Blue Hawaii (1961)

Blue Hawaii

An American musical comedy starring Elvis Presley. After arriving back in Hawaii from the Army, Chad Gates defies his parents' wishes for him to work at the family business and instead goes to work as a tour guide at his girlfriend's agency. (IMDb)

Watches

Hamilton Ventura

Worn by Elvis Presley as Chad Gates. Presley wears the asymmetric electric Ventura, cementing its place in pop culture. Montres de Luxe independently identifies the same Hamilton Ventura. (Montres de Luxe) BAMF Style independently identifies Presley's own Hamilton Ventura in two articles: the 31 mm asymmetric steel case with a black triangular dial on a black double-ridged leather strap, given a brief close-up as Chad presents Maile's grandmother with a music box. (BAMF Style; BAMF Style) The watch was Presley's own: Julien's Auctions sold it in December 2015 as lot 152 of Icons and Idols: Rock N' Roll, "A 14k white gold Hamilton Electric "Ventura" with black leather strap, worn by Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii (Paramount, 1961)", bought by Presley from Memphis jeweler Harry Levitch, given to his father Vernon after several years and sold from Vernon's estate; the essay adds that "Presley wore the watch on-screen and on the set of the film." (Julien's Auctions) Time+Tide corroborates that "the Ventura had a starring role on his wrist" and is "visible throughout the film", and Hamilton historian Jarett Harkness, in a Worn & Wound feature sponsored by the brand, confirms the white-gold case while admitting "I'm not sure how Elvis Presley's White Gold Ventura got onto Blue Hawaii". (Time+Tide; Worn & Wound) Hamilton's own cinema history page dates the Ventura's screen career from this film, "on the wrist of the King of Rock and Roll". (Hamilton, The watchmaker of filmmakers)

© Paramount Pictures