Wherever Callum Turner now goes, the James Bond question follows. Promoting Karim Aïnouz’s satirical thriller Rosebush Pruning at the Berlin Film Festival over the weekend, Turner gave it a resolute “no comment”. There might be reports claiming he’s locked in as the next 007, but for now, he’s not addressing them in public.
Rosebush Pruning is – in perhaps a very pointed choice of role – much more arthouse-y than a huge spy franchise. Turner’s watch pick for the occasion was a long way from the Bond-verse too. It’d almost be too obvious for him to give the speculation a playful wink by wearing an Omega; the brand’s association with 007 is common knowledge well beyond the watch-nerd world. Instead, he followed what is by now a very well-trodden path and strapped on a Cartier Tank.
Being a Tank Louis Cartier in yellow gold, and in one of the larger sizes, at 25.5mm, it had a bit of punchiness to it – but still, a Tank it is. We know the drill: practically every male film star from Paul Mescal down has at least dabbled with swapping their chunky, steel go-tos for this dress watch. Though Turner doesn’t have a big track record of notable watch-wearing – being engaged to Dua Lipa is perhaps the only flex he really needs – he has worn a Tank at least once before: a steel Tank Solo for a 2024 screening of Masters of the Air. Let the record show that Turner is no Johnny-come-lately to the Cartier hype.
Along with his Rosebush Pruning co-stars, Jamie Bell and Lukas Gage, Turner rounded out a very respectable trio of watch choices. Bell wore a Rolex Explorer, one of the most functional and entry-level models in the brand’s catalogue. Steel, black dial, helpfully large numerals at three, six and nine o’clock – nothing flashy whatsoever. Gage went a little bolder: a Cartier Santos Dumont that you could feasibly call “three tone”, with a black strap and dial; gold bezel, hands and numerals; and a steel case. A bit different to your average gold Tank. Not that it’s a competition; the classics are classics for a reason.
So: no Seamaster spotted on Turner’s wrist, and hence no jerry can of petrol poured all over those smouldering Bond rumours. Instead, just an obvious but very assured choice of dress watch. And can you blame him? If he is going to be Bond, it’s understandable he’d want to get a bit of horological variety out of his system beforehand. The Omegas can wait.
