The past 18 months have been big ones for 007 – the long-awaited No Time to Die finally hit cinema screens after a delay of more than a year due to covid; Daniel Craig played the world’s best-known secret agent for the final time; and a number of special events have paid tribute to the anniversary of the film franchise that debuted in 1962.
Omega, Bond’s choice of wristwear since 1995’s GoldenEye, launched its accompanying No Time to Die watch in 2019 to coincide with the original release date of the film, so maybe we should have expected a little something extra for the diamond jubilee?
But what was unveiled today led to some big smiles, thanks to a hidden surprise on the caseback.
On first glance the new Seamaster Diver 300M 60 Years of James Bond is a wonderful combination of Omega Bond watches from the past nine movies.
Inspired by the Seamaster that Pierce Brosnan’s Bond wore in GoldenEye (1995), the 42mm steel case houses a blue dial with rippled finish – this time laser engraved as opposed to the 1995 version in which it was transferred.
Extra touches include the number ‘60’ replacing the usual inverted triangle on the rotating blue anodised aluminium bezel in reference to the anniversary, and a lollipop seconds hand which is a nod to Omega’s military heritage and Commander Bond’s naval background.
Powering the piece is a Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8806 and the watch is equipped with the same Milanese bracelet design that we first saw on No Time to Die titanium watch, designed in collaboration with Commander Bond himself, Daniel Craig.
The real magic, however, happens on the reverse of the watch, where an animation, evoking the opening scenes of every Bond film from the past six decades, plays out in perpetuum.
The screwed caseback (seven screws as another subtle reference to Bond’s code number) features a central sapphire-crystal disc sapphire, decorated with micro-structured
metallisation. Below this, four ever-changing silhouettes of 007 appear against a constantly spinning gun barrel.
The effect – like a hyped-up version of the optical illusion in a Bridget Riley painting – is achieved through a patent-pending ‘moiré’ effect created by connecting, via an axis, a small plate to the seconds hand. So, as long as the watch is running, the dynamic scene on the caseback keeps playing.
The watch, which we are told will not be limited, is presented in a blue wooden box decorated with the Diver 300M wave pattern. Three dots, taken straight from the Bond title sequence, are applied to the front of the case, with one of them acting as a secret opening button.
Talking about the new timepiece this morning, Omega president and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann said: “We had this opportunity to celebrate the 60 years of Bond. It’s been going for generations, constantly evolving and getting better. We wanted to say to the world, ‘we are the watch of James Bond the character, not just the movie’. And we wanted to make a link between the past and today. So we linked the first Omega Bond watch and the last Omega Bond watch, and we made a very interesting celebration of the character, playing with an incredible technology that has never been used in the watch industry before.”
In addition to the steel model, there is also a version of the watch with Canopus (white) Gold case and bracelet, powered by the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8807.
As well as the film-themed caseback animation, there is a mango tree (in reference to the Monty Norman song in 1962’s Dr No) presentation box with mother-of-pearl marquetry.
The grey silicon dial is surrounded by a bezel set with green and yellow treated diamonds in 10 shades said to be reminiscent of the flag of Jamaica, where Bond creator Ian Fleming made his home, GoldenEye.
As for the future of James Bond, for now we know only that Daniel Craig will not be reprising his role.
But when it comes to the future for Bond and Omega, Aeschlimann is confident.
“He’s a Commander of the Royal Navy. He is a gentleman and a diver. And he is, of course, a spy. So he needs to have a solid, very precise anti-magnetic watch. And he is also a style man. He needs only one watch. Can you imagine him using anything other than an Omega?”
JAMES BOND’s OMEGAs
GoldenEye, 1995
Seamaster 300M Quartz
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Seamaster 300M Chronometer
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Seamaster 300M Chronometer
Die Another Day (2002)
Seamaster 300M Chronometer
2006 SEAMASTER JAMES BOND LIMITED EDITION.
Fitted with Omega’s now famous Co-Axial movement, this watch had a blue dial based on the spiral of a gun barrel, a 007 logo on the seconds hand and 007 engraved on the case back. Again, 10,007 were made.
2006 SEAMASTER CASINO ROYALE PLANET OCEAN.
This chunky, 45.5 mm watch was fitted with a special rubber strap and the name Casino Royale on the case back. The edition was limited to 5,007 numbered examples. Bond also wore a Seamaster 300M Chronometer in the film – and a limited edition of that was made available, too. A mere 10,007 of them.
2008 QUANTUM OF SOLACE
Another Planet Ocean, this watch featured the name of the movie engraved on the sapphire crystal and a dial patterned to resemble the grip of Bond’s Walther PPK. The 007 logo was also engraved on the case back and on the bracelet clasp. Again, 5,007 were produced. There was also a special edition of the Seamaster 300M with a black bezel and dial – 10,003 were made.
2008 THE JAMES BOND COLLECTOR’S PIECE
This black-dialled commemorative watch featured a red 007 logo on the end of the seconds hand and was supplied in a black leather, silk lined box which hinted at a Bond-like tuxedo. 10,007 produced.
2012 SKYFALL
This 42mm version of the Seamaster Planet Ocean used the Calibre 8507 Co-Axial movement, visible through a transparent case back. The winding rotor carried the name of the film while the 007 gun logo could be seen on the dial at the seven o’clock position. 5,007 available. The film also saw Daniel Craig wear a Seamaster Aqua Terra mid-sized chronometer with a blue dial (from the regular Omega range).
2012 BOND AT 50
Omega naturally had to mark 50 years of Bond films and this watch is based on the Seamaster 300M worn by Brosnan when the brand first began supplying Bond in Goldeneye. Made in two sizes – 41mm and 36 mm – the watch featured a red number 50 on the bezel and the dial was diagonally embossed with 007 logos. The case back gets the classic barrel rifling design and the watches werw available in editions of 11,007 and 3,007 respectively.
2015 SPECTRE
By now, Bond was routinely seen sporting two different Omegas depending on the scene – but for SPECTRE, his watch wardrobe was upped to three models, two of which were recreated as special editions.
The Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m had a blue dial embossed with a repeat pattern of the ‘Bond coat of arms’, which also appears on the tip of the yellow seconds hand. The oscillating weight was based on the rifling of a gun barrel, and 15,007 were made.
The second limited edition was a Seamaster 300 identical to that seen in the film, complete with NATO-style nylon strap based on the one worn by Sean Connery in Goldfinger and Thunderball. 7,007 made. The third SPECTRE Omega was a vintage chronograph with a Calibre 321 movement. It appeared only in the closing scene.
2017 THE COMMANDER’S WATCH
Despite there being no new cinema release, Omega still made a limited edition watch. Called ‘The Commander’s Watch’, it commemorated Bond’s Naval rank as well as the 20th, 40th and 50th ‘anniversaries’ of three movies. from the franchise.
Based on a Seamaster Diver 300M, it featured a red and blue bezel and a white dial and cost £3,720. There was also a gold-cased version – but only seven of those were produced, and the price was never revealed.
2019 50 YEARS OHMSS
This Seamaster Diver 300M marked 50 years since the release of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – in which George Lazenby made his sole appearance as 007. This ‘Commander’s’ watch was ‘limited’ to 7,007 examples with black ceramic dials.
The side carried a gold plate engraved with the edition number, and the hour marker at 10 o’clock hid a ’50’ that only became visible in the dark. When launched, it cost £5,220, while £36,140 got you both a steel version and a gold one.
2020/2021 NO TIME TO DIE
No sooner had Bond’s watch for No Time To Die been revealed than Covid struck, causing the launch of the film to be postponed. But the model he wears in the film has remained on sale – it’s a titanium cased Seamaster Diver 300m with a ‘vintage’ dial and a choice of a titanium mesh bracelet or a ‘NATO’ style nylon strap.
The case back is engraved with faux military issue numbers and Government property broad arrow. Unlimited and retailing at launch for £6,950.
