Watching Movies: Dustin Hoffman’s Two Watches From Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer is a classic for a reason, and it's something of an origin story for the Oscar legend that is Meryl Streep. Released in 1979, it represents the end of the greatest decade in film history. It centers around the ending of a marriage, the fallout, and a tense custody battle. Dustin Hoffman plays workaholic New York ad man Ted Kramer, who must put his work aside and learn to be a father to the son he shares with Streep. He lives such a frantic life that he’s always checking the time. And what’s on his wrist is a real deep cut. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep during a tense scene in Kramer vs. Kramer. Photo: Getty/ Michael Ochs Archives / Handout Why We're Watching The movie basically swept every major Oscar category: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Dustin Hoffman), Best Supporting Actress (Meryl Streep), and Best Adapted Screenplay. While Kramer isn't a "feel-good" film (more like a “God, I need a drink” film), it's decidedly one of the more interesting watch movies out there for two reasons – one having to do with the film’s promotional campaign, and the other with a mystery watch. From left to right: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Director Robert Benson, and Producer Stanley Jaffe celebrate their Oscar victories. Photo: Getty/Bettmann / Contributor The two Kramer boys pose in a promotional photo for the film. Hoffman wears his Rolex GMT-Master 1675 – which doesn't appear anywhere in the film. Photo: AF archive / Alamy Stock Photo In the run-up to the film's release, a string of promotional photos depicted the lead characters, Hoffman, Streep, and their son (played by Justin Henry), as a loving family with a happy marriage. Looking at these pictures, you'd have no idea the kind of film you were in for. What's more interesting is that, in these pictures, Hoffman wears his own Rolex “Pepsi” GMT-Master on a jubilee bracelet – the same one he wore in Marathon Man . His was a reference 1675. Aside from the jubilee bracelet, its signature traits are its matte dial, maxi markers, and aluminum bi-color bezel in red and blue. The 1675 had a long production run from 1959 to 1980 and could be seen on Hoffman's wrist from film sets to awards shows. Here's where it gets interesting. Hoffman doesn't wear a GMT-Master in the film. He doesn't even wear a Rolex. In fact, the watch he does wear has been something of a mystery for years. If you dive into the watch forums (which you should always do with caution and personal protective equipment), you'll find scant discussion about this film or this watch. The casual watch spotter will likely be able to tell it’s a black chronograph. There's some internet consensus that it’s a Porsche Design watch (it isn't). Others have posited that it’s an old Heuer Reference 12 (it isn't that either, but that's much warmer). Ted Kramer tucks his son Billy into bed wearing his LeJour PVD chronograph. Photo: Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo With a bit of digging, way too much time, and a predilection for freeze-framing and screen-grabbing, the fog lifts and the watch reveals itself. Example of a similar LeJour PVD Chronograph. This one has a red chronograph hand, and the jewel designation down below as opposed to the watch in the film. Method actor extraordinaire Hoffman sports what appears to be a little-known '70s-era PVD coated chronograph from a French brand called LeJour. It features two sub-registers, a date at six o'clock, and a super '70s rubber strap that resembles bracelet links. The reason it's not far off from the Heuer Reference 12 is that – for all intents and purposes – it's the same watch. An example of the bracelet-like strap: the "RK 8502." LeJour started as a distributor of Swiss watches before eventually selling pieces with its name on them. Two brands it was known for distributing were Heuer (in the European market) and Yema (in the U.S. market). This particular watch is built around the tried and true Valjoux 7734 chronograph caliber. Other watch brands sold similar pieces with the same black PVD construction and link-effect straps. There was the aforementioned Heuer , Tabatip , Arctos , and Wakmann . Honestly, if you were to look at each of those at a quick glance, you'd swear you were looking at this same watch (the Kramer watch could just as easily be the Wakmann as it is the LeJour). The Heuer Reference 12. Photo: Bonhams Example of a LeJour 14.26 similar to the watch seen in Kramer vs. Kramer. One way to differentiate this watch from the others – specifically the Heuer Reference 12 – is the text layout on the dial. Just like the Heuer, the LeJour branding is up top, but unlike the Heuer, there's text above the date window – most often reading Chronograph . There were many iterations of the LeJour PVD Chronographs – sometimes referred to as the 14.26. Some have the jewel designation under the LeJour word mark, some have it down under the Chronograph text. Some were stamped with the Jeep logo (likely some kind of cross-promotion). Most LeJour 7734 chronographs had either a striking red chronograph seconds hand, or an almost mango colored one . In rarer cases, the chrono hand was white. Hoffman's watch is either the mango or the white variety. Screengrab: Kramer vs. Kramer Columbia Pictures He wears the watch the entire film – as in literally every scene. In fact, he looks down to check the time, something like seven times throughout the movie, so this isn't just wrist candy. It’s an intrinsic part of his character. When We're Watching The LeJour takes center stage in a few scenes, each occuring toward the beginning of the film (but please, stay until the end). Before we get into it, spoiler alert: The film opens with Streep leaving Hoffman and their son. In the immediate aftermath of her departure, a neighbor named Margaret (played by Jane Alexander) pays Hoffman a visit. Hoffman proceeds to give a powerful monologue – mere minutes into the movie (00:09:00) –  that put the Oscar in the bag. All the while, with the sleeves of his collarless button-down, rolled up, we're able to see that black-on-black chronograph with its strap sticking out on the end (too long for his wrist). Screengrab: Kramer vs. Kramer Columbia Pictures The film fades into the following morning where a young Billy Kramer wakes up in his cloud wallpapered bedroom, unaware that his mother has left. He finds his dad asleep in the clothes from the night before and proceeds to stir his father awake (00:12:16). "What time is it?" Hoffman asks. His son then grabs hold of his father's arm and lifts the watch close to his eyes. "The little hand's on the seven, and the big hand's on the nine, now where's Mommy?" We only see the rubber link-effect strap, but it's nonetheless a striking scene of a boy, his dad, and a watch. Screengrab: Kramer vs. Kramer Columbia Pictures Continuing on our chronological journey through the film’s opening minutes, we reach the watchiest of all scenes (00:13:00). The two Kramer boys (no relation to Cosmo) head into the kitchen to whip up a French Toast breakfast – and chaos ensues. In the midst of Hoffman degrading the art of cooking, shoving half a jar of coffee into a French press, and burning the whole meal, we get several watch closeups. Screengrab: Kramer vs. Kramer Columbia Pictures Kramer vs. Kramer still feels relevant today and was widely cited as an influence on 2019's Marriage Story (which itself was nominated for five Oscars – winning one for Best Supporting Actress). A lot's changed in the past 40 years, but the human elements – marriage, parenting, and life – have remained constant. If you ever wanted to see an extreme close-up of a watch while someone smothers white bread with eggs inside of a coffee mug, this is the movie for you. The 93rd Academy Awards air this Sunday, April 25th at 8:00 PM EST. Kramer vs. Kramer is available to stream on HBO Max and to rent on iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about LeJour, click here. Lead image courtesy: AF archive / Alamy Stock PhotoPrep for this weekend’s Oscars with the 1980 Best Picture winner – featuring a PVD chrono and (sort of) a Rolex.