References Featured
Breguet Classique
Worn by: Robert De Niro as Carl Van Loon
Reference: Breguet Classique
Brand: Breguet
The Breguet Classique 5197 (18k white gold case, Roman numerals, ultra-thin automatic movement) is the perfect watch for Carl Van Loon's character—old money speaking softly while carrying enormous power. While a nouveau riche businessman might wear a flashy gold Rolex or oversized chronograph, Van Loon's choice of Breguet signals sophisticated wealth and European refinement. Breguet, founded in 1775, represents horological aristocracy—the brand Abraham-Louis Breguet sold watches to Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, and European royalty. The Classique 5197's understated elegance (white gold, not yellow; Roman numerals, not Arabic; thin case, not chunky) demonstrates Van Loon's confidence that he doesn't need to advertise his wealth. This is inherited taste, not earned money. The watch choice reinforces the film's central conflict: Van Loon dismisses Eddie as a "freak" whose "powers are a gift, not earned"—you haven't "climbed up all the greasy little rungs" or "done that first marriage to the girl with the right father." Van Loon's Breguet represents the established power structure that Eddie, with his chemically-enhanced intelligence, threatens to disrupt.
Source: https://oracleoftime.com/robert-de-niro-wristwatches/