Walter White’s watch in Breaking Bad is more than just a prop or piece of wardrobe. It is closely connected to the story and his character.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of when watches are an important part of a character in a story. Of course, James Bond is one of the obvious ones. I truly love the 007 franchise and his watches. But his Subs and Seamasters are arguably cool gadgets and symbols of the character’s aspirationalism.
The Walter White watch, both of them, play an integral role in character development. Even more, they’re like totems of the symbols and themes throughout the Breaking Bad universe. The Tag Heuer Monaco is the main timepiece in question.
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What Watch Does Walter White Wear?
What Watch Does Walter White Wear? Though the character wears two watches in the series, Walter White’s wristwatch is definitely the previously mentioned Tag Heuer. In season five of Breaking Bad, White receives a Tag Heuer Monaco, Reference CAW2111.FC6183, as a birthday present.
Prior, he was wearing a far less luxurious Casio calculator watch.
Monaco has a history in cinema. It’s a racing watch most famously worn by Steve McQueen’s Michael Delaney character in the 1971 film Le Mans.
The original Reference 1113 was one of the first automatic chronographs on the market. It’s almost identical to modern iterations, including White’s.
I can understand why Propmasters wanted this watch. It really pops on the screen. And it’s definitely one of the most recognizable square watches ever.
Its famously square case is truly distinct, as is the lively blue dial. It features an impeccably brushed stainless steel case and a pop of red via the central seconds.
Unlike the original, however, the Walter White watch Breaking Bad features a crown on the right side of the case. It’s next to the chronograph pushers. The chronograph pushers, by the way, are delightfully square-shaped as well.
The original watch from the late ‘60s had the crown on the left side of the case.
Walter White Watch: From Pathetic to Powerful
When we first meet White, he’s a terminally ill, underpaid school teacher. For two reasons, it makes sense for his character to own a Casio Databank calculator watch.
First, this watch, reference CA532, is cheap. As a teacher in New Mexico, which isn’t exactly known for its public schools, White would own an affordable $30 timepiece.
Second, Casio calculator watches are popular among the nerd set. They have a retro-cool vibe that, not to be totally stereotypical, appeals to the sci-fi guy. Remember Marty McFly in Back to the Future?
Walter White himself is a science teacher. That’s not to say that all science guys are nerds (though that’s nothing to be ashamed of). But this watch sort of symbolizes his “beta” existence.
Eventually, White turns to illicitly making meth. He amasses money and power as a crime lord. Jesse Pinkman, his former student and crime partner gives him the Monoco on his 51st birthday.
A Symbol of Power and Corruption
I know that Walter White is supposed to be an anti-hero of sorts. But hear me out — he’s likely a legit villain, but we see the story through his eyes.
Yes, his Tag Heuer Monaco represents his rise to power. Trading in a cheap watch for a high-end one? Easy symbolism. But it also represents corruption. And I’m not talking about a guy who becomes powerful and then lets power corrupt him.
He turns to crime first, then becomes powerful.
One famous scene in the show is when he kills several men who have dirt on him. The watch plays a key role here.
He literally uses the chronograph function on the Monaco to time the murders as he sits comfortably on his couch. All of his victims were in different prisons.
We see a cinematic moment in which White deactivates the Chrono. He thus marks the end and success of all of the killings.
Broken Relationships
And finally, I believe that the Walter White wristwatch represents broken relationships and betrayal.
Here’s your warning. There will be spoilers coming up.
Remember that his crime partner, Jesse Pinkman, gifted him the watch. Also, remember that he was one of his students. Pinkman failed White’s chemistry class.
Though a teacher, White turned his back on his trade to a life of crime. Even more, he enlists a student, who he had already failed, to help him do it through manipulation. That’s a second fail if you ask me.
White betrayed society and his trade, and Pinkman represents this.
In the final episode, White abandons his watch. In the final scenes, he’s dealt a mortal gun wound. Pinkman now detests White after realizing how he’s been manipulated and seeing what they’ve unleashed into the world. White asks Pinkman to kill him. Pinkman refuses.
There’s also a scene in the spin-off Better Call Saul when White gives the watch a poignant look.
These two scenes represent the complex relationship between Pinkman and White. White obviously cared more about his self-interests, but they were arguably friends. It’s a toxic yet affectionate yet resentful relationship.
Conclusion: Quality Over Quantity
If you think about it, the Walter White watch and its glorious blue dial don’t get a lot of screen time.
At least not relatively. It doesn’t appear until the last season, for one thing. But the way the writers gave it key moments is brilliant. It’s a meaningful symbol in the story and to the characters.
And despite being such an eye-catching watch, to begin with, the writers don’t completely hit you over the head with the symbolism.
Do you have any questions or comments? Let us know in the comments below!
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