James Bond is back. Titled “No Time to Die”, the new 007 film has been filling cinemas across Germany for a short time. In addition to his sharp mind and agility, the secret agent is also distinguished by his noble taste. He demonstrates this not only in terms of good food, fine drinks, fast cars and beautiful women; his choice of watches has also delighted fans all over the world for decades. In the following, we present the new Bond watch and its special features.
James Bond and OMEGA
Those who have already read our article “James Bond and his wristwatches” know which watch models have accompanied the double-zero agent in the last half century. One thing stands out: Bond has been wearing OMEGA for 25 years now. Pierce Brosnan started in 1995 with his Seamaster Professional with automatic calibre. Since then, Bond has been portrayed by various actors, but the OMEGA has remained at his side.
Since Daniel Craig’s first appearance in Casino Royale in 2006, Bond has worn models from the Seamaster range. These include the Seamaster Professional, the Seamaster Planet Ocean and the Seamaster Diver. In the view of OMEGA’s current President and CEO, Raynald Aeschlimann, the double-zero agent and the Swiss watch manufacturer are a perfect match. Both stand for exclusivity, a spirit of adventure and excellent precision. The relationship between James Bond and his watches is widely known. After all, Bond’s watches often play an important role in the film.
The important role of the secret weapon OMEGA
In Goldeneye (1995), Pierce Brosnan used the special function of his OMEGA Seamaster 300M DIVER QUARTZ to disarm limpet mines. In the following Bond movie, “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997), Bond also wears an OMEGA that has been modified by Chinese intelligence and thus serves as his secret weapon. By activating LEDs on the dial of his SEAMASTER in 1999’s “The World Is Not Enough”, James Bond makes the inside of his inflatable ski jacket glow and can thus be rescued from an avalanche. Brosnan also uses his OMEGA in his final mission and triggers a life-saving explosion by turning the helium valve. We won’t reveal what role the secret agent’s watch plays in the current film – but it is a secret weapon again in any case.
Characteristics of the new 007 OMEGA Seamaster
For the fifth and final film starring Daniel Craig, Swiss watchmaker creates a very special model. While earlier Bond models were mostly from OMEGA’s core collection, the new Bond watch is an original creation with a neo-vintage look. The James Bond watch is a special variant of the OMEGA diver’s watch. The 42 mm Seamaster Diver 300M in full titanium has a rugged, military, agile flair. Made of full titanium, the 007 version comes with a brown aluminium bezel and dial. Meanwhile, the luminous material used supports the vintage style.
The model is available with either a titanium mesh strap or a Nato strap in dark brown, grey and beige. If you can’t decide, it’s cheaper to buy the model with the titanium strap and the Nato strap as an add-on. OMEGA’s attention to detail is also evident on the back of the case. Various engraved numerical codes are reminiscent of military watches and are intended to reflect Bond’s military experience. While “0552” is a code for Navy personnel, the digits “923 7697” refer to the stamping of military diving watches. The letter “A” makes it clear that the watch has a screw-down crown. The year “62” was engraved to represent the first Bond film and the number 007 is Bond’s agent number.
Surprisingly, the new model is not a limited edition. From now on, the model will be integrated into the iconic OMEGA collection and will be available worldwide from February.
Personal touch by Daniel Craig
Craig, who was recently appointed an Honorary Commander of the Royal Navy, reportedly had a significant influence on the design. For example, the actor provided inspirational input and named stylistic features he wanted OMEGA to have. The watchmaker then saw to it that they were implemented. “What the manufacturers at OMEGA have come up with really goes beyond what I had in mind,” Daniel Craig admitted recently at the premiere of the latest Bond film in Los Angeles, describing the watch as an incredibly light, yet robust and very wearable model with “vintage quality”.
The light weight of the watch was one of the key objectives in its design. The team decided that a military man like 007 needed a very light watch and designed the edition with 007’s needs in mind. Vintage nuances and colours were also used to give the watch a unique look that reflected the secret agent’s classic taste for excellence.
As Craig told LA, he had already tried to incorporate his OMEGA watches even more into the scenes in earlier films. For example, during the filming of Casino Royale, he suggested using his then Bond watch, the Seamaster Planet Ocean (Ref. 2900.50.91), to knock out an opponent with. Although his plan was not realised during filming, Daniel Craig revealed at the recent film premiere, grinning mischievously, that he himself still considers his idea to be very suitable for representing the robustness of OMEGA models.
Despite the reduced case thickness, which is responsible for the watch’s lightness, the OMEGA model maintains its water resistance to a depth of at least 300 metres. The certified 300m water resistance offers a one hundred percent guarantee; in fact, however, the effective water resistance of the model is said to be as high as 425m. Even if the helium outlet valve is not screwed tight before the dive, contrary to the recommendation for use, the watch will remain waterproof up to 50 metres. The watch is powered by a Master Chronometer rated OMEGA Cal. 8806 movement with a coaxial escapement and 55-hour power reserve. The dial without date display emphasises the utilitarian, military-inspired look of the watch. Extremely light, comfortable and robust, the model comes in a watch roll made of water-repellent waxed cotton and nubuck leather. The make of the case is reminiscent of Barbour jackets and comes from the house of British Millerain.
That’s how much the watch from “No Time to Die” costs.
The recommended retail price for a model with a NATO strap is €6,950. Those who want to equip the model with Milanese bracelet will pay 7,900€ for the version. The price of the James Bond model is justified by the movement certified as a “Master Chronometer” and the generally rising prices of the luxury watch sector.
Glorious departure of Daniel Craig as James Bond
Although Daniel Craig’s last appearance as James Bond is in “No Time to Die”, the film star’s farewell was pompous. Craig was not only in the limelight at the film premiere in LA. The iconic agent was also celebrated at the event organised by OMEGA in New York to celebrate the latest James Bond watch. The new Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition was presented at “The Top of the Standard” and both the Bond actor and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli were present.