The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is no stranger to high-tech fantasy and otherworldly escapades. But what if we told you that perhaps its most fantastically powerful protagonists enjoys a classic mechanical wristwatch? Well, we’d be telling it to you true. One Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange happens to enjoy luxury Swiss watches. Swiss watchmaking being the crème-de-la-crème of modern timekeeping, it makes sense that an esteemed and wealthy doctor would be sporting some finery. Indeed, Dr. Strange’s backstory bleeds into his future as he goes from hot-head surgical genius to mindful monk. With every step of his journey, Stephen’s watch is in tow. Beginning his film narrative near the end of his medical career and into his time-traveling endeavors, Stephen Strange rocks a Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) Master Ultra-Thin Perpetual.
LeCoultre General Specs and On-Screen Pals
JLC’s Ultra-Thin Perpetual line tracks calendar dates and moon phases with luxury excellence. No need to be a time-bending wizard to appreciate the Calibre 868/1 movement—with its 46 jewel automatically winding precision complications and timekeeping. Each piece of the perpetual calendar weaves together like multiple converging timelines to tell a story of watchmaking that’s been going strong since 1833. This is why it’s quite tragic that Dr. Strange breaks the watch in a car crash early in the film. His piece differs, however, from a true JLC Ultra-Thin Perpetual. There’s one less breakable part because the case back doesn’t feature the standard sapphire crystal.
As the story goes, Strange keeps the watch on his wrist to remind himself of where he came from, even after it breaks. It’s a poetic irony that having such a penchant for high-end timetellers would foreshadow his character’s arc toward time-bending. But before he unlocks his true mystic potential, he displays a superb collection that features another JLC watch and other great Swiss timekeepers. Early in Dr. Strange Stephen Strange is seen grabbing watches out of a large watch winder. Aside from his JLC Ultra-Thin Perpetual he also has a JLC Grande Reverso Rouge (Ref #Q278856), a Tag Heuer Monaco Chrono, and a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (among others). Turns out being a genius doctor has its perks. As filmgoers find later, he ditches his luxury watches and cars for more humble pursuits. It’s only a matter of time that Dr. Strange steps into a role that would even make Dr. Who take a respectful bow.
Final Thoughts
The MCU has a vast array of characters that exemplify heroics and often utilize futuristic technology. This is why it’s particularly refreshing to see something a little more down-to-Earth in Dr. Strange (even if it’s pretty pricey at ~20,000USD). Timekeeping is a human tradition that dates back centuries—to eras where mysticism and fantastic stories still required magic to explain the world’s mysteries. Magic and mystery are perhaps hard to imagine in a digital age when searching for information is a keystroke away. In an age of throw-away objects, mechanical watches still persist into the future. Perhaps the most timeless thing, even outlasting the latest blockbuster trends, will be well-built timepieces. Wouldn’t that be—strange?
Times Ticking has been in operation for more than 30 years, since 1982. We have performed watch repair for customers both locally and internationally. If it Ticks! We KNOW it! Our team of watch repair technicians have a combined experience in watchmaking of over 120 years.
