Worn by: Steve McQueen as Captain Virgil Hilts
Reference: Rolex Oyster Precision
Brand: Rolex
The Rolex Speedking's inclusion has remarkable historical authenticity—during WWII, German guards frequently confiscated watches from prisoners, and Rolex responded through the International Red Cross by supplying watches to Allied POWs, with the Speedking being one of the models provided. It's documented that one of the actual participants in the historical Great Escape wore a Speedking. The watch's small 30-34mm proportions reflect 1940s sizing conventions, and its simple, reliable time-only function served the practical needs of prisoners who had no use for complications but desperately needed to coordinate timing for their elaborate escape plans. The Speedking represents Rolex's understated elegance and reliability in an era before the brand became synonymous with luxury—it was simply a well-made tool that kept working under adverse conditions, perfectly suited to a man who measures time in escape attempts and stints in the cooler.
Source: https://oracleoftime.com/steve-mcqueen-watches/