The Iconic Watches of 'The Prisoner': The Timekeepers of Control

Lately, I've found myself watching this .. I don't know .. would you call it a 'vintage' show? The Prisoner is a TV show that you watch once and it stays on your mind. Even after all these years.

If you're unfamiliar, "The Prisoner" was a groundbreaking British TV series that first aired in 1967. The show followed the story of a former gov agent, known only as "Number Six". He is held captive in a mysterious, idyllic village where everyone is assigned a number. The series is renowned for it's intricate plot, psychological themes, and symbolic elements, including the usage of watches in the show.

The first watch that caught my attention was flashed in a tense scene in the very first episode. Number Six is attempting an daring escape by hijacking a helicopter. The watch easily caught my eye.

This watch is clearly a modified Hamilton Super Compressor. We all know that Hamilton has a long history with movies. But this was new to me. Until I started collecting, I'd never really paid attention to watches in TV (Unless it shot lasers).

But this watch was special. Do you see the bright dot at the 12? It keeps flashing you see. What appeared to be a watch was actually an 'electronic key'. You needed it to fend off detection and enter the helicopter.

And thus, we see that watches in the show played a special role. They were symbols of control, conformity and rebellion. Without this 'key' there was no escape, and he only had minutes to get free. Of course, he is captured. There was a giant white balloon involved, but set that aside for now.

I was thrilled with this discover and immediately began researching for other watches. And was delighted to uncover the next truly iconic watch.

This beautiful watch appears in the episode, "It's Your Funeral". Get this. The plot involves an assassin watchmaker who intend to kill the secret leader of the Village, Number 2. But the attempt is foiled by the watchmaker's daughter, who alerts our hero, Number Six. And with the help of Number 100. It's ok to have a chuckle at this point.

But the Jaeger- LeCoultre Memovox E855 is the perfect watch for this twisty story. The watch drives the narrative. Number Six's watch is secretly replaced as the leader Number 2 is aware and amused by the assassination plot. Twisty enough for you?

The Memovox cleverly plays on themes of memory, identity, and the urgency of time. The perfect prop for a show where identity and names are erased, and you are given a number.

"I am not a number. I am a person!"

And the alarm would signal the detonation of the bomb. It's actually worn by the leader, symbolizing the meticulous planning and control exerted by the Authorities.

Which brings us to the most mysterious watch in the entire series.

This was the clearest picture I could find. In the show, there are only fleeting looks. The identity of the watch itself was hidden. So fitting for The Prisoner. Prior attempts to guess the brand were stymied, like any escape from the Village.

But now, we can unveil the identity. Past times, we didn't have google image search. Like a spy, I pointed my phone and used the secret Lens app to help identify the watch. And here is what it revealed.

This is a best guess. This picture is taken from the website "Birth Year Watches". Favre-Leuba was a Swiss brand that made their own movements. This model reference 1261 is dated to 1963, holding the calibre 251. Case width with the crown is 34.5 mm. A true vintage watch.

Is this the correct watch of the picture? Probably, maybe. Perhaps the identity will be forever shrouded in mystery. So fitting for such as show as The Prisoner. And our hero Number Six.