All That Glitters: The Hidden Story Told by Scarface’s Watches
How three gold watches become symbols of ambition, class, ego, and fate in De Palma’s iconic film
Scarface isn’t just a cult classic - it’s a character study built from sound, excess, and style. I’m drawn to details, and in this film, the watches say as much as the dialogue. Three characters stand out: Tony Montana, Manny Ribera, and Alejandro Sosa. Each carries a watch that mirrors his personality.
Manny Ribera wore a Rolex Day-Date, the so-called President watch. In the 1960s–80s, American presidents favoured this model. Manny was desperate for the American Dream; he wanted to be a leader, to imitate the people he idolised. The President on his wrist wasn’t just time - it was aspiration. His Rolex reflected his popularity and his magnetism. But, fittingly, Manny remained Tony’s right hand - always number two. He could buy a Rolex, but he couldn’t buy class.
Tony Montana wore a Concord Delirium Mariner. Concord hit the American market during the Quartz Crisis, when quartz technology disrupted the traditional watch world. Quartz was sharp, cheap, and aggressive - exactly like Tony. He stormed into America and demanded his own rules. He unsettled the old order, just as quartz watches shook the industry. Both were welcomed at first, and both eventually became threats to the established powers.
Alejandro Sosa owned a Cartier Tank - pure classic, still unmatched today. Sosa had nothing to prove. He wore a watch that didn’t shout: less gold than Tony or Manny, more refinement. Cartier pieces are jewellery that happen to tell time, and this fit him perfectly. His Tank says, “I work with sleeves down; I don’t do dirty jobs.” No stains, no marks - just polished alligator straps and control from a distance.
The watches even foreshadow the characters’ endings. Seen from the perspective of their era, Concord crushes Rolex - innovation overpowering aspiration in the race for the American Dream. But the chaos it creates makes space for Cartier, steady and timeless, to outlast both. Cartier endures by keeping its pace, its consistency, and its aesthetic discipline.
“All that glitters is not gold.” Shakespeare captures it exactly. They all wore gold watches, but only time reveals how brightly each one truly shines.