Some stories can't be planned.
In 2025, I received an unexpected email from a costume buyer working on a film production in New Zealand. Bound by a non-disclosure agreement, they couldn't tell me which film it was for, who was starring in it, or why they were getting in touch. They simply wanted four examples of a long-discontinued NDC strap.
The strap at the centre of the story had been purchased years earlier by watch enthusiast Owen Thornton. By pure chance, it caught the eye of Owen's friend, director David Ayer, who reportedly insisted on using that exact watch, strap and compass for his latest production.
After a search through old stock, four original straps were found and shipped across the world. Months later, the secret was revealed: they had been chosen for Brad Pitt's character in the survival thriller Heart of the Beast.
There was no sponsorship, no product placement and no Hollywood deal. Just an authentic strap with a genuine history, selected because it looked and felt right for the role.
Sometimes authenticity speaks for itself.
Click to read the full story by Watch Brothers here