After months of anticipation, the 25th instalment in the James Bond film series, No Time to Die, will land in cinemas this April 2020 — and as well as being Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007, it will also see Swiss watch brand OMEGA reprise its role as the super-spy’s watch of choice. When the trailer dropped in late 2019, eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted the first glimpse of the latest Bond timepiece: the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 42mm 007 Edition. Designed with input from Craig himself, it’s yet another cool diver’s watch in the James Bond line-up — and we’re excited to announce it will be available in our stores and online from February 2020.
OMEGA Seamaster: Seal of approval
Every OMEGA Seamaster worn by James Bond has been purpose-built with the suave spy’s needs in mind — but the new Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 42mm 007 Edition has even been vetted by Daniel Craig himself.
The 42mm watch has the outward appeal of a vintage timepiece, but is actually entirely modern and functional, making it an essential piece of kit for MI6’s most dapper agent as he defends Queen and country. It’s cast in Grade 2 titanium, which is super-light and hardwearing, and features an aluminium dial and bezel with a very on-trend ‘tropical’ patina effect that replicates the aged brown hue of vintage watches. There’s also a new, retro-inspired crystal sapphire dome that gives it a slimmer profile than standard Seamaster Diver 300M models. The watch comes on either a titanium mesh bracelet (Craig’s influence) or on a striped NATO strap in dark brown, grey and beige, with 007 engraved on the loop — and it’s water-resistant to a spy-approved 300 metres.
The new Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer 42mm 007 Edition comes on either a titanium mesh bracelet or a striped NATO strap
It’s powered by the OMEGA Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8806, which has offered the highest certified standard of performance, precision and magnetic resistance in the industry since 2016. Turn the watch over and you’ll see that the case back is adorned with a series of codes that follow the format used for standard military-issue watches: ‘0552’ is the code number specified for Navy personnel; ‘923 7697’ refers to the number for a diver’s watch; the letter ‘A’ signifies a watch with a screw-in crown; ‘007’ will be familiar as Bond’s signature agent number; and the final number, ‘62’, is for the year of the very first James Bond film, Dr No. Thanks to the brand’s Naiad Lock case back, all of the engravings stay in correct alignment. And, unlike previous Bond watches, this new piece is not a limited edition. It’s priced at £6,520 with the NATO strap, and £7,390 with the titanium bracelet.
‘When working with OMEGA, we decided that a lightweight watch would be key for a military man like 007,’ said Craig. ‘I also suggested some vintage touches and colours to give the watch a unique edge. The final piece looks incredible.’
The watch’s caseback is engraved with a series of numbers, each of which follows the format used for standard military-issue watches
25: the magic number
For both Bond and OMEGA, the number 25 is hugely significant this year. Not only is 2020’s No Time to Die the 25th Bond film, but it’s also the 25th year in which Bond has worn an OMEGA Seamaster. It was Pierce Brosnan that first strapped a Seamaster Quartz Professional Diver 300M to his wrist in 1995’s GoldenEye.
For that film, the costume designer Lindy Hemming picked the watch herself, as it reminded her of the sporty, functional model worn by her RAF father. ‘I was convinced that Commander Bond, a naval man, a diver and a discreet gentleman of the world would wear this watch,’ she said. It was a spot-on choice for the naval commander, and 007 has worn an OMEGA Seamaster in all of his films since.
The latest Bond watch comes 25 years after the super-spy first donned an OMEGA Seamaster, as worn by Pierce Brosnan in 1995’s GoldenEye
The original OMEGA Seamaster was first introduced in 1948. It featured innovative O-ring gasket technology that took inspiration from the waterproof watches the brand supplied to the British military during the Second World War. In 1957, OMEGA launched a now-iconic trio: the Speedmaster, the Railmaster and the Seamaster 300. The latter, with its steel case and ‘tropical’ dial, was prized for its water resistance – a feature that the new piece certainly channels.
In 1993, OMEGA launched what would become Bond’s watch of choice: the Seamaster Professional Diver 300M. The recently revamped line includes a series of 42mm models, featuring polished ceramic dials laser-engraved with the original wave pattern, and ceramic bezels with a diving scale cast in Ceragold™ or white enamel (giving longer-lasting whiteness and durability). Other design updates include raised indexes filled with Super-LumiNova® and subtly reshaped skeleton hands alongside a patented helium escape valve with a new conical shape.
Read more OMEGA watch stories on Calibre Online here.
Discover the new James Bond watch from February at Watches of Switzerland UK and US, Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths, and shop our wider OMEGA collection in-store and online.
