An Inside Look as Clive Owen Discusses his Partnership with Jaeger-LeCoultre

Photo credit: Alex Teuscher

BAFTA, SAG, Golden Globe: All are awards won by elegant British thespian Clive Owen. The 51-year-old actor—who can also add Oscar and Emmy nominee to his plethora of accolades—is famous for his star power on both the big and small screens. You can currently find him starring on Cinemax’s medical series, The Knick, and on March 18, he’ll appear opposite Maria Bello in Saban Films’ The Confirmation. Haute Living caught up with the superstar at SIHH in Geneva, where the Jaeger-LeCoultre spokesman was celebrating the return of the brand’s iconic Reverso timepiece, to discuss film, luxury, the Swiss watchmaker’s 2016 collection and the incredible importance of time.

How did you become close to Jaeger-LeCoultre?

The coming together of Jaeger-LeCoultre and me was a very organic one. I was a fan of their Amvox range and I was wearing the Amvox 3 Tourbillon GMT quite often when I was approached. I was a fan of the brand, so it was very easy to become a friend of the brand.

What do you think of the new collection?

I just love the fact the new Reverso watches are so faithful to the original 1931 model. It’s been special to see it constantly evolve, but still retain something totally classic. It’s an icon.

How do you choose your watches?

I tend to choose a watch depending on what I’m wearing. In the evening, I’ll wear something different than what I’ve been wearing during the day. The watch represents who you are, so you have to be comfortable with what you are wearing.

Did you have a style icon growing up?

When I was a teenager, I was really just crazy about David Bowie. He was my style icon. Then, as I got into making films, I struck up a relationship with Giorgio Armani that I’ve had for a very long time. I’ve always been comfortable being classic really. I’m not one to follow fashion. I love classic elegance, and I always have.

Which role that you’ve played would make a fitting Jaeger-LeCoultre ambassador?

Ernest Hemingway (from Hemingway & Gellhorn). He’s a literary classic and an icon, two words that come to mind when thinking about Jaeger-LeCoultre.

If you had to choose three films to explain who you are as an actor, which would they be?

That’s hard. I would probably pick the three that are most important to me in terms of my career. Off the top of my head, I would go: Croupier, Closer and Children of Men. The first opened things up for me; the second I was very close to the material before we started filming because I had done the original play, and the third was an important film to make. Alfonzo Cuaron is a genius director, and the themes of that film seem to be as important now as they were when we made it.

Do you remember the exact moment (if there was one) that you knew you wanted to be an actor?

I did a school play aged thirteen (playing the Artful Dodger in Oliver) and knew from that moment that acting was the only thing that I wanted to do.

What is the biggest challenge of being an actor to- day? The biggest reward?

The only challenge for me is the amount of travelling and being away from home so much. The reward? I consider myself extremely lucky and privileged to be in this business.

For you, what are the most important things in life?

The most important things in life for me are family, friends and health.

Can you explain the role of your wife in your success?

She is my rock. She was an actress, so she understands all it entails and is a great mother to our girls.

Is there a charity that you are particularly supportive of?

I am patron of two charities: The Aegis Trust (a charity which works towards the prediction, prevention and ultimately the elimination of genocide) and The Electric Palace, a beautiful old cinema in Harwich.