Wristwatches...

[Allusion]

A picture on the "Say What?" topic brought to mind something I had been thinking about...



Our dear Mr. Anderson does sport quite the collection of wristwatches on screen. Stylish, rugged, covered for protection... the watches too!

Now this just may be the stylist/wardrobing choice for each production, of course. But given the relatively small amount that I have had time to read of the vast information on the website, does anyone know if there is information as to what degree these watches are Mr. Anderson's choice?

Is there more to this plethora of time indicators than just another costuming piece?

Is this too mundane a question?

Sorry if this has been addressed before. I did do a search before posting...

[KateR]

Our dear Mr. Anderson does sport quite the collection of wristwatches on screen. Stylish, rugged, covered for protection... the watches too!

Now this just may be the stylist/wardrobing choice for each production, of course. But given the relatively small amount that I have had time to read of the vast information on the website, does anyone know if there is information as to what degree these watches are Mr. Anderson's choice?

You'll find part of the story about the SG-1 watches in the Stargate section on this site, the last article listed under Feature Articles - "You've Got the Look."

In the case of SG-1, RDA did specifically request a particular watch he was fond of, the intention being that he'd get to keep them for his own use. So even off screen you would often see RDA wearing the Jack O'Neill watch. RDA spoke about that in one of the articles that I did with him, too, but I haven't gone back to find which one.

In any case, here is the part from the SG-1 Costume Department:

What is the brand of watch that O'Neill and the team wear?

Dean Goodine:
The watches that we're using are Suunto. It's a Finnish watch. It was specifically requested by RDA a couple seasons ago. This is the one that RDA wears on the show, and all the teams are wearing the Suuntos. It's a real outdoor watch. [The earlier model] was an Omega Speedmaster that they stopped using after, I think maybe the fourth or fifth season. The reason that they went to the Suunto is it has built-in GPSs, and compasses, and barometric pressure, altimeters, all that kind of stuff. They're all built into this watch. They're really big for sailors. They have golf watches where you can actually program in and find your ball, where it is on the GPS. It's a very specific outdoor navigational watch. RDA did come in and actually request that watch be purchased for him for the show, so they went to that watch. RDA wears the black Vector. Fans could buy the Suuntos. Suuntos are sold in North America. In Canada we have stores like Mountain Equipment Co-op, or a store that would be an equivalent type of store in the States that sells outdoor [equipment].
Suunto online at: http://www.suuntowatches.com/

This was an often-asked question by fans (especially the guys) during the Stargate days, but the question that was asked even more often was "What brand are the sunglasses that O'Neill wears?"

Kate

[Allusion]

Thank you, Kate! I did just go and read the article. Excellent, as usual.

I hope to learn more about his other watches from other productions also. Because his (or, as I just found out recently per a video of Mr. Anderson in NZ in 2014, his brother's) hands were oftentimes given close ups to show action on MacGyver, I would usually try to see more detail on the watches in those scenes. Unfortunately, many times you wouldn't see the watch face or the watch at all.

Somethings we may not know....

[KateR]

Thank you, Kate! I did just go and read the article. Excellent, as usual.

I hope to learn more about his other watches from other productions also. Because his (or, as I just found out recently per a video of Mr. Anderson in NZ in 2014, his brother's) hands were oftentimes given close ups to show action on MacGyver, I would usually try to see more detail on the watches in those scenes. Unfortunately, many times you wouldn't see the watch face or the watch at all.

Somethings we may not know....

His brother became his "hands" toward the end of the series, but he was right, early on you could always tell when the close-up hands were not RDA's. After all, the guy was in nearly every scene and couldn't be everywhere at once for main shooting, second unit work, and inserts. And he has very unique hands to try to match.

I think there is a watch made by the Swiss army knife people, and it seems to me early on MacGyver wore one of those. I don't remember hearing specifically if RDA had his own watch requests back then.

But if you want to have fun with watches, I think it is Prodigal Son (?) (it's been a while since I watched it) where he is inside the house near the stairway, and he is wearing a watch, then not wearing a watch, then wearing a watch, then not, all in the same scene. It's more precisely a continuity issue - apparently the stand-in for the close-up scenes didn't wear the watch that day, and so when the camera angles were edited together, MacGyver suddenly has a Magical Disappearing Watch.

The Magical Disappearing Jeep Doors is another favorite of mine, later in the series.

The details are always fun.

Kate

[Captainvale]

magical disappearing jeep doors ...that sounds awesome, and must watch again. I never catch these... and it makes it fun to watch again! Thx! That watch sounds awesome for outdoors.