Finest James Bond watches: 8 of probably the most iconic timepieces with a licence to thrill
The place would James Bond be with out his wristwatch? Late, maybe, however given they characteristic Q-Department lasers, grapple hooks and even messages allotted by way of ticker tape like a tweet from the Seventies, 007’s timepieces have usually served roles as mission-critical as his Aston Martin, Walther PPK and raised eyebrow.
With No Time To Die on the horizon, we’re looking again at James Bond’s extra iconic watches, from Sean Connery’s Rolex Submariner with NATO strap, to Roger Moore’s Seikos and the Omega Seamasters of Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.
Listed below are among the greatest, and what they’re prone to value you at this time:
1. Rolex Submariner 6538 Huge Crown
- Sean Connery (1962 to 1965)
- Dr No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball
Believed to be Sean Connery’s personal watch, this Rolex was worn by the actor as he performed Bond within the first 4 movies of the franchise. It was paired with a variety of straps throughout its movie profession, together with a striped cloth NATO band.
If you wish to put on a Rolex 6538 then be ready to pay some huge cash for it. Examples have offered at public sale for nearly £200,000 in recent times, whereas we discovered one at the moment on the market for £220,000.
Curiously, the precise watch worn by Connery was offered at public sale in 2016 for $60,000 (£43,000). Cut price.
2. Hamilton Pulsar P2 2900
- Roger Moore (1973)
- Reside and Let Die
Bond’s love of conventional watches from Rolex and Omega has sometimes made approach for an oddball or two. The primary of those is the Hamilton Pulsar P2, worn by Roger Moore in Reside And Let Die (1973).
The primary mass-produced digital watch, the P2 displayed the time with LEDs – and, very like current smartwatches, would solely achieve this if you pressed its one button.
Curiously, setting the time is finished by eradicating a magnet from the clasp and holding it in opposition to the hour and minute positions on the again of the case.
There is no such thing as a date or alarm operate, and regardless of costing the identical as a Rolex Submariner on the time (additionally worn by Bond in Reside And Let Die), historical past has not been as type to early Pulsar P2 house owners.
3. Seiko LC Quartz digital wristwatch DK001, 0674‑5009
- Roger Moore (1977)
- The Spy Who Beloved Me
Sticking with digital wristwear, Bond opted for a Seiko 0674-5009 for The Spy Who Beloved Me (1977). As nicely say displaying the time, day and date, Bond’s Seiko was given the Q-Department remedy and fitted with a ticker tape messaging system.
As Seventies James Bond because it will get, printed messages would emerge from the case to concern directions to 007. One highlighted within the movie learn, “007 to report back to HQ. Quick. M.”
As a result of a number of Seiko watches of the period look similar to the 0674-5009 worn by Bond, it may be troublesome to seek out precisely the appropriate one. However if you do we have now some good news, as a result of they solely value round £200.
4. Tag Heuer Skilled Evening Dive wristwatch 980.031
- Timothy Dalton (1985)
- The Dwelling Daylights
Immediately, watchmakers would take a movie producer’s arm off for an opportunity to be featured in a brand new Bond movie, then produce a restricted version mannequin with its personal international promoting marketing campaign. However again within the Eighties, issues had been totally different.
Simply how totally different is highlighted by the heroic two-year effort by watch aficionado Dell Deaton to determine the Tag Heuer Skilled Evening-Dive 908.031 worn by Timothy Dalton as Bond in The Dwelling Daylights.
Dalton’s conclusion was made by analysing a blurry 10-second clip again and again, eliminating potential options till he had, with a claimed 80% certainty, discovered the reply.
The one unknown is whether or not the watch had a Tag Heuer brand, or if it simply learn Heuer, because the movie was being produced as Tag acquired Heuer and watches had been produced with each types of brand for a quick interval.
5. Rolex Submariner Oyster Perpetual Date wristwatch 16610
- Timothy Dalton (1987)
- Licence To Kill
After a 15-year break, 007 returned to Rolex when Timothy Dalton performed Bond in 1989’s Licence To Kill. Echoing these of Connery and Moore, Dalton wore a Submariner Oyster Perpetual, however this time the newer 16610, which noticed a number of updates till manufacturing led to 2010.
This Rolex was additionally the final to be worn by James Bond, as for Goldeneye (1995) Pierce Brosnan started the spy’s relationship with Omega which has endured to this present day.
6. Omega Seamaster wristwatch 2541.80
- Pierce Brosnan (1995 – 2002)
- Goldeneye, Tomorrow By no means Dies, The World Is Not Sufficient, Die One other Day
Identified to millennials the world over as the James Bond watch, the identical mannequin of blue-faced Omega Seamaster made an look in each Brosnan movie. Water-resistant to 300 metres and with a helium escape valve, the Seamaster is the form of fully-fledged diving watch you’d count on from a commander of the Royal Naval Reserve.
Q-Department gave the Seamaster a laser for reducing by way of ice, a grappling hook and removable explosive cost.
006 agent Alec Trevelyan, performed by Sean Bean in Goldeneye, wears the identical mannequin however with a black leather-based strap.
A second-hand, mint situation Seamaster like Bond’s with field and papers will value you within the area of £1,100 to £1,800.
In 2002 Omega produced a particular version with 007 motif on the face to have fun 40 years of the James Bond franchise, and for this you’ll must double your finances.
7. Omega Seamaster 300 Grasp Co-Axial 41mm
- Daniel Craig (2015)
- Spectre
Right here is the Omega Seamaster worn by Daniel Crain within the movie Spectre. First launched in 1957, the Seamaster 300 is a diving watch with a 41mm chrome steel case.
A model made in collaboration with the movie and restricted to 7,007 examples (see what they did there?) features a 007 motif on the clasp and a striped NATO cloth strap.
Priced new at £5,040, this watch is already fetching nearly £8,000 on the second-hand market, so if you will discover one at its RRP you need to be capable to flip a fast revenue.
(Picture credit score: Omega)
8. Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Version
- Daniel Craig (2020)
- No Time To Die
That is the watch that’ll be strapped to Bond’s wrist within the upcoming movie, No Time to Die. It is constituted of Grade 2 Titanium, and has been purposefully constructed with army wants in thoughts.
For this watch, Omega has launched an aluminium dial which replicates the aged brown ‘tropical’ hue that sure classic dials flip over time.
On the caseback, you’ll discover a collection of numbers, which observe the format for real military-issue watches. “0552” is a naval code-number, with “923 7697” being the quantity for a divers’ watch. The letter “A” signifies a watch with a screw-in crown, whereas “007” is, in fact, James Bond’s iconic agent quantity. Lastly, the quantity “62” refers back to the yr of the very first James Bond movie.
The brand new watch is accomplished by a NAIAD LOCK caseback, which retains all the engravings in appropriate alignment.
You possibly can at the moment purchase the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Version for £6,950.
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