The American Psycho Rolex watch has engaged film enthusiasts for decades, but the timepiece Christian Bale wore wasn’t actually a Rolex at all. This deception went unnoticed for 20 years. Rolex refused to let the character Patrick Bateman wear their watches in the film. The production team had to find an alternative solution.
What watch does Patrick Bateman wear then? Most viewers believed the Patrick Bateman watch was a prestigious Rolex Datejust 16013, the quintessential dress watch of the 1980s. The watch was actually a Seiko 5 SNXJ90 that looked similar. I’ll reveal the full story behind the Patrick Bateman Rolex controversy in this piece and compare both timepieces in detail. You’ll also learn why this substitution remained cinema’s best-kept secret.
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The Patrick Bateman Watch: What Everyone Thought It Was
For over two decades, watch enthusiasts and film fans identified the Patrick Bateman watch as a Rolex Datejust reference 16013 with a Jubilee bracelet. The two-tone composition of stainless steel and 18k yellow gold screamed 1980s excess. This made it the perfect choice for a Wall Street banker obsessed with status symbols. Produced from 1977 until the late 1980s, this 36mm timepiece embodied everything Patrick Bateman represented.
The Datejust 16013 carried Rolex’s signature fluted bezel in yellow gold. The dial had been champagne, and twinkled with every movement of the wearer’s wrist. The five-link Jubilee bracelet lent it dressier aspects than its more sporty-looking Oyster bracelet cousin. This too tied in nicely with Bateman’s obsessive concern with appearances. Rolex was mentioned 26 times throughout Bret Easton Ellis’s novel. The theory seemed unassailable at this point.
The two-tone Datejust became emblematic of the yuppie throughout these years. You didn’t have to know what a Jubilee bracelet was to know you were doing well. Everyone knew what a gold and steel Rolex looked like. Patri wanted his wealth shouted to as many people as possible.
The Truth: What Watch Does Patrick Bateman Wear in the Film
That identification crumbled when the 2020 4K remastered edition hit screens. Improved picture quality revealed what viewers had missed for two decades: Patrick Bateman never wore a Rolex at all. The watch on Christian Bale’s wrist was a Seiko 5 SNXJ90, an affordable Japanese timepiece that retails around $400.
Image Source : Etsy
Rolex famously denied the filmmakers permission to use their watches for Patrick Bateman. The luxury watch brand didn’t want to be linked with a psychotic murderer. Other characters were able to wear Rolex watches without problem. Patrick could not wear one so costume designer Isis Mussenden searched for something similar. An attentive fanbase quickly uncovered the deception in the enhanced footage.
The replica was off by Bateman wears a watch with both day and date complications. The Datejust 16013 Rolex only displays the date. Finally, there was no Cyclops lens covering the date window.
Script alterations were made because of Rolex’s refusal to participate. When Patrick screams, “Don’t touch the Rolex!” in Ellis’s novel, he says, “Don’t touch the watch” in the film adaptation. Christian Bale was aware the whole time but never corrected anyone.
American Psycho Rolex vs Seiko: A Detailed Comparison
Looking at these watches across the room, you might struggle to spot the difference. Both watches have a fluted bezel and jubilee style bracelet that give them a similar family resemblance. Audience members didn’t notice these subtle differences for two decades. Stand each watch next to each other and study their design. The Rolex Datejust 16013 has cleaner case transitions, a tighter bracelet, and includes the Cyclops lens over the date window.
Examining the movement specifications is where these watches truly depart from one another. Rolex understands its customer wants chronometer certified calibers built to the highest standards with exquisite finishing. They also provide customers access to an authorized service network. Seiko 7S26 movements aren’t chronometer certified and lack hacking seconds or manual winding functions. However, they have a reputation for being incredibly reliable with very few maintenance requirements.
Comparing pricing between these watches tells two separate stories. The average resale price for a Rolex Datejust 16013 is about $7,844. A discontinued Seiko SNXJ90 has an average resale value of $434. This 18x difference in price is the justification for considering the Rolex an investment piece.
Resale value is what ultimately sets these watches apart from one another. A Datejust will retain value better than any Seiko brand watch. The SNXJ90 provides you with other valuable returns. You are getting an inexpensive introduction to a unique esthetic. Not to mention, you’ll have a conversation piece for your Dickies and Champion shirt pop culture geek card. Buy the Datejust if you want a watch that will serve as a heirloom for generations and hold its resale value. Go with the SNXJ90 if you’d rather own something cool than own something pricey.
Conclusion
The Patrick Bateman Rolex prank is easily one of film’s greatest hoaxes of all time. The filmmakers got away with using a Seiko because cameras weren’t able to pick the difference at the time. If you’re looking to get the iconic Datejust 16013 or the budget friendly SNXJ90 the decision is yours. They may look the same, but only one comes with a Wall Street monthly income like Bateman barely had.
