Marlon Brando's Watches: The GMT-Master and Four More
One Marlon Brando watch is famous: the bezel-less Rolex GMT-Master 1675 worn by Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, which sold for $1,952,000 in 2019. The rest of his watch life is thinner. Three more watches have auction or lot documentation, and several others rest on a single outlet or on a guessed reference. This guide separates them, gives each sale with its date, and says where sources disagree.
The short answer
Three Brando watches are confirmed by auction records: the GMT-Master 1675 (Phillips, December 10, 2019, $1,952,000), a stainless steel Datejust engraved “Vito” (Kruse GWS, May 2019, $49,200 by most reports) and a gold Vacheron Constantin from Zsa Zsa Gabor (Antiquorum, September 17, 2009, $18,000). An Omega Seamaster 300 and a yellow gold Datejust are reported, with references that nobody has confirmed. We found no Brando edition from any brand.
Who wears what: quick reference
| Character (actor) | Watches |
|---|---|
| Gifts and early watches(1943 to 1964) | Vacheron Constantin, 18k yellow gold (model not stated); Omega Seamaster 300; Rolex Oyster (first Rolex) |
| The Godfather years(1972 to 1976) | Rolex Datejust, stainless steel, 31 mm; Rolex Datejust, 18k yellow gold, Jubilee bracelet |
| The bezel-less GMT-Master(1974 to 2023) | Rolex GMT-Master, steel, no bezel, rubber strap |
How we label the evidence
Confirmed means a costume designer, prop department, the brand or the show itself said so, or multiple reputable outlets agree and cite a source. Reported means a single reputable outlet or database reports it. We leave out other fan speculation, and where sources disagree we say so. All prices are in US dollars and are indicative; check current listings before buying.
Gifts and early watches (1943 to 1964)
Brando's earliest watches are known mostly through gifts and a few photographs. One is well documented, the 1954 Vacheron Constantin. The others rest on a single outlet.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacheron Constantin, 18k yellow gold (model not stated) | Not confirmed | Confirmed | Given by Zsa Zsa Gabor to mark On the Waterfront (1954). Caseback reads “To Marlon Love Zsa Zsa June 24, 1954” | Auction: $18,000 (Antiquorum, New York, September 17, 2009), about six times its estimate |
| Omega Seamaster 300 | Unconfirmed; CK 14755 is a guess | Uncertain | Seen in 1963 photographs and on set in Bedtime Story (1964), where the bezel and “Seamaster 300” text show in photos. Author Nick Gould's “educated guess” for the reference is CK 14755 (Monochrome). Whereabouts unknown | No sale found |
| Rolex Oyster (first Rolex) | Not stated | Reported | Crown & Caliber says his parents gave it to him at 19, engraved “To Bud, from Mother and Dad. 1943.” One outlet, no photograph or lot | No sale found |
The Vacheron's pre-sale estimate is reported two ways: $3,000 to $5,000 (Paul Fraser) and $3,000 to $8,000 (ArtfixDaily). Swiss Watch Expo calls it a Patrimony, but that rests on a product-link title and the auction report names no model, so we leave the model out. Crown & Caliber also says a character in The Fugitive Kid (1960) mentions a Rolex Moonphase 6062 on his wrist. We found no second source and no sign it was Brando's own watch, so we do not list it as one.
The Godfather years (1972 to 1976)
Two Rolex Datejusts date from this period: a gold one in Last Tango in Paris, and a steel one given to him after his Oscar for The Godfather and engraved for his character.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex Datejust, stainless steel, 31 mm | Not established | Confirmed | Given to Brando after his Best Actor win for The Godfather. Engraved with “Vito” (National Jeweler) or “Vito's & MB” (Swiss Watch Expo). He kept it a few years, then gave it to costume designer Patricia Norris, around 1976 per two sources. A 1973 gift per National Jeweler | Auction: $49,200 (Kruse GWS Auctions, Los Angeles, May 2019; estimate $10,000 to $12,000). One lot-page report gives a final price of $40,000 |
| Rolex Datejust, 18k yellow gold, Jubilee bracelet | Not confirmed (1601 appears only in a link title) | Reported | Said to be worn in Last Tango in Paris (1972) by Crown & Caliber and Swiss Watch Expo. No engraving or sale found | No sale found |
Sources conflict on the steel Datejust. Kruse and most outlets say $49,200, a record for a steel Datejust per the auction house. Robb Report gives $49,240 and a Professional Watches lot page gives $40,000. National Jeweler says the Rolex company gave him the watch; the other sources say only that it was a gift. The reference is not stated in the auction coverage we read.
The bezel-less GMT-Master (1974 to 2023)
Phillips describes the watch as Brando's own, worn on the Apocalypse Now set. He wore it on the Philippines shoot as Kurtz, and it is visible near the end of the film as Kurtz washes his face. It was missing from the family for years and turned up in a dresser in July 2019, per Crown & Caliber.
| Watch | Reference | Evidence | Where it's documented | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex GMT-Master, steel, no bezel, rubber strap | 1675 (caseback stamped II.72, case 3'245'836) | Confirmed | Brando's personal watch, not a costume piece. Caseback hand-engraved “M. Brando”. Given to his daughter Petra in 1995, then to her husband Russel in 2003. Phillips lot | Auction: $1,952,000 (Phillips New York, December 10, 2019). Christie's Geneva, November 6, 2023: roughly CHF 4.3 to 4.6 million, about $5 million by one report, a contested sale |
Quill & Pad reports photographs of Brando in a bezel-less GMT-Master on November 26, 1974, two years before filming began, and in Sydney in October 1976 with the film watch. A photograph from November 6, 1977 shows him in a different GMT-Master with its bezel and an Oyster bracelet. That one outlet's evidence suggests the missing bezel was not only a set compromise. The Coppola story is reported by Phillips with “reportedly”. Petra's gift year is 1995 per Phillips and about 1995 per Quill & Pad, which ties it to her 1994 graduation. The 2023 Christie's figures conflict: CHF 4.3 million (Bloomberg), $3.99 million (IDEX) and CHF 4.58 million (HODINKEE Japan). The consignor sued, payments were frozen and the dispute settled in December 2023; we found no confirmation of final payment. Our film guide is the Apocalypse Now watches guide, which also covers Martin Sheen's Seiko.
Context: the bezel and the 2023 sale
The bezel story. Phillips says Brando arrived wearing the watch and kept it on despite being asked to remove it, and that he removed the bezel as a compromise, “reportedly”. Brando is quoted as saying that if people are looking at his watch, he is not doing his job as an actor. Becker Time adds that Coppola felt the red and blue bezel clashed with the character; that is a single secondary source. The earlier 1974 photograph complicates the neat version of the story.
Not Willard. A common error gives the GMT-Master to Captain Willard. Willard, played by Martin Sheen, wears a Seiko 6105; Brando's Kurtz wears the Rolex. See the Apocalypse Now guide for that watch.
Market context. The $1,952,000 Phillips price is a result for one unique, documented watch, not a guide to what a 1675 costs; we did not find a reliable current price for the reference, so none is quoted. See our Rolex GMT-Master history and the Rolex brand history. Another documented screen-and-racing wearer is covered in our Steve McQueen guide, and the hub is famous people watches.
Myths and mix-ups, corrected
- “Willard wears the Rolex GMT-Master in Apocalypse Now.” Kurtz, played by Brando, wears the Rolex. Willard wears a Seiko 6105.
- “The Rolex was chosen by the costume department.” Phillips treats it as Brando's own watch, worn on the set. We found no costume or prop department statement.
- “Coppola made him remove the bezel.” Phillips says “reportedly”, and a 1974 photograph shows Brando in a bezel-less GMT-Master before filming began (Quill & Pad, one outlet).
- “It sold for $5 million.” Reports of the 2023 Christie's sale range from $3.99 million to over $5 million, and the sale was disputed. The only confirmed price is $1,952,000 at Phillips in 2019.
- “Brando owned a Rolex Moonphase 6062.” One outlet says his character mentions one in The Fugitive Kid (1960). That is a line of dialogue, not a documented Brando watch.
Sources
Phillips lot page for the GMT-Master; Quill & Pad; CNN (not readable for us); HODINKEE Japan, Bloomberg via swissinfo and IDEX for the 2023 sale; National Jeweler, Swiss Watch Expo, Professional Watches and Robb Report for the Datejust; Worldtempus, Paul Fraser and ArtfixDaily for the Vacheron; Monochrome for the Omega; Crown & Caliber for the earlier watches. We could not open Hodinkee, Fratello, IMWDb or the Kruse and Christie's lot pages, and some prices come from search summaries. Prices are in US dollars with their sale dates, except where Swiss francs are named.
Frequently Asked Questions
What watch did Marlon Brando wear in Apocalypse Now?
A Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675 with the bezel removed. It was his own watch, engraved “M. Brando”, and Phillips sold it for $1,952,000 on December 10, 2019.
What was engraved on Brando's Godfather Rolex?
His steel Datejust is engraved “Vito” per National Jeweler and “Vito's & MB” per Swiss Watch Expo. Kruse GWS sold it for $49,200 in May 2019.
Did Brando own other watches?
A gold Vacheron Constantin from Zsa Zsa Gabor sold for $18,000 in 2009. An Omega Seamaster 300 and a gold Datejust are reported, with no confirmed references.
Why does Brando's GMT-Master have no bezel?
Phillips says he removed it after being asked to take the watch off, reportedly. One outlet shows a bezel-less GMT-Master on him in 1974, before filming.
Who wore the Seiko in Apocalypse Now?
Captain Willard, played by Martin Sheen, wears a Seiko 6105. See our Apocalypse Now watches guide.
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