James Bond and Rolex

[Suhail]

In the Ian Fleming novels, Bond is referred to a few times as wearing a Rolex watch. It is briefly described as a "Rolex Oyster Perpetual on an expanding metal bracelet" and as having "big phosphorus numerals." While most of the Bond movies in the 1960's through 1980's featured 007 wearing a Rolex Submariner, there really is nothing in the original novels that indicates that the Submariner was the watch the author had in mind. The big phosphorus numerals actually indicates the watch was likely a military-style Rolex that predated the Submariner.

While Fleming could get away with not specifying a particular Rolex model in the novels, one did need to be chosen when filming began on the first Bond film. The choice of the Submariner for the movies appears to have been more a matter of expediency than anything else. When filming began on Dr. No in 1961, Rolex was unwilling to donate a watch for Sean Connery to wear. To avoid delaying the filming, producer Albert Broccoli handed over his personal Rolex, a Submariner, to fill the role. You can see in both Dr. No and Goldfinger that Sean Connery sometimes wears the watch on a black and gray striped NATO-style cloth strap that is clearly narrower than the wider-than-common lugs on the Submariner.

(Source - http://chronocentric.com/ )

[Suhail]

Bond Watches
©James M. Dowling, 1998

Recently I wrote a piece about Bond and the Rolex Submariner, some of the questions that I have received since then have asked about the different watches used in the Bond movie canon. After some research I am pleased to offer what I believe is the complete list. Whilst it is obvious that the Sub used to be the watch of choice for both Connery and the early Moore films, I was quite surprised to see the number of times that Seiko watches were used. Obviously no-one ever refers to a 'James Bond' Seiko, in the way that they do with the Omega and Rolex models; this is due to the fact that they used different Seiko models in each of the movies.

Movie Watch

Dr. No Rolex Submariner
From Russia With Love Rolex Submariner
Goldfinger Rolex Submariner
You Only Live Twice Rolex Submariner
Thunderball Rolex Submariner
On Her Majesty's Secret Service Rolex Submariner
Diamonds Are Forever Rolex Submariner
The Man With the Golden Gun Rolex Submariner
Live & Let Die Rolex Submariner
The Spy Who Loved Me Seiko
For Your Eyes Only Seiko
Octopussy Seiko
A View to a Kill Seiko
The Living Daylights Rolex Submariner
Licence to Kill Rolex Submariner
Goldeneye Omega Seamaster
Tomorrow Never Dies Omega Seamaster
The World is Not Enough Omega Seamaster
Die Another Day Omega Seamaster

[Suhail]

By Edward Heliosz

Wristwatches have always been part of the secret agent's accoutrements. Long before James Bond ever appeared on the big screen, Ian Fleming in his novels had already issued James Bond with a wristwatch. In "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", Bond uses his Rolex as a knuckle-duster and breaks his watch. Contemplating on a replacement watch, Bond thinks, "A Rolex? Probably. They were on the heavy side, but they work. And at least you could see the time in the dark with those big phosphorous numerals".

When James Bond progressed from novel to film his watch could now be seen. In Dr.No, Sean Connery is clearly seen wearing a Rolex Submariner. This watch is described in Dowling & Hess' book. Rolex Reference No. 6538 or 6508 is now known as the James Bond Submariner. Bond's arch enemies also wear interesting timepieces. Three worth mentioning are Donald "Red" Grant, Goldfinger and Scaramanga.

Grant, an assassin played by Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love, has an unnamed wristwatch that has a retractable thin wire garrotte. This watch is seen for the second time in another Bond movie, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. George Lazenby picks up the watch from the top drawer of his desk with other mementos and contemplates leaving the Secret Service.

In the novel "From Russia With Love", Grant's watch is very well described. "There was also a bulky gold wristwatch on a well-used crocodile strap. It was a Girard-Perregaux model designed for people who like gadgets, and it had a sweep second-hand and two little windows in the face to tell the day of the month , and the month, and the phase of the moon".

Gert Frobe who plays Goldfinger obviously wears a gold watch but which I cannot identify. Christopher Lee who plays Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun, is more than likely wearing a Rolex Cellini King Midas.

Listed below are the watches seen in the James Bond movies.

Dr. No (1962) - A Rolex Submariner.

From Russia With Love (1963) - A Rolex Submariner.

Goldfinger (1964) - Rolex Submariner which is beautifully illuminated by Sean Connery's lighter.

Thunderball (1965) - Rolex Submariner. Breitling Top Time which doubles as a geiger counter. An extreme close-up of this watch reveals that it has no pushers or crown, it is encased with an outer shell. A Breitling Navitimer which is the watch of Domino's brother.

You Only Live Twice (1967) - A Rolex Submariner.

O.H.M.S.S. (1969) - Rolex Submariner with steel bracelet. The watch is seen in almost a full-screen shot when George Lazenby is closing a drawer of a bedside cabinet. It is also seen when he takes off his Submariner, places it on top of a photo-copier and then peruses a Playboy magazine. A Rolex Cosmograph with a silvered dial and a stainless steel Oyster bracelet is also worn by Lazenby. It is seen twice when Bond times the cable car.

Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - A Rolex Submariner.

Live And Let Die (1973) - Pulsar Time Computer Quartz LED & Rolex Submariner, "That's a particularly handsome watch you're wearing Mr. Bond!". The Submariner doubled as a mini-buzz saw and an extremely powerful magnet.

The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) - Rolex Submariner seen very well when Roger Moore smokes his cigar. A Rolex Cellini King Midas.

The Spy Who Love Me (1977) - Seiko Quartz LC Chronograph which can print out messages.

Moonraker (1979) - Seiko LCD Digital which contains a small amount of explosive and detonator cable. It's accessed by removing the back plate of the watch.

For Your Eyes Only (1981) - Seiko Quartz Analog/Digital Alarm Chronograph and doubles as a radio/receiver.

Octopussy (1983) - Seiko Sports 100 LCD & Seiko TV watch with LCD screen.

A View To A Kill (1985) - Seiko.

Living Daylights (1987) - A Rolex Submariner.

Licence To Kill (1989) - Rolex Submariner.

Golden Eye (1996) - Omega Seamaster Professional Quartz with a laser worn by Pierce Brosnan. Agent 006 wears last year's model.

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) - Omega Seamaster Professional Chronometer and acts as a detonator.

These are all the EON Productions of the James Bond movies. There are two other James Bond films worth mentioning.

Casino Royale (1967) - 1965 Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT beautifully described by Peter Sellers.

Never Say Never Again (1983) - An unknown watch given to Sean Connery by Q Branch which contains a laser beam.

[Suhail]

Good link about James Bond; Rolex and other watches: http://www.hmss.com/qbranch/0202.htm

Another Bond link: http://members.optusnet.com.au/heliosz/jamesbond.html

(Thanks Yonkyu)