George Clooney Is Exploring the Freakier Side of Omega’s Archives

George Clooney is always good for an Omega heater, whether it’s the brand’s Seamaster Aqua Terra, a solid-gold, hand-wound Speedmaster, or even a dual-register steel Speedy. But the watch from his collection that we rarely see on other celebs’ wrists is actually an inside-baseball piece from the early 2000s called the De Ville Hour Vision.

While you may never have heard of it, the Hour Vision was unique for two reasons. The most delightful is the funky design of the case with transparent sapphire side panels that allow the viewer to peer inside the watch from that angle. It’s a creative and fun spin on the traditional see-through caseback. And what’s within the watch demands as many vantage points as possible. Launched in 2007, the Hour Vision was the first Omega watch to feature the Calibre 8500, a nearly completely in-house, dual-barrel version of the Co-Axial movement that the brand had been refining since 1999, based on technology from star watchmaker George Daniels. From the Hour Vision, it proliferated to other collections such as the Seamaster Planet Ocean and Seamaster Aqua Terra.

The Hour Vision is part of the De Ville line, a dressy collection of watches that debuted in the early 1960s as part of the Seamaster family. (It branched out on its own around 1967.) Svelte and handsome, these watches are always ready for the ballroom or red carpet. As the decades progressed and case sizes grew larger, the De Ville followed. The ref. 431.33.41.21.02.001 worn by Clooney is a 41-mm dress watch measuring 12.2mm thick with 20mm lugs. While perhaps not as slim as its ‘60s counterparts, its proportions are certainly in line with early-2000s tastes—firmly in the era of “Big Watch.”

Vintage influence aside, the De Ville’s dial is beautiful: Featuring a white minute track with black printing; a grooved, rhodium-plated hour track with applied indices; an inner white section from which spouts a handsome baton handset; and a framed date window at 3 o’clock, it’s got a look that complements all sorts of outfits. Which is probably why we’ve seen it on Clooney’s wrist on more than one occasion over the years, from a Central Park softball game to beachside Nobu in Malibu to the unveiling of his portrait at Sardi’s.

There’s something to be said for a go-anywhere, do-anything kind of timepiece. Frankly, the De Ville Hour Glass—with its leather strap, dressy looks, and 100m of water resistance—probably wouldn’t be most collectors’ first choice for such a watch. But unless you frequently find yourself conducting deep-sea research, raiding beaches like a Navy SEAL, going on EVA walks, or hiking up K2, the De Ville is ample proof that a dress watch can be a perfect daily driver.

Cooper Flagg’s Hublot Big Bang Integrated Time Only Jewelry 40mm

Cooper Flagg took the “dress for the job you want” advice to heart this week when he donned Hublot’s blinged-out Big Bang and was promptly drafted to the Dallas Mavericks. Dripping with 210 diamonds, this special version of the brand’s flagship sports watch is housed in a 40-mm titanium case with a view into the in-house MHUB1710 automatic movement within. It’s not subtle, but when you’re nearly seven feet tall and you’re the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft—and when it’s the 20th anniversary of one of the world’s most important modern watch families—you can pull such things off!

René-Jean Page’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph in Pink Gold

Appearing at Brioni’s show in Milan this week, René-Jean Page rocked the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph in Pink Gold, a chronograph-equipped version of the La Grand Maison’s famed reversible dress watch. Measuring 29.9 mm wide in pink gold, it features a gorgeous gold dial with horizontal grooves that mirror the gadroons found above 12 and 6 o’clock. The flipside of the main time-only dial features the unusual chronograph function. Most chronographs look like stopwatches: a circle with, typically, a round 30-minute scale. JLC’s Reverso carries a retrograde chronograph, meaning the counter is shaped in an arc across the bottom of the watch. Powered by the in-house Calibre 860 movement, the entire package is creative, beautiful, and looks great on Page’s wrist.

Henry Golding’s Cartier Santos-Dumont

Spotted at the premiere of The Old Guard 2 in Los Angeles, Henry Golding wore the Cartier Santos-Dumont in the brand’s extra-large size. Fitted to a leather strap, the watch takes inspiration from a timepiece made by Louis Cartier for Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont at the turn of the 20th century in Paris. Technically the world’s first pilot’s watch, it’s today a beautiful and elegant dress watch available in a wide variety of configurations. It’s tough to argue with Golding’s solid yellow-gold version with a matching yellow-gold handset, though. Even if you’re not premiering your latest film, it’s enough to make any self-respecting watch guy look red-carpet ready.

Damon Idris’s IWC Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 (Ref. IW388309)

Appearing at a London screening of F1: The Movie, British actor Damon Idris showed off his IWC bona fides in the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 (Ref. IW388309), a cool 18K 5N gold version of the International Watch Company’s beloved pilot’s watch. Boasting a triple-register chronograph, a day-date display, and a ceramic bezel insert, it features a cool black lacquer dial with gold-plated appliqués and hands. Inside is the IWC Calibre 69385, an automatic movement with a 46-hour power reserve and 242 components. With its chunky proportions and rubber strap, it’s not your typical dress watch—but Idris, dressed in a sky-blue double-breasted suit, makes it look the part.