Ryan Gosling has stated that he likes basic timepieces. Even complexities (additional bells and whistles, such as the stopwatch-esque chronograph feature) proved too much for the guy bred to play Ken. For the forthcoming Barbie film, however, all the rules are being broken. At the film’s “Canadian press day,” Gosling sported a new Carrera Date with a Barbie pink dial from Tag Heuer.
Barbie’s marketing strategy is unparalleled. Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice rapped over Aqua’s “Barbie Girl,” a real Barbie dream house available to rent on Airbnb, and there doesn’t appear to be a company that doesn’t have some form of pinkified goods on offer. This Carrera isn’t a Barbie collaboration, but it appears that the film’s pull is now so strong that it’s bending things into its orbit. The pink dial of the watch is a fantastic fit for Gosling as he promotes the film.
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This is a new edition of the Carrera Date, which was recently revealed in March at the Watches & Wonders exhibition, and it typifies the brightly colored dials that have been popular in recent years. Rolex’s (now-discontinued) orange, yellow, blue, and pink Oyster Perpetuals were so popular that the Crown released a cheeky “bubble” watch containing every hue from that collection this year. Omega offers its own Aqua Terra range of timepieces with Crayola-inspired colors. Tag Heuer replied with a collection that included Gosling’s pink Carrera and another with royal blue and minty green dials.
Gosling has been experimenting with various watches as a result of the combination of this bright pink watch and the powerful Barbie marketing juggernaut. It’s been fascinating to see his growth as a collector since signing with Tag. He just wanted to wear the brand’s most basic things. At an event last July, I questioned him (again, a close personal acquaintance) about delving deeper into the collection, and he blanched. “Do you mean the complications?” I haven’t gone to the factory yet, so I don’t know enough about the watch to delve into the details.” However, he was wearing a piece with a problem in London just a few months later. He’s embracing his most out-there watch yet, thanks to a little push from a plastic doll.
