Noah Segan’s film 'The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,' released on October 30, 2026, is presented as a dream for watch enthusiasts, exploring the multifaceted significance of timepieces that inspire real collectors. The lead role is played by John Turturro as Harry Lehman, a New York con artist who survives by maintaining an analog lifestyle—eschewing phones, using vinyl records, and renting movies from the library. He is drawn to watches, both for personal use and as targets of his thefts. [1]
Director Noah Segan methodically selected a watch to match each character’s personality, distinguishing between a vintage Rolex Explorer 1016 and a modern Hublot. The film delves into the internal mechanics of watches, with a pawnshop broker, played by Steve Buscemi, rejecting a Patek Philippe as fake due to the absence of precious stones in its movement. Watches function as totems of an analog world, holding vital importance within the narrative. [1]
Segan explained that the film treats not only time as an abstract concept but also its passage, combined with physical and tactile elements, fitting for a protagonist who is a pickpocket. Segan’s friend, Adam Golden, a vintage watch dealer, loaned specific pieces for the film. These include a Rolex Explorer 1016 for Harry, a Tudor Tuxedo for Detective Warren (Giancarlo Esposito), a gold Rolex Cellini for Buscemi’s character, and a Hublot worn by Dylan’s character. [1]
Additionally, Victoria Morolis’s character Eve wears an Oris Roberto Clemente, a classic-styled watch with modern technology, while Joa Morrison makes a cameo wearing a gold Cartier Tank from Jamie Lee Curtis. The director highlights the spiritual and aesthetic differences between vintage watches, which evoke history and simple elegance, and modern ones, featuring skeletons and complex materials. [1]
The scene where Harry steals a fake Patek Philippe suggests that the world is not always what it seems, juxtaposing luxury appearances with hidden realities. The director has a collection he describes as 'too large,' preferring sentimental, restored watches or those received from friends, such as Benrus. He stated he prefers to wear his watches rather than keep them in boxes, disregarding concerns about deterioration. [1]
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