The buzz around Babygirl is undeniable—and fans of Harris Dickinson have even begun calling themselves “dickheads” in honor of his steamy performance. The film dives deep into themes of power, control, and desire, all set against the polished backdrop of a high-end tech company, Tensile. But while most attention has focused on the sex scenes, the watches worn by the characters offer their own compelling narrative.
Nicole Kidman plays Romy Mathis, the sleek and composed CEO of Tensile. She begins to explore giving up control in her personal life, something she struggles with in her marriage. Enter Samuel, played by Dickinson—a confident, sexually dominant intern who rescues Romy from a dog attack and soon becomes her mentee and secret lover. Their dom-sub relationship flips traditional corporate dynamics on their head.
Samuel stands in stark contrast to Romy. He wears ill-fitting suits, a military surplus parka, and a gold-toned Casio A168WG-9EF. The digital watch, though reliable and durable, looks out of place in a corporate setting. It reflects Samuel’s outsider status—new to the industry, unpolished, and seemingly trying on a new identity.
“You can see he’s testing a new version of himself,” says Babygirl prop master Monica Jacobs, who also worked on Succession. “His watch is cheap, but the gold tone suggests he’s trying to appear bolder. It’s not the obvious choice, and that’s what makes it interesting.”
Romy, on the other hand, wears a yellow gold Cartier Tank Française—a refined and understated luxury timepiece that suits her curated look. Jacobs describes it as “a classic piece of elegance. It signals wealth and power, but quietly.” She notes that they tried models from Rolex, Omega, Tudor, and Piaget before settling on the Cartier, which aligned best with Romy’s subtle authority.
Her husband, played by Antonio Banderas, appears briefly but is styled just as thoughtfully. A New York theatre director, he wears a vintage Patek Philippe—possibly a Calatrava—with a worn leather strap. “It shows he values craftsmanship and tradition. It’s a quiet nod to his own success,” Jacobs says. His leather satchel, equally worn, reinforces his character’s love for quality and timelessness.
While Romy is looking for something new and risky in Samuel, his Casio represents that desire perfectly. Under £100, it’s a symbol of rebellion against her polished, high-status life.
The power plays don’t stop at Romy and Samuel. When Samuel begins a relationship with Esme, Romy’s assistant, the balance shifts again. What was once a seamless CEO-assistant dynamic becomes charged with jealousy and competition. Though Romy can’t show her feelings openly, she reasserts her dominance subtly—through hierarchy and appearance.
This dynamic plays out through their watches. While Romy wears a £20,000 Cartier, Esme sports a smaller vintage Cartier Tank Mini on a leather strap. “It’s likely second-hand,” says Jacobs. “It’s her attempt to step into Romy’s world, but it also clearly shows her junior status.”
Babygirl doesn’t just explore power in boardrooms and bedrooms—it shows how even the smallest details, like a wristwatch, can communicate confidence, control, and desire. From Romy’s refined Cartier to Samuel’s bold Casio, these timepieces reveal who the characters are—and what they’re trying to become.
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