There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman. High rise apartment. Peak fitness. Flawless skin. Well-tailored suits and shined dress shoes. A strong collection of Huey Lewis & The News albums. Patrick’s identity, as well as the duality of his life, is complicated. How does he know when to execute deals at Pierce & Pierce? How does he know when to murder unsuspecting co-workers? Time for a discussion about New York’s most notorious serial killer and his watch, the Rolex Datejust… or is it?
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Based on a 1991 novel of the same name and released theatrically in April 2000, American Psycho has become a serious cult classic (and incredible source of finance memes). If you aren’t familiar, the plot line is fairly straight forward: Patrick Bateman is a narcissistic 27 year-old investment banker more obsessed with status than his own name. Bateman spends 5 days a week figuring out which restaurant he wants a reservation at, understandably difficult, and then takes the remaining time to psychotically murder various acquaintances met along the way. The story riffs on the emptiness of materialistic luxury lifestyles to the extreme; as Bateman says when rebuffing his fiancée, he simply “wants to fit in.”
From the perspective of the layman, banking appears to be inordinately focused on two things: nice watches and happy hour. I am sad to report as a graduate of the system that, while cocktails remain in style, the former is mostly on its way out – several “juniors” such as myself still appreciated mechanical watches for the art they were (perhaps because we were finally earning a decent paycheck), but executives and senior bankers almost invariably had Apple Watches strapped to their wrist while scurrying about the office. Given the first Apple Watch was released in 2014, however, American Psycho takes us back to an environment where hyper-fixation on luxury watch brands still reigned supreme.
Back to Mr. Bateman – if you have seen the movie, you know how bad his materialistic depravity has warped his mind. The most famous, and perhaps most quotable, example in the movie is when Bateman and the other vice presidents at Pierce & Pierce are hanging out in a conference room. After Paul Allen mistakes Bateman for Marcus Halberstram and leaves, the crew proceed to show off their business cards. Bateman is thoroughly devastated on two occasions: once, when Tim Bryce prefers Van Patten’s card over his, and second, when he sees that Allen’s card has a watermark. A normal person would move on without a second thought. Not Bateman, however. This brazen affront by Allen is a capital offense, and Allen pays the price on-screen not much later in the film.
Throughout American Psycho, Bateman maintains the classic investment banker look in an attempt to keep up with or usurp his contemporaries – slicked back hair, pinstripe suits, suspenders, Hermes ties, etc. To complete the ensemble though, what watch does he have on his wrist? As background color, quickly searching through an online copy of the book generates 26 “Rolex” matches, although it does not offer any identifying characteristics about Bateman’s model other than that it is gold in coloration (perhaps implying the watch could be a Day-Date, although there are many gold Rolex variations). Turning to the silver screen provides better context clues – we see Bateman wearing what appears to be a two-tone Rolex Datejust 16013. It makes sense upfront, given the gold and steel coloration as well as being the correct brand from the novel.
Take a closer look, though. There is no cyclops above the date window. If you stare even more, it becomes apparent that the dial is silver, not champagne, in color. The crown is also in the 4 o’clock position, which smells of Seiko’s handiwork. That suspicion is not unfounded, because Bateman is actually wearing a Seiko SNXJ90! This 36mm automatic budget option impersonates the 16013 well and is actually a great stand-in for anyone looking to cop vintage Rolex styling at a pauper’s price point. Given one of the bankers partnering with my company actually wears a 16013 and looks like a carbon copy of Halberstram, I can say that this particular style is definitely still relevant.
The 16103 and SNXJ90 side by side. Photos by Bob’s Watches and Watchcharts.
Follow-up question now that our story has taken a twist with Seiko at center-stage – why the changeup? If you have not read my initial post for this column regarding Le Chiffre from Casino Royale, the answer lies within – sensible corporations just do not love associating their brands with villains in major media productions. There isn’t any direct evidence of a letter from Rolex telling the producers of American Psycho not to associate their watches with a serial killer, but you only need compare the script of the movie with the wording of the novel. In the movie, Bateman warns a prostitute after she accidentally brushes his wrist, saying “Don’t touch the watch.” However, in the book, Bateman warns them specifically not to touch his Rolex. If you ask me, it looks like the proof is in the pudding.
All in all, I think the coloration of the watches are thematically appropriate for Bateman’s occupation. The choice of two-tone, which projects ‘old money’ vibes most of the time, harkens back to a period when the finance industry had not yet traded in pinstripes and paper for Patagonia vests and endless hallways of double-monitor work stations.
If you have not yet had a chance to see American Psycho, I highly recommend watching it over a plate of sea urchin ceviche whenever your next lazy Sunday afternoon rolls around. The story reminds all us too well in dark comedic fashion that sometimes society can be overwhelmingly focused on superficial things and not people. Christian Bale at the dawn of his career is also an absolute treat to watch, and the supporting cast are no slouches either. Adios, CSH gang.
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