The Pitt is, in a word, raw. If you haven’t been following along with the gritty emergency room drama, which concluded its first season yesterday, here’s the gist — the show follows a cast of underfunded, understaffed, and under-therapized emergency doctors as they deal with a day (each of the 15 episodes encapsulates an hour of the shift) of deaths, workplace drama and the trauma of providing healthcare in 2025.
If this sounds brutal, bordering on unwatchable, that’s because it is. The HBO program is unafraid to tackle unfathomably difficult situations, ranging from addiction to anti-vax parents to a horrific mass casualty event, and has been lauded by critics and medical professionals alike for its realistic portrayal of the profound amount of stress our medical system is currently being placed under.
But The Pitt is also a masterful presentation of humanity, grounded by characters like Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, played by the enigmatic and impossibly soulful ER veteran Noah Wyle, and, unassuming as it may be — there’s a notable lack of versatility when it comes to hospital garb — by the costume design, as well.
Take, for example, Wyle’s Robinavitch, or, as he’s known to the staff of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, Dr. Robby. Robinavitch is a compelling protagonist, a brilliant-yet-down-to-earth attending physician who’s equal parts inspirational and unshakable. (Until he isn’t. But no spoilers.) And while he, like his coworker, spends much of the show in scrubs and sugical gowns, the peppered beard and “Beers of the Burgh” zip hoodie go a long way in establishing his amiable if not stern dad figure.
This wasn’t an accident. In an Instagram post earlier this year, costume designer Lyn Paolo noted that her and her team had painstakingly sourced a variety of local Pittsburgh apparel (including the aforementioned “Beers of the Burgh” hoodie). This intentionality isn’t exclusive to just clothing — as it turns out, Dr. Robby’s watch, a black-faced, tan-staple hunk of stainless steel, is just as revealing.
After many freeze frames and some internet forum sleuthing I’ve identified the watch in question as a Seiko SRPG35, one of the Japanese brand’s various affordable field watch styles. Clocking in at just under $300, every ounce of the watch immediately makes perfect sense as a daily driver for an ER physician, particularly for the pragmatic Dr. Robby, who, despite his head-of-state status as attending, doesn’t really seem like the Rolex type.
Fixed on a near-indestructible nylon NATO strap, the SRPG35 is widely understood to be a rugged, ultra-function style. It comes complete with 4R36 Caliber automatic movement, a generous 41-hour power reserve and oversized dial indicators and hands for improved visibility. In essence, it’s inexpensive, reliable and easy to clean.
There’s a more than likely chance that you’re not dealing with the horrors of our modern medical system on the daily, but that doesn’t mean that you would not also do well with a Seiko SRPG35. You’re in luck — the timepiece is currently on sale at Amazon, for just over $200, a steal if you consider the fact that this is a watch you could pass down to your grandkids. If you order now, you should have just enough time to binge the entire first season of The Pitt before it arrives. Shop the Seiko SRPG35 here and below.
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