James Bond Exhibit at NAWCC

[ulackfocus]

The National Watch and Clock Museum will be presenting an exhibit in the summer of 2010 that will explore the subject of the watches of James Bond.



Dell Deaton is the National Watch & Clock Museum’s guest curator for the exhibit. He's been a member of the watch community for a long time and has written some interesting articles on 007's watches over the years.



Ian Fleming’s personal Rolex 1016 Explorer, which served as his basis for the personal James Bond wristwatch he described in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1963). Photo: Imperial War Museum

[andromeda673]

intresting indeed, in watch time a few months ago there was a really cool article about Ian Flemming and how James Bond came to be. Also of course lots of pictures of Ian with his numerous Rolex timepieces on.

[Fat Cat]

Anyone know the reason why the watch of choice was changed from Rolex to Omega?

Was it simply more money for advertising?

[asser1]

Your right, more money, advertising and publicity.

There has been some debate that Rolex is percieved differently now than it was in the 50's and 60's and that Omega is closer now in spirit to what Fleming visioned(simple, functional with a touch of class). I agree the Explorer has much merit and is probably what Fleming was alluding to in the books, but to me the Bond watch will always be a no-date Submariner as immortalized in the movies.

[alvin]

Anyone know the reason why the watch of choice was changed from Rolex to Omega?

Was it simply more money for advertising?

What else it could be?

[ulackfocus]

My perspective of James Bond watches is what Roger Moore wore. While I enjoyed the Sean Connery movies, Moore was the one I knew as 007. He had various styles, including a couple digital Seikos, a Hamilton Pulsar, and the circular saw bezeled Rolex Sub (he took off the Hamilton Pulsar when Q gave him his Rolex back from repair in Octopussy IIRC). That Pulsar influenced my desire to have a red LED watch, and my parents got me a T.I. for Christmas one year. As a matter of fact, a few years ago I was watching Thunderball (Connery) and saw the Breitling Top Time on his wrist in one of the diving scenes. That just reaffirmed my desire to get a vintage Breitling.

[Dell Deaton]

Sorry to be late to this party (just got a PM from ulackfocus after responding to this topic elsewhere).

Of course, there will always be a special place in my heart for the Rolex 1016 Explorer as the original James Bond watch. Ian Fleming wore it and gave it to Agent 007 for sure in the novel, On Her Majesty's Secret Service.



But, like you all, I have images burned in my mind from when I was growing up. Ironically, I thought the Hamilton Pulsar P2 was a gadget watch, because all I'd ever seen was analogue up to that point.



Then, of course, I became old enough to see a James Bond film first-run in the theatres. That was The Spy Who Loved Me, which, to be honest, much as I know adore the Atlantis Seiko, had Barbara Bach to catch my eye.



As I got older, my son was born when Pierce Brosnan was wearing the Omega Seamaster as James Bond in Tomorrow Never Dies.



So all of these watches, for sure, will be a part of the "Watches, James Bond Watches" exhibit at the National Watch and Clock Museum next year. But I'd be hard pressed to part with any of 'em.

[ulackfocus]

Here's a shot of one of the Seikos that Bond wore:



A shot of the Omega Pierce Brosnan wore (just before it lit up):



and the Top Time from Thunderball:

[muttley]

that would be a fantastic exhibition to see .
I remember when almost everyone seemed to have one of those Seiko Sports 100 digital watches (that always looked like a horseshoe to me...) :)

[Dell Deaton]

... the under-appreciated Omega quartz that took James Bond a'la Pierce Brosnan into the current phase of "Choices," which, in the pre-title sequence for GoldenEye, he wore on a strap.