If there's ever been a man who makes the watch, and not the other way around, it's Ian Fleming's swashbuckling James Bond. At any given moment, there's something special on Bond's wrist. The British spy's affinity for fine timepieces is a reflection of Fleming's own impeccable taste; he wore a Replica Rolex Explorer 1016 while penning the Bond novels.
These days, Bond wears an Omega (that's pronounced O-mee-ga), and his new titanium Seamaster Diver 300M has a role in No Time To Die, released in the US yesterday. Even though Bond is most typically associated with Omega at present, it's certainly not the only fake watch Bond has worn. Like the ever-changing exotic locations and rotation of beautiful women, Bond also has a penchant for variety in his watches.
This weekend we're going to explore the longstanding legacy of James Bond's timepieces: From Sean Connery's svelte Replica Rolex Submariner 6538, to a specially modified Breitling Top Time Chronograph with an unusual complication ?a geiger counter ?all the way to a Seiko M354 Memory Bank Calendar, Bond's first Seiko (and widely accepted as the world's first smartwatch).
Bond's relationship with technology, and namely watches, is complex. On one hand, technology is crucial to the mission and helps Bond consistently get out from between a rock and hard place, often aided by the technical functionality of a watch, not to mention the central conflict of the Bond series seems to be a villain using technology on a global scale to try to bring about humanity's demise.
But then there's the other side of Bond. The side that drives a carbureted DB-5 and wears tasteful mechanical watches, trading Q-Branch's creations for good old-fashioned wit and determination. In Skyfall, Bond replies to Eve's remark about his shaving with a traditional razor with, "Well, I like to do some things the old-fashioned way."
And around HODINKEE, we do too. Welcome to James Bond Weekend. We're revisiting our favorite stories about Bond and his replica watches from over the years and finishing it off on Monday with a special Bond-themed fake watch of the Week.
"I thought Christmas only comes once a year."
?-James Bond in The World Is Not Enough. Featured Stories:In-Depth: The replica watches Of James Bond (And Why They Matter)
Editors' Picks: Our Favorite James Bond Gadget Watches
Introducing: Swatch X 007 Collection Captures The Spirit Of Iconic Bond Imagery
Introducing: The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition (Live Pics & Pricing)
Friday Live Episode 6: Cara And Stephen Rank The Top Five James Bond Watches, We Look Into The Safe, And A Live Q&A
Shop this storyHODINKEE is an authorized retailer of OMEGA watches. Explore the James Bond collection here.
James-bond Weekend-rewind Its 2013 When Will A Mainstream Smartwatch Finally Arrive 8977