Actor Harrison Ford spotted wearing a IWC

On Apple TV+'s Shrinking, Harrison Ford plays Jimmy Laird, a therapist navigating grief with sardonic wit — and apparently a very considered wrist game. Sharp-eyed viewers have clocked the actor wearing an IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XV, reference IW3253, throughout the series. Whether the choice was made by a costume department with genuine horological taste or reflects Ford's own preferences off set, the result is a sighting worth unpacking.

The IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XV launched in 1994 as a direct evolution of the Mark XII, and production continued until 2006. The reference IW3253 houses IWC's in-house Calibre 30110, a 21-jewel automatic movement beating at 28,800 vph with a 42-hour power reserve. The 38mm stainless steel case keeps proportions modest and purposeful — this was never a watch trying to impress across a room. A domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal, soft-iron inner case for anti-magnetic protection, and water resistance to 60 metres round out the instrument credentials. The matte black dial with luminous Arabic numerals and a large crown at 3 o'clock trace a direct line back to WWII-era Pilot's watches produced under military contract.

Among IWC collectors, the Mark XV occupies a particular sweet spot. It was the last reference in the Mark lineage to run the Cal. 30110 before IWC transitioned to ETA-sourced movements in subsequent models. That in-house calibre, combined with the watch's restrained 38mm diameter — increasingly rare in an era of case inflation — has kept demand steady on the secondary market. The Mark XV is frequently cited as one of the most wearable, honest pilot's watches IWC ever produced.

Ford himself has long been associated with aviation — he holds multiple pilot licences and has owned a substantial fleet of aircraft over the decades. A Pilot's watch on his wrist, even a fictional character's wrist, carries a certain biographical coherence that feels less like styling and more like instinct.

The IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XV reference IW3253 was never an expensive watch by luxury standards, and the grey market reflects that accessibility. Examples in good condition trade regularly among enthusiasts, making this one of the more attainable IWC references with genuine collector credibility.