Watch Paparazzi

Actor Craig T. Nelson spotted wearing Cartier

On the wrist of Craig T. Nelson during the 2023 romantic comedy sequel 'Book Club: The Next Chapter' sits a Cartier Pasha de Cartier Chronograph in stainless steel — a watch with a lineage stretching back to one of the most unconventional commissions in 20th-century watchmaking. The Pasha was reportedly born from a request by the Pasha of Marrakech, who demanded a waterproof wristwatch he could wear in his swimming pool. That spirit of functional luxury has defined the line ever since.

The reference visible here is consistent with WSPA0018, the modern reissue Cartier introduced as part of the full Pasha de Cartier collection relaunch in 2020. The 41mm stainless steel case houses three blue-hand subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock on a silver guilloché flinqué dial — a classic Cartier finishing technique applied by hand. Blue cabochon sapphires crown the pushers and winding crown, and the characteristic chained crown cap, a Pasha hallmark since 1985, is visible on the case side. The rotating bezel bears Arabic minute numerals at 10-minute intervals, reinforcing the sporting intent. Power comes from Calibre 1904-CH MC, an integrated manufacture chronograph movement with column wheel and horizontal clutch, COSC-certified and offering approximately 48 hours of power reserve.

Among collectors, the Pasha Chronograph occupies an interesting position: it is unambiguously sporty yet unmistakably Cartier, which makes it attractive to buyers who find the Santos too rectangular and the Tank too dressy. The 2020 relaunch brought fresh attention to the line after years of relative quiet, and the chronograph variant is the most mechanically complex piece in the current Pasha catalogue.

Nelson, 80 at the time of filming, chose — or was styled into — a watch that reads confidently on camera without veering into ostentation. For a character set against the backdrop of a European group holiday, the Pasha Chronograph communicates taste and prosperity in equal measure, precisely the register the film requires.

At retail the WSPA0018 lists at approximately $13,500 USD. Grey market values have held close to retail, reflecting steady demand for in-house Cartier chronographs and the enduring appeal of the freshly revived Pasha line among both new buyers and returning Cartier collectors.