Okay, so I’ve been obsessed with Magnum, P.I. lately – the original, of course, with Tom Selleck. And that watch he wears? It’s iconic. I had to figure out what it was and if I could even get my hands on one. So, my deep dive began!
First, I started by just re-watching episodes, trying to get good glimpses of the watch. It’s surprisingly hard! Lots of blurry action shots. But I kept pausing, rewinding, and squinting. I noticed it was a diver-style watch, with a black bezel and what looked like a Pepsi (red and blue) insert.
Then I hit the forums. Oh boy, the watch forums. These guys are serious. I spent hours reading through threads, arguments, and detailed photo comparisons. So many opinions! But a few names kept popping up: Rolex GMT-Master, of course, but also a Seiko model.
I learned that in the early episodes, Magnum probably wore a Rolex GMT-Master 16750. The “Pepsi” bezel was the giveaway. But, apparently, those things are crazy expensive now. Like, “sell-your-car” expensive. That was definitely out of my league.
The Seiko Connection
Then I dug into the Seiko theory. Some people claimed that later in the series, he switched to a Seiko 6309-7049 or a similar model. This made sense – it’s a tough, reliable diver watch, perfect for a, you know, private investigator jumping out of helicopters and stuff. And, crucially, way more affordable!
- Pros for Seiko:
- Looks the part.
- Durable.
- Affordable (relatively!).
- Easier to find than a vintage Rolex.
- Cons:
- Not the exact watch from the early seasons.
- Might need some hunting to find a good vintage one.
I decided to go down the Seiko route. I figured I could get the Magnum P.I. look without taking out a second mortgage. So I started browsing online marketplaces, looking for a 6309-7049 in decent condition. It wasn’t easy! A lot of them were pretty beat up, which is understandable given their age.
I finally found one that looked promising. It had some scratches, sure, but the movement was working, and the bezel still had that nice faded Pepsi color. I pulled the trigger and bought it!
When it arrived, I was stoked! It definitely had that vintage vibe. I cleaned it up a bit, put it on a new NATO strap (another thing I learned from the forums – Magnum often wore his watch on a NATO), and… yeah. It felt pretty cool. Am I going to start wearing Hawaiian shirts and driving a Ferrari? Probably not. But I’ve got a little piece of that Magnum P.I. style on my wrist, and that’s good enough for me.
