Scranton Pennsylvania was a town that a whole lot of folks had never really heard of—until a cringe-comedy television show premiered back in March of 2005 (feeling older yet?). After 14 years of dynamic mockumentary hilarity, The Office is still an omnipresent entertainment tour-de-force. Six years after its final air date in 2013, memes; t-shirts; re-runs; and a variety of other pop culture parkour moves have kept proud fans fed on their hunger for Office content. With multiple careers skyrocketed to fame, this UK original gone US TV icon made household names out of the cast and creator. Already household names in their own right, The Office features some pretty popular wristwatch brands too! Though Dunder Mifflin is a fictional company, the characters in the show are wearing very non-fictional timepieces. Despite Michael Scott having paperwork claiming he is the proud owner of a “Seyko” (a nod to “Seiko”) watch—he sports a classic men’s Timex. Concurrently, Jim Halpert is a mild-mannered gentleman (generally) but sports a more militaristic timepiece—from the Swiss Army brand. Anyone who’s ever had a professional office job can relate to this classic attire: a proper top (button down or otherwise), a professional skirt or slacks, smart shoes, and of course a matching watch. It is difficult to nail down every single character’s watch in the show—network nuances regarding product placement likely to blame. So ahead we’re going to highlight Jim and Michael’s mentioned watches, with some specifications.
Michael’s Timex Men’s Perpetual Calendar Watch
Michael is no stranger to being square. Thus, it’s no surprise his watch would take on a similar shape—in a more literal sense. Being more rectangular than square, though, perhaps it’s a bit of a nod to Michael’s more oblong nature. Ultimately finding ways to win people over, his big heart and try-hard narcissism lead to some painful but in-the-end resolved exchanges. Michael’s sort of bi-polar relationship between oafish insensitivity and a genuine sense of caring lead to some of the greatest payoffs on screen—even if they take a stretch to get there.
Speaking of stretches: If you’re a binge-watching enthusiast you may want to join Michael in his horological endeavor. This Perpetual Calendar watch from Timex has a Gregorian calendar built into it, which will keep you up-to-par on date changes until the year 2100. Basically, that’s a whole lot of streaming, as long as you’re willing to get up to change the battery every once in a while. If you’re screaming “No!” in escalation right now, perhaps mail the watch to us. There might be just enough opportunity the next time Netflix reads, “are you still watching?” to walk to the mailbox.
Ultimately leaving The Office, Michael Scott’s presence is still felt on the final seasons of the series. Without failure his smart-but-casual wristwatch stays in tow—during his own final scenes. With an Indiglo backlight, black leather band, and silver stainless steel case, this might be one of the smartest things Micahel wears. Being an honest, reliable, and clean timepiece, its appearance in wardrobe is fitting for both Michael’s attire—and the overall heart of his character.
Jim’s Swiss Army “Men’s Infantry” Watch
If you want a tougher timepiece for the office, or for more performance wear, try checking out ol’ Jim Halpert’s watch. His Victorinox-owned Swiss Army “Men’s Infantry” watch is tougher than keeping a client at the Scranton offices of a paper company. Having a water resistance of 100meters, a Swiss quartz movement, a stainless steel case, and a sturdy canvas strap, anyone could suspend this timepiece in Jello—and it would survive quite nicely.
In terms of character, Jim is often someone who longs for something more in life (especially in the earlier seasons). Having an adventurous timepiece on his wrist plays into his personal arch in similar ways to Michael’s Timex. This Swiss Army piece shows Jim’s durability and dependability as a top sales rep, while also showcasing his somewhat subtle charm and youthful sense of fun. Just like in real life, wristwatches are a simple way to peek into someone’s taste and character—choosing this watch for Jim was a sensible choice by the creators of the series.
An honorable mention: Jim also rocks Dwight’s Casio Calculator watch in the “Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica” episode. In this particularly memorable 3rd Season jaunt, Jim calculates his monetary costs to copy Dwight’s obtuse behavior—on Dwight’s own wristwatch style. Unfortunately, it was hard to nail down exactly which iteration of the calculator watch The Office choice for this episode (and for Dwight, generally). Casio’s “Databank” version of this classic digital watch is the likely description—considering the overall shape and stainless steel case of the piece.
The Office Lives
Spawning multiple adaptations across the globe, The Office is going to continue to entertain audiences for years to come. With an upcoming axe from Netflix, though, the American version will hopefully find a place for continued binging. Until that reality inevitably comes to fruition, all fans can take comfort in the more-than-cult popularity of the show keeping it playing and streaming somewhere new. As if Dwight Kurt Schrute III were typing right now, this humble horological author can only say, “The Office will only live once? False. It will continue to live every day.” In any case, keep your eyes on the wrists of your favorite characters. Everything from the history of Dunder Mifflin, to the watches on each character’s arm, is methodically fleshed out in this timeless television darling. *Cue theme*
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