – it’s a match as perfect as a Shakespearean couplet.
With the Oscars fast approaching and Hamnet nominated for best picture, it goes without saying that we are already excited to see what the Irish lad will pick for his wrist. Watches and Wonders will still be over a month out by then, so our money is on Mescal continuing this vintage tear he’s on – and long may it continue. In the words of Big Will, “Let every man be master of his time.” Thanks to Cartier, Mescal certainly is.