The hit miniseries Love Story has received its fair share of criticism — for the particular way it dramatizes, if not outright fictionalizes, the lives and untimely deaths of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, and, a worse sin, for being boring. Regardless of what you think of the Ryan Murphy property, there’s no denying the success of the show’s costume design, in both reminding lifelong Kennedy admirers of and introducing a new generation of culture consumers to the charms (and wardrobe) of America’s favorite son.
Whatever Love Story (allegedly) lacks in nuance and tact, it makes up for in cold, hard-shouldered menswear. The sheer magnitude of billowy tailoring and Nantucket-adjacent paraphernalia is both staggering and accurate to the time period. The watch collection is similarly dialed in, with a variety of flashy Cartier and Rolex styles adorning the wrists of characters like Calvin Klein and Jackie Kennedy. (For his part, Paul Anthony Kelly’s titular character frequently sports a Cartier Tank Louis, which, while not a confirmed timepiece in JFK Jr.’s rotation, feels spiritually valid.)
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The breakout star of “Love Story” was one of the menswear highlights of the Vanity Fair after-partyThe show has even caused a discernible spike in watch sales for certain Rolex and Cartier models. But it’s not just these coveted Swiss icons getting all the attention; one of JFK Jr.’s more approachable timepieces, an athletically inclined sailing watch, also occasionally popped up on Kelly’s wrist.
“Seeing the Intrepid appear in Love Story feels very natural to us,” says Shari Fabiani, chief marketing officer of Timex Group. “We had no involvement in the production, which makes it even more meaningful.”
Yes, the watch in question is the Timex Intrepid, a chunky regatta-style timepiece released in 1995 that Kennedy was known to occasionally sport, often while ripping around Manhattan on two wheels. Much more of a utility play than, say, a Paul Newman Daytona, and a hell of a lot more affordable, the Intrepid nonetheless offers an alluring design: clocking in at 46mm and featuring a funky slide-rule bezel and Indiglo illumination, it’s a quintessential tool watch, imbued with a touch of kooky ’90s magnetism.
Its timeless-yet-sporty design perhaps explains why the reference has held up so well, aesthetically speaking, and why JFK Jr. was organically drawn to the style. Fabiani points out that JFK Jr.’s connection to the 1995 Intrepid was “never a paid endorsement or product placement,” but simply “a watch he chose to wear.”
Timex is betting that a new generation of collectors will be just as interested. After reissuing the watch last year, a release that more or less immediately sold out, Timex is once again opening up preorders for the Intrepid, just in time for the series finale of Love Story on March 26. While Fabiani suggests that the timing is “purely coincidental,” the reissue is nonetheless poised to capitalize on the resurgence of interest in both the style and its most notable wearer.
As for the watch itself, the Intrepid reissue is a faithful reinterpretation of the iconic piece. “The reissue stays very close to the 1995 original. We focused on preserving the proportions, construction and defining features that made the watch distinctive in the first place,” explains Fabiani, who adds that the any changes were made in the spirit of Kennedy’s irrefutable personal style. “While the original model came on a different strap, JFK Jr. was known to pair it with another Timex strap. For the reissue, we thoughtfully recreated that combination, capturing not just the product, but the way it was worn.”
It remains a mystery whether or not the show was clued into the initial Intrepid reissue — even the brand can’t confirm whether the watch featured is an original or a reissue — but regardless, Fabiani suggests that it’s a piece that can stand on its own merits: “The Intrepid resonates today because it taps into a broader appreciation for vintage design and [the] 1990s.”
It might not earn you the same compliments as it would have on a certain Kennedy (or a certain Kelly, for that matter), but it’s still an unbeatable deal for anyone interested in sporting a piece of style-icon history. You can preorder the Timex Intrepid Reissue here.
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