Ornatus-Mundi
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Watches in the literature...
Dear All:
was watches represent not only tools for everyday life (still, at least), but also proxies for attitudes, wealth, style, moods or practicalities. Thus, it does not surprise at all if watches every now and then are discovered in literature as tiny details or story points enriching the plots.
Breguet of course - due to its important history - is famous for the ample references in important novels that it uses this abundance in its marketing efforts. Other frequently appearing brand include Rolex, of course, Patek of Omega. The common denominator of these manufacturers lies in their publicity. This makes them suitable for example to further describe a character.
But I was really astonished when I first realised that Blancpain was featured in recent books (to be honest, it was my girlfriend who uncovered it ;-)). But then again, after I learned a bit more about the author, I am no longer surprised: I am speaking of the contemporary American crime writer Patricia Cornwell (image taken from the web):
Cornwell is widely known for her popular series of novels featuring the heroine Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner. Cornwell very carefully details out the characters of her story, and thus it is not astonishing that accessories (watches, smartphones, cars, fashion) play a great role to convey the meta-level of people.
The author must have a great affection for fine timepieces, as a broad variety show up in her stories and are even discussed. Let's take a look into her 2008 book 'Scarpetta':
In Chapter 11, Dr. Scarpetta's gadget-savy and luxury-minded niece Lucy has a discussion with NYPD prosecutor Jaime Berger on computational neuroscience, during which the two discuss their respective watches in passing. Lucy, immediately recognising Berger's timepiece, asks the cop "Did you buy your Blancpain yourself? Or was it a gift?", to which Berger aptly replied: "It was a gift from myself. A reminder that time is precious."
Sounds like a real watch aficiondo, right? Could have been voiced on this forum!
This is not the only Blancpain reference in Cornwell's work. In her most recent book 'Port Mortuary' (2010), Dr. Scarpetta is at Dover Air Force Base on duty for the armed forces medical examiner, the AFME. She has been asked to appear on CNN and explain what a forensic radiologic pathologist, or RadPath, is, and she is making up her mind on what to wear:
General Briggs, John, as I refer to him when we're alone wants me in an Airman Battle Uniform, or better yet, Air Force blues, and I disagree. I should wear civilian clothes, what people see me in most of the time when I do television interviews, probably a simple dark suit and ivory blouse with a collar, and the understated Breguet watch on a leather strap that my niece, Lucy, gave me.
Not the Blancpain with its oversized black face and ceramic bezel, which also is from her, because she's obsessed with timepieces, with anything technically complicated and expensive.
Not pants but a skirt and heels, so I come across as non-threatening and accessible, a trick I learned long ago in court. For some reason, jurors like to see my legs while I describe in graphic anatomical detail fatal wounds and the agonal last moments of a victim's life.
I guess we all can relate to that. Furthermore, Ms Cornwell features other watches on her books, such as Rolexes and Breitlings, all of which have a very specific meaning in the context of their wearers. The specific occasion is very well thoroughly defined and chosen. Isn't this precision and horological knowledge fascinating for us watch lovers?
Do you have similar examples to share?
Cheers,
Magnus
This message has been edited by Magnus Bosse on 2011-10-13 08:41:06
Watches in the literature...
Dear All: was watches represent not only tools for everyday life (still, at least), but also proxies for attitudes, wealth, style, moods or practicalities. Thus, it does not surprise at all if watches every now and then are discovered in literature as tin...
I can't think of any specific book, but...
...I recently took my brother to help him pick out a watch and he was insistent that it had to be a Breitling because he remembered the name from a book he read years ago when he was in high school. It was a novel about a World War 2 pilot and of course t...
Magnus, isn't this just an example...
...of cynical 'product placement'? Something for which the brands have paid, in cash or kind? We are now very used to seeing it in movies, but it crept into novels in a big way some years ago. Cigarette brands, cars, watches, clothes, hotel chains, holida...
NO (long explanation inside)
or maybe more strictly.......probably no; in the case of the Scarpetta series of novels, it seems unlikely that any 'cynical product placement' occured. Probably the mention of Breguet timepieces in books by various authors is not 'cynical product placeme...
It mightn't be...
..purely cynical product placement, but it does smack of faux 'sophistication' and lazy writing - a way of conveying a certain degree of connoisseurship without having to establish any in the character itself. It also ages novels, or at minimum securely l...
As you might expect...
...Patrick Bateman wore the Rolex Datejust on Jubilee. Cheers, pplater.
One of those...
...notable instances where the film is far more enjoyable than the book. I'm still convinced that if the Classification Board hadn't sealed that book in plastic, it would have sold about 8 copies.
At first I thought it was a Swatch Group package deal
because of Blancpain and Breguet, but if she is also mentioning Breitling and Rolex I think there's a good chance that watch descriptions are not transactional.
The watch descriptions may not be transactional, but...
... the writing is as turgid as it comes: "Maybe you're familiar with illumination technology? Gaseous tritium, a radioactive isotope that decays and causes the numbers and other markings on the watch to glow so they're easy to read in the dark?..." I mea...
If it was another famous (female) American author...
I would think the same, but in this case - honestly, I don't know. Cheers, Magnus
Pulp Fiction is most memorable for me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kngBtoylIVM dont know what make is it...please enlighten if you know. Best, Horo
Unless we've gone all...
Derridian (is that a word?) and post-modernist, in which case we might consider Pulp Fiction just another text, I think MB's original post was talking books. As for the ass watch...from what I've read/seen from screen grabs it was a Lancet.
If not for some dark brown like
substance on the dial, I could have made out the brand.... I've made so much reference to pul fiction of late, I'm gonna pull out the DVD tonight
Dark Voyage by Alan Furst.
At one point the protagonist, a ship's captain, is described simply as wearing a "good" watch. Based on the period (World War II) and on his character, I don't have the slightest doubt what brand he was wearing (IWC).
From the realm of autobiography . . .
. . . I would add Albert Speer's mention of avidly perusing JLC catalogs towards the end of his incarceration in "Spandau: The Secret Diaries".
A Couple of Examples
spring to mind. Jay Lake wrote an alternative-earth trilogy where horology is not only mentioned but a vital plot device: "Mainspring", "Esapement" and "Pinion". In "The Grand Complication" by Allen Kurzweil, Breguet's long-lost Marie Antoinette watch is ...
Practically a main character...
...in "All Tomorrow's Parties", by scifi author William Gibson: Fontaine picks up the watch, affords himself a quick squint through the loupe. Whistles in spite of himself. “Jaeger-LeCoultre.” He unsquints, checking; the boy hasn’t moved...
My Chance To Influence A Novel
Magnus; An interesting post. I had my fling at trying to influence a watch vignette in the novel of an extremely famous author who was a client. I had been asked to review the galleys concerning a legal issue that had arisen. Having nothing to do with the...
