Actor Gerardo Taracena spotted wearing a Seiko

On the wrist of Gerardo Taracena in Netflix's Narcos: Mexico sits a gold-plated Seiko Kinetic reference 5M42-0A19 — not merely as a costume accessory but as a scripted plot device. The watch is presented as a gift from cartel boss Amado Carrillo Fuentes to Pablo Acosta, and the show's writers are clear about its symbolic weight: it is meant to pass for something far more luxurious than it actually is. That conceit gives an otherwise modest timepiece genuine dramatic purpose.

The Seiko Kinetic 5M42-0A19 runs on the Calibre 5M42, a movement Seiko introduced as part of its Kinetic line — a technology the brand launched in 1988 under the original name Auto-Relay. The 5M42 calibre converts the kinetic energy of the wearer's natural arm movement into electrical charge stored in a capacitor, eliminating the need for a conventional battery. It offers roughly 72 hours of power reserve when fully charged. The gold-plated case and bracelet give the watch a dressy, aspirational appearance that belies its entry-level price point — precisely the point the Narcos: Mexico costume and props teams were making.

Among collectors, the Seiko Kinetic line occupies an interesting niche. Early Kinetic references from the late 1980s and 1990s are respected as engineering milestones — Seiko solving a real consumer problem with genuine ingenuity. The 5M42 generation represents a mature, reliable iteration of that technology. Capacitor degradation over time is a known issue on older examples, but replacement capacitors are widely available and the movement is well-documented. The 5M42-0A19 is not a grail piece, but it is a competent, honest watch.

Gerardo Taracena's portrayal of Pablo Acosta in Narcos: Mexico brought renewed attention to one of the early figures in the Juárez Cartel's history. The character's acceptance of what is essentially a showy fake — without knowing, or perhaps without caring — mirrors broader themes the series returns to repeatedly about image, power, and authenticity in the narco world.

On the current secondary market, the Seiko Kinetic 5M42-0A19 trades for approximately $80, essentially unchanged from its original retail positioning. It will never be a significant investment piece, but its appearance in a major Netflix production gives it a very specific collector footnote.