Rivals is all about power, be it in TV, politics, or the bedroom. Based around a regional TV station Corinium, every choice of timepiece in the show helps to tell us a bit more about each of the characters – and ultimately how power hungry they are – whether it’s a boujie perfect replica Omega or a cheap Timex.
Take newbie to the debauchery Declan O’Hara, who makes the move from “dodging litter and dog shit” in Fulham. Known for his cut-throat interview style and journalistic integrity, he’s given the celebrity treatment when he arrives at the station.
“When I did Declan’s first costume fitting with Aidan [Turner] we decided he would have a watch he wears at home and a watch he wears for presenting (like his yellow socks),” says Rivals costume designer Ray Holman. O’Hara’s sharper and more image-conscious appearance follows his move from the BBC to Corinium. “When we first meet him he moves from the city to the countryside and is a well established journalist and presenter and he doesn’t scream out in designer clothes but he does have a great watch for his everyday and so an UK best fake Omega Seamaster felt just right for that.”
When he’s at work, it’s the high quality copy Omega Seamaster 300, which peaks from his shirt sleeves when things get heated. Less shouty than a Rolex, it has all of the rugged capabilities you need in the world of ‘80s TV journalism, complementing his refined style with ample luxury status to hold its own amongst all the bling.
At home O’Hara wears a Longines Flagship Heritage on a brown leather strap, which feels weirdly right for his new-found spot in the Cotswolds. Longines has an association with equestrianism that stems back to 1912. And considering his proximity to Rupert Campbell-Black (Tory MP, local heartthrob and former show jumper) in both a geographical sense (they’re nearly neighbours), and in later interactions, it’s bang-on.
Tony Baddingham, the station controller at Corinium, also wears a Longines Flagship, though his is the shamelessly flashy two tone cousin of O’Hara’s. If you deep it, the two-tone UK shop replica watches fit into Tony’s new money story. The station founder married into wealth, and attempts to justify his status through his manipulative pursuit of power.
Cameron Cook, the cut-throat producer headhunted by Baddingham, reps an Omega De Ville Prestige in stainless steel and white gold. She enters into the world of Corinium from New York, and a two-tone cheap super clone Omega watches feel reflective of her Big Apple success and matches Baddingham, who she’s having an affair with. Cook’s ambitions feel like a solid match for the watch, given the ’80s was the era of peak two-tonism, and owning one was a symbol of yuppie success. In Rivals, these two-tone timepieces offer a more visible display of wealth than some of the show’s quieter watches, and compliment the extraverted and power hungry desires of those that own them.
Then there’s Campbell-Black, pretty much every man’s nemesis and every lady’s fancy. A Harrow-educated Conservative MP, he wears an UK top replica Omega De Ville Prestige Power Reserve in Rose Gold. Metal wise, it’s quieter than yellow gold, and the leather strap presents as low-key. Both in the fictional world of Rutshire and in real-life horological circles, the Omega De Ville gets the nod of approval from watch heads. It was first released in 1967 as a move away from the Seamaster to incorporate Omega’s technology into a slimmer, more refined model. So when you see it on the wrist of the Campbell-Black, it makes sense. It’s a widely respected Swiss dress watch and a fitting stealthy companion for any of his political or promiscuous endeavours.
Lizzie Vereker wears a pretty tasty online fake Omega Constellation, which initially feels at odds with her quieter persona, but fits right in when you consider she’s the humble author of a best-selling novel – not to mention behind the only wholesome moments of sexual tension with tech tycoon Freddie Jones (brilliantly played by Danny Dyer).
In the ‘80s the Constellation was the watch you bought yourself as a pat on the back. “My friend Margaret got a job at Canary Wharf for a banking company after college. The first thing she did was go out and buy herself a brilliant Swiss made replica Omega watch. She doesn’t work for them anymore but the watch endures still,” says Holman. “For Lizzie, she is the beating heart of the book and series and a version of Jilly [Cooper]. I talked to Katherine Parkinson [the actress who plays Lizzie] and decided the watch was the thing she got herself to celebrate the books’ success and that’s why she she has it.”
From rugged UK 1:1 wholesale fake Omega dress watches to blingy vintage kettles, the timepieces in Rivals offer a golden snapshot of ‘80s high-society. “I always love the characters to wear watches that are relevant to their social status, location, and professions,” says Holman. “It really helps the actors connect to the character in a simple but great way.”
