It’s been announced that Amazon has secured full creative control over the James Bond franchise, embarking on a new venture in partnership with longtime American-British producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
Ian Fleming’s Bond novels were first made into films by Albert “Cubby” Broccoli in 1962, before his daughter and stepson took over, and the family are said to now be transitioning onto other projects.
While the rumor mill has been circulating since Daniel Craig stepped down from the role after his last service in 2021’s ‘No Time to Die’, the real question on the lips of watch afficionados is not who will replace him, but what they’ll be wearing on their wrist.
There’s no time-frame as to when we can expect the next Bond movie, which gives us ample time to while away the days (months? Years?) with a look back at some of our editor’s favorite Bond watch moments.
Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538
Known as The Bond watch, the Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538 started it all. Worn by Sean Connery in the spy franchise’s 1962 debut ‘Dr. No’, and then again in the next three installments – ‘From Russia with Love’, ‘Goldfinger’, and ‘Thunderball’ – the model was said to come from Connery’s personal collection. Author Ian Fleming wore a Rolex in real life (a 1016 Explorer I, to be exact), and extended the penchant to the character, writing in Casino Royale, “[Bond] could not just wear a watch. It had to be a Rolex.”
Rolex ‘Pre-Daytona’ Chronograph Ref. 6238
George Lazenby might have been a one-hit-wonder in the Bond department, but at least he made a horological impact. While Rolex disappeared from the secret agent’s wrist in ‘You Only Live Twice’, it made a return in ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ (1969) with the Rolex ‘Pre-Daytona’ Chronograph watch. With a 36mm steel case, Valjoux 72 movement, and silver dial with a tachymeter scale ring, it was one of the few moments throughout the series that Bond wore an analog chronograph. In the same film, Lazenby also dons a Submariner Ref. 5513, which the actor supposedly bought especially for the Bond audition – now that’s our idea of method acting.
Seiko H357 5040 Duo Display
The 1970s and 1980s was the era of the quartz, and ever the man to spearhead the sartorial zeitgeist, it’s no wonder that the period also saw Seiko emerge as Bond’s timepiece of choice. Going digital for the first time in the franchise’s history, Roger Moore wore the Seiko H357 5040 Duo Display in ‘For Your Eyes Only’ (1981). This futuristic model delivers text- like messages and contains a built-in microphone – how incredibly farfetched. Bond wears the timepiece throughout the film until the closing credits, where it’s stolen by a final villain – a passing parrot.
TAG Heuer Professional Night-Dive Ref. 980.031
Understated and grittier than his predecessors – laying the groundwork for Daniel Craig – Timothy Dalton bought an unbuttoned look to the character, and the same can be said for his choice of watch. Donning an expectedly practical TAG Heuer Professional Night-Dive in ‘The Living Daylights’ (1987), it marked the end of Seiko’s Bond reign, but not an affinity for quartz. With a black PVD case and a luminous dial, the watch was never actually seen clearly on screen, so watch fanatics remain uncertain whether it was technically a “Heuer” or a “TAG Heuer” – the company underwent its name change in the late 1980s when the film was still being shot, and both the old and new logos would have detailed the dial at the time.
Hamilton Pulsar P2 2900 LED Digital
Another sign of the times was the futuristic Hamilton Pulsar P2 2900 LED Digital, worn by Roger Moore in the opening scene of ‘Live and Let Die’. With traditional mechanical watches taking a backseat, digital timepieces were quite the status symbol and carried not-to-be-sniffed-at price tags. Later in the film, he does swap the stainless steel model for his old faithful Rolex Submariner; with the film released in 1973 – the epicenter of the quartz crisis – it’s no wonder that Bond was a man torn between both quartz and mechanical timepieces on screen.
Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2541.80
It wouldn’t be a Bond roundup without Omega, and although the brand has produced some incredible timepieces for the franchise over the years (looking at the stunning titanium Seamaster 300 007 Edition 210.90 in most-recent ‘No Time To Die’), we have to mention the watch that started it: the Seamaster Professional 300M.
After the Rolex Submariner took a final bow in 1989, 1996’s ‘GoldenEye’ saw the Seamaster become the official watch of 007, with Pierce Brosnan donning the last quartz model to appear in the legendary film series. Over the next 20 years and nine films, a series of limited-edition models can be seen on secret agent’s wrist, with the Omega x Bond relationship said to be an organic one. According to Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming: “I was convinced that Commander Bond, a naval man, a diver, and a discreet gentleman of the world, would wear this [Omega] watch.”