A Trip Down Memory Lane Of 007's Timepieces
In one of our earlier articles about the OMEGA Seamaster 300M, we made reference to its ties with the James Bond Movies, specifically Pierce Brosnan's James Bond in 1993. If you missed the article, I will give you a minute to read it here.
Alright, let's continue. The Blue OMEGA Seamaster 300m featured in the movie brought attention and fan love to the watch, but the Seamaster hasn't been the only watch to have enjoyed that. It's been 50+ years of James Bond Movies, and in that period, there have been iconic timepieces in between.
Omega Seamaster 41 mm "SPECTRE" Limited Edition watch's sporty looks complemented by Gunny X MT Leather Watch Strap - The "74" series in Seamaster 41mm kind of style, but with vintage leather in dirty yellow color.
In this article, we will take a look at a number of James Bond watches side by side with how the respective actors that played James in these movies brought these watches to life.
1. TAG Heuer Professional Night Diver Ref. 980.031 worn by Timothy Dalton
TAG Heuer Professional Night Diver Ref. 980.031 worn by Timothy Dalton. Image Credit : Heuerville
1987 represented a significant year in the history of the James Bond franchise. The entire franchise went through a reboot in order to re-introduce much-needed grittiness into the movie, a key staple of the original Fleming novels. To lead this "new phase" was Welsh actor Timothy Dalton; his role was to re-introduce that badass nature to James's character, and he sure did in the movie, The Living Daylights.
This introduction of a much-needed badass edge and character to the movie was done with the help of a now-discontinued TAG Heuer watch. Teeming viewers have it that it was the Night Diver Ref. 980.031. This was a moment of history also as it served as the first time Bond would wear a watch with an illuminated dial. While it's still unclear whether it was a "Heuer" or a "TAG Heuer" due to a name change of the company in 1985, aficionados most definitely liked the blemish-free luminous dial, Mercedes hands, and black bezel they got to see on screen, all features of watch popularly known as "Night Diver" by fans.
2. Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2451.80 and Omega Seamaster Automatic Chronometer 300M Ref. 2531.80.00, both worn by Pierce Brosnan
Yes, we get to mention Pierce again. En route to James Bond's return to the big screen in 1995, fans were looking forward to seeing Pierce Brosnan on their screen. The movie had taken a break due to producers looking for who to cast next in the role, amongst other factors.
With fans realizing this, they soon called for Pierce's inclusion, having seen his stellar job in the 1980s TV series Remington Steele and felt that the Irish thespian could ace the role if cast.
They got their wish, and alongside it, they also got the onboarding of a new watch provider- OMEGA. People on the set of the 1995 movie, Goldeneye, such as award-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming felt that One of the OMEGA's watches- The Seasmster- was a perfect fit for Commander Bond.
Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2451.80, both worn by Pierce Brosnan. Image Credit : watchreviewblog
Brosnan got to wear the Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2451.80, and in scenes where it appeared on the screen, it shone like a million stars, particularly the scene where Brosnan uses the watch for a desperate escape from an exploding train car.
Having seen how good the watch is, Pierce got fond of it, leading to it playing a role in his next three castings as Bond. In those movies after Goldeneye, he was seen wearing the Seamaster, but this time one with a different reference - Ref. 2531.80.00.
Omega Seamaster Automatic Chronometer 300M Ref-2531.80.00, both worn by Pierce Brosnan. Image Credit : watchreviewblog
The watch played a key role in those subsequent movies for its timekeeping aesthetics and its ability to serve as a vault for weapons needed in Bond's escapades. In 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, we saw the watch used to detonate a remote hand grenade, and two years later, in the "The world is not enough" movie, the watch also played a key role in keeping Bond safe.
In the 2002 movie, "Die Another Day," which would happen to be Brosnan's swan song, the watch was yet again strapped with a remote detonating device; this was, in fact, one of the numerous high-tech devices employed in the movie.
3. The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Ref. 231.10.42.21.03.003, Omega Seamaster 300 Ref. 233.32.41.21.01.001 worn by Daniel Craig in the 2015 "Spectre" Movie and other watches.
This Seamaster was dubbed as the "Spectre" Limited edition, a name influenced by a concept in James Bond Movies. Master villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld was the brains behind a high-level crime cartel named spectre. The appearance of this crime cartel was a regular in the Bond movies of the 1960s and 70s, and while they were off the screen for years due to legal disputes, they made a famous return in the 2015 installment of the James Bond Franchise.
Rock the Omega Seamaster SPECTRE with a Rivet Military Strap
In the same movie, we saw Craig rock two Seamaster models, each one at significant times during the movie. The "Day of the Dead" opening sequence saw him wear the Aqua Terra model, and much later in the film, we saw him also wear a popular and non-limited Seamaster 300 version.
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Ref. 231.10.42.21.03.003
A lot is documented about the watches Daniel Craig Wore in his stints as James Bond, and we have done our fair share of documentation in articles such as this one and also this. Here is a list of watches worn by Craig and the names of the movies in which he wore them.
- Omega Seamaster 300M Co-Axial Ref. 2220.80.00 and the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ref. 2900.50.91 in Casino Royale(2006)
Omega Seamaster 300M Co-Axial Ref. 2220.80.00 and the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ref. 2900.50.91 in Casino Royale(2006)
- Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co-Axial Chronometer Ref. 2201.50.00 in Quantum Of Solace (2008)
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co-Axial Chronometer Ref. 2201.50.00 in Quantum Of Solace (2008)
- Omega Planet Ocean 600M Ref. 232.30.42.21.01.001, Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Midsize Chronometer Ref. 231.10.39.21.03.001 in Skyfall(2012)
Omega Planet Ocean 600M Ref. 232.30.42.21.01.001, Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Midsize Chronometer Ref. 231.10.39.21.03.001 in Skyfall(2012)
- Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Master Chronometer "007 Edition" in No Time To Die (2021)
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Master Chronometer "007 Edition" in No Time To Die (2021)
Conclusion:
Genuine Nubuck Leather strap has a rubbed surface, definitely gives great support to the Omega Seamaster 41mm SPECTRE
It is left to be seen who will take on the baton from Craig in the next James Bond Movie(Rumours of Idris Elba?), but one thing is certain: OMEGA will be the one to provide the timepiece for the next 007, continuing the rich history of 50+ years of James Bond movies and 25+ years of OMEGA being their official watch provider.
External References:
Written by Victor, images by Toni and others as noted
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