The Rat on Fire (1981)

George V. Higgins's 1981 novel of Boston arson and small-time graft moves through slumlords, tenants and the lawyers between them almost entirely in dialogue. Wilfrid Mack, the elected representative and attorney his constituents come to for help, is introduced by his office wall and his wrist. (Open Library)

Watches

Corum watch: Wilfrid Mack, a lawyer and elected representative, hears out his constituents Alfred and Walter from behind a chromium and rosewood desk, wearing a gold identification bracelet on his right wrist and a gold Corum with a black alligator strap on his left. The maker is named; the model is not.

Source text: a gold Corum watch with a black alligator strap on his left wrist. (George V. Higgins, The Rat on Fire, scan cataloged as Alfred A. Knopf, 1981, p. 63; Internet Archive scan OCR)