The unsurpassed superspy James Bond, a charming and elegant gentleman, a menace for villains and a favorite of women, is the most famous movie character and the idol of several generations. The impeccably dressed, handsome and courageous agent 007 in all episodes is surrounded by only the most luxurious things - sports cars, the latest inventions and expensive suits. But there is one more detail without which James Bond would not be himself, and his image would not be complete. This is not just an accessory, but a wristwatch with various spy tricks. At the right moment, they can silently drill through metal or defeat an enemy, send a message, or unzip a woman’s dress.

The director of the film chose several Omega models from the Bond movie as such watches. One of them, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m co-axial chronometer, is a deep-sea diving version on a rubber strap, with a stainless steel case and a sapphire crystal that protects the mechanism from damage. The water resistance of this model is 600 meters. Featuring a Co-Axial movement, diver's bezel, chronograph and date, the watch is as beautiful as it is functional. Another accessory featured in the Bond movie was the Seamaster 300m watch, which had fantastic properties in the movies and looked great with both an elegant tuxedo and an agent’s diving suit. By the way, similar watches were seen on Bond’s opponent, albeit of a somewhat outdated model. Apparently that's why he ultimately lost. In addition to men's watches, the company has released an analogue of the Seamaster 300m for women, ideal for a “Bond girl”.

An equally popular product of the Bond brand was the Seamaster Quartz Professional 300m model, which in the movies was distinguished by the most innovative filling - the presence of a laser, a harpoon and a detonator inside the mechanism. In the regular version, this watch has excellent performance, high water resistance, reliability and elegance, but does not have any spy capabilities.

Rolex also supplied James Bond with its model. It was the Rolex Submariner, whose role in the film cannot be underestimated. According to the director's idea, this watch measured the radioactive background, deflected bullets flying at the hero and emitted a magnetic field. In fact, the Rolex Submariner is the stuff of dreams for divers and 007 fans everywhere. Excellent design, reliability and precision, elegance and excellent water resistance have maintained the popularity of James Bond's favorite watches for many years.

Different decades and, accordingly, James Bond films and heroes introduce various innovations in affordable accessories (not only fashion, but also special secret prototypes, such as an exploding pen), cars and wristwatches for Agent 007. As for watches, watches, of the collections mentioned in the article can be found on our website:

In 2014, an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch was put up for auction at Christie’s - the same watch worn by the charming agent 007 played by Daniel Craig. The rich yellow gold watch sold for 8 times its original price.

For a long time, movie fans associated Agent James Bond with Rolex watches, but since 1995, everything has changed. At this time, the Omega watch brand entered into a contract with the filmmakers.

Interestingly, in the film Casino Royale with Daniel Craig, there is a nostalgic dialogue between Bond and Vesper Lynd, who is trying to guess his watch brand. “Rolex?” Vesper asks. “Omega,” Bond answers. “Beautiful,” Vesper comments.

Rolex was Bond's original watch. They have been on Sean Connery's wrist for a long time. He wore a Rolex Submariner in all series. The author of the secret agent story, Ian Fleming, was convinced that Bond “couldn’t just wear a watch, he had to wear a Rolex.”

Today it may seem strange, but Rolex never created models specifically for James Bond when creating watches and even refused to pay for product placement.

In 1995, Omega won the tender to create an official watch for the MI6 agent. Pierce Brosnan became the first Bond to appear on television wearing an Omega Seamaster Professional 300m watch with a laser beam and remote control for detonating devices.

Daniel Craig played the role of James Bond for the first time in 2006. He wore two watches. In Casino Royale, the agent wears a blue Omega seamaster 300m watch and a black Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m watch on a rubber strap, which can be worn deep underwater.

Fast cars, women, vodka martinis and expensive watches are mandatory attributes of all 007 agents. Will the new Bond not change watch brands as often as women? We'll see.

There is no franchise in the world as long (and at the same time not losing popularity) as the Bond film; it is already more than 55 years old; today the film series consists of 25 films. And, perhaps, there is no more stylish character than the commander of the United Kingdom Navy, aka agent 007, James Bond. During the existence of the films, the hero changed a lot of interesting gadgets and luxury cars, wore dozens of tuxedos and was the owner of a magnificent watch. Some of them are mind-bogglingly expensive. Here are 10 luxury James Bond watches that are probably worth more than your car. Please note that half of them (of different years and modifications) belong to the same brand – the iconic Swiss company Omega.

To avoid the “dominance” of the Omega brand, we will start our top list with the watches of Bond’s colleague from the CIA, Felix Leiter. The character appeared in nine films in the franchise (he was the one who suffered from the teeth of a shark in License to Kill). However, we are talking about the “later” Felix, played by black actor Jeffrey Wright (who starred in two Bond films). In Quantum of Solace, James (Daniel Craig) is eager to avenge the death of Vesper, and is helped by Leiter, who wears a Hamilton Khaki X Wind Automatic watch, which starts at $1,000.

And here is the first Omega - Seamaster Professional, Pierce Brosnan is wearing this watch, and Agent 007, played by him, does not change the model for three films in a row. These are “Tomorrow Never Dies”, “The World Is Not Enough” and “Die Another Day”. Enviable consistency! Interestingly, the watch plays a key role in the fight with Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), James uses it as a light source and an escape cable with a grappling hook (“The World Is Not Enough”). Such a watch (without hooks, of course) costs about $3,000.

The Swiss company Omega began providing its watches to Bond filmmakers since 1995, but in 2006 (when a new actor, Daniel Craig, was cast), the brand owners asked the studio to focus on their brand. That's why there is such a dialogue in the film Casino Royale. Vesper (Eva Green) asks Bond if he wears a Rolex, and James corrects her: "Omega." She replies: “Wonderful.” Of course, Vesper is right, the Omega Seamaster 300M, which costs $6,600 and up, is beautiful!

In today's latest Bond film, SPECTER, James Bond tried on two pairs of watches from a Swiss brand that has already been mentioned several times. At the beginning of the picture, an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra was on his hand, in the second half - an Omega Seamaster 300 Specter. Is it any wonder that this company has fabulous profits - many people want luxurious and elegant watches “like Bond”! The average price of the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra is just over $7,000.

As we have already said, the Swiss from Omega began “supplying” their exquisite (and very accurate) watches to the “Bondians” in 1995 - just when Pierce Brosnan became agent 007. The Irishman first appeared in the film GoldenEye, where his hero was confronted by the creepy character of Sean Bean and the sadistic nymphomaniac Ksenia (Famke Janssen). In this film, Brosnan-Bond wears a Seamaster Professional 300M, which can now fetch up to $8,000.

Now we say goodbye (not forever!) to the Omega brand to turn our attention to the Rolex Datejust watches. The brand appears in the film A View to a Kill, in which both James (Roger Moore) and his antagonist Max Zorin (Christopher Walken) chose the same luxury watch company - Rolex. A used Rolex Datejust costs around $4,400, while a new one will cost you $9,000.

As you know, the first (and beloved by many) James Bond was the Scot Sean Connery. The fourth film in the franchise, released in 1965, was called Thunderball: Agent 007 visits the Bahamas and engages in a brutal battle with Blofeld. Bond has two watches at his disposal: a vintage Rolex Submariner and a special one – a Breitling Top Time, which also works as a Geiger counter. The Breitling watch brand is an excellent investment and can cost up to $45,000. Interestingly, in 2013, an old Breitling Top Time watch was found at a flea market, bought for £25, and then sold at auction for a five-figure sum.

In 1987, Timothy Dalton made his debut as Commander Bond in the film Sparks From the Eyes. Later, the Englishman will once again return to the image of agent 007, and then there will be a six-year break in the franchise, and Brosnan will come to the Bond film. In Sparks From the Eyes, the new James wears a new watch—the TAG Heuer Professional Night-Dive Reference, the kind of Swiss avant-garde that athletes love—for example, the firm has released a special edition TAG Heuer for golfers. The cheapest watches from this brand can cost from $1,000 to $6,000, while the most luxurious watches can cost $25,000.

Don't you miss Omega? And they are right there! The blockbuster Skyfall became the most commercially successful film series (grossing more than $1 billion) and won two Oscars. It also marked the 50th anniversary of the franchise. So when they started filming, the filmmakers wanted to do something special for the film. Such a highlight was the Seamaster Planet Ocean watch specially released for the film in a stainless steel case (also an Omega variety). At the end of the filming process, this watch was put up for auction in London and sold for $254,273. A regular watch costs approximately $6,000.

So, we have seen that the Navy commander has preferences in watch brands. True, at the beginning of the franchise he did not disdain less expensive (but still iconic) watches from the Japanese brand Seiko. We didn't include $300 accessories, but there is one exception. In the 13th part of the Bond film, Octopussy, James uses an absolutely fantastic watch (yes, they really were fantastic; such gadgets did not exist in the early 1980s, at least for the general consumer) Seiko TV Watch. With the help of this device (presented to agent 007 by the technical genius Q), Bond provocatively looks at the woman’s magnificent bust, and then he himself is visible in the watch - the Briton enthusiastically flirts with Q’s assistant. Would you really refuse such a watch?

The watch with which agent 007 went on reconnaissance

As the saying goes, it is the retinue that makes the king. The world's most famous secret agent, James Bond, works alone, but he also has some sort of assistants. For example, his faithful companion is a special wristwatch. We are talking about those unusual gadgets that the brilliant Doctor Q created for agent 007. By the way, these miracle devices have very real prototypes. Bond fans are happy to buy a Rolex or Omega wristwatch, even if they are not equipped with additional functions, as in the movies. It is important that they are exactly the same as those of your favorite hero, and they have enough advantages of their own.

In the beginning there was a word...
More precisely, it was not one word, but an entire novel written by former journalist Ian Fleming. It must be said that the creator of the famous agent 007 himself served as the personal assistant to the chief of intelligence of the British Royal Navy during the war with the Nazis. Perhaps some of his personal impressions, supplemented by the rich imagination of the journalist, formed the basis of his novels.
Ian Lancaster Fleming is an Englishman, the son of Valentine Fleming, an Oxford landowner, member of Parliament, prominent politician and war hero. The future writer was born in 1908, and when he was only nine, his father died on one of the fronts of the First World War.
Fleming first studied at the prestigious private college Eton, from which he dropped out in disgrace after a couple of months. The reason for this was an unpleasant incident involving a certain girl. As a result, Fleming had to continue his studies at Sandhurst Military Academy. He failed to obtain an officer rank. To complete his education, Fleming moved to Europe. He completed his education in the small Austrian town of Kitzbugel.
Fleming's dream was a post in the Foreign Office. However, he failed the entrance test. Then Fleming decided to go into journalism, like his older brother Peter, who, by the way, was much more famous at that time. At first he collaborated with the Reuters agency, and later became a correspondent for the most prestigious publication in England - the Times newspaper.
When World War II began, Fleming did not stand aside. Since May 1939, he worked in naval intelligence. In a short time, Fleming managed to seriously advance in his career and become the “right hand” of one of its leaders, Admiral John Godfrey. According to rumors, in 1945, Fleming managed to take part in a special operation - the kidnapping of Martin Bormann, which was called “James Bond”.
Fleming died in London on August 12, 1965. Ironically, he was returning to his hometown for his mother's funeral. The writer was let down by a sick heart that could not withstand the long flight. Fleming only lived to be 56 years old.
When Fleming was 42 years old, he moved to Jamaica, where he settled in a picturesque place in a villa called GoldenEye. Surviving the collapse of the empire at a safe distance, he sipped gin and felt nostalgic. The result of these actions were Fleming's literary experiments, describing the incredible adventures of an invincible secret agent. The latter was named after ornithologist James Bond, who wrote a book on ornithology, Birds of the West Indies. Fleming later admitted in an interview published in Reader's Digest that he chose the name because of its simplicity and neutrality, because his Bond is "a blunt, anonymous tool of government, a neutral figure surrounded by exoticism."
The writer did not disappoint with exoticism - Bond had plenty of the most incredible adventures. And the surroundings are appropriate - expensive luxury cars, beautiful girls and a bunch of technical gadgets, such as shooting pens or metal-cutting wristwatches.
All these attributes migrated to the film version of Bond's adventures. The first film about this officer of the British intelligence service MI6 - "Dr. No" - was released in 1962. Director Terence Young created the image of James Bond, including using an Aston Martin car and a Rolex Oyster watch.
Since then, approximately every two years, all Bond fans are delighted with a new episode from the eventful life of agent 007. In total, 22 Bond films have been released to date. This is one of the longest running film series in the world, and also the second most successful. The creators earned a total of more than 6 billion US dollars from Bond. And we are talking only about box office receipts. It's hard to imagine a better way to advertise a car or a watch than to show loyal Bond fans that 007 himself preferred it. To change his habits, he needs a good reason. That is why, throughout the history of the Bond film, the largest watch companies fought for the right to put a wristwatch of their own brand on Bond’s wrist. To do this, they had to show remarkableingenuity, providing their works with fantastic functions that may not exist in reality.

So that's what you are, Bond!
Many believe that James Bond is a romanticized image of Fleming himself. These assumptions are by no means unfounded: the author and his hero studied at the same school, made a similar career in the navy, have the same habits - food (scrambled eggs and coffee), women.
However, Fleming himself argued that this character should be treated with irony. “If anyone has even an ounce of intelligence,” he once admitted in a conversation with writer Raymond Chandler, “he is unlikely to seriously talk about such a hero as Bond.”
However, the readership did not agree with him. Books about Bond have sold approximately 40 million copies around the world. Perhaps the success of the Bond film is explained precisely by the fact that the adventures of agent 007 in everyday life are inaccessible to people. But Bond's charm and masculine strength, which can still be copied to one degree or another, have given rise to countless imitators.
Needless to say, such a successful project gave rise to many attempts to imitate it.
First of all, fans of Agent 007 adopt his ironic manner of communication, impeccable classic style of clothing and recognizable wristwatches. Even the most reputable watch company could use such PR, and therefore all of them would certainly not mind providing a sample of their products for filming. The directors only had to choose from hundreds of possible options the one that would best reflect the character of agent 007.
Bond's distinctive qualities are determination, a penchant for all sorts of adventures and forceful methods of resolving any conflicts. His weaknesses are his passion for alcohol, gambling and, of course, women. With all this in mind, Fleming himself helped Terence Young choose Bond's first watch. Next, the wristwatches themselves chose their illustrious owner, competing in ingenuity for a place on his wrist.

Today, a total of 24 films about the superspy have been shot, 22 of which are included in the list of official films:
1. “Dr. No” (“Dr. No”), 1962, directed by Terence Young, starring Sean Connery;
2. “From Russia with Love”, 1963, directed by Terence Young, starring Sean Connery;
3. “Goldfinger”, 1964, directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Sean Connery;
4. Thunderball, 1965, directed by Terence Young, starring Sean Connery;
5. “You Only Live Twice”, 1967, directed by Lewis Gilbert, starring Sean Connery;
6. “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, 1969, directed by Peter R. Hunt, starring George Lazenby;
7. “Diamonds Are Forever”, 1971, directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Sean Connery again;
8. “Live and Let Die” (“Live and Let Die”), 1973, directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Roger Moore;
9. “The Man with the Golden Gun”, 1974, directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Roger Moore;
10. The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977, again with Roger Moore, but this time directed by Lewis Gilbert;
11. “Moonraker”, 1979, another film from the tandem of Gilbert and Moore;
12. “For your eyes only”, 1981, directed by John Glen, starring Roger Moore;
13. “Octopussy”, 1983, directed by John Glen, starring Roger Moore;
14. “A View to a Kill”, 1985, directed by John Glen, starring Roger Moore again;
15. “Sparks from the Eyes” (“The Living Daylights”), 1987, directed by John Glen, Moore was replaced by Timothy Dalton;
16. “License to Kill”, 1989, directed by John Glen, starring Timothy Dalton;
17. “Golden Eye”, 1995, directed by Martin Campbell, the role of Bond was first played by Pierce Brosnan;
18. Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997, directed by Roger Spottiswoode, starring Pierce Brosnan;
19. “The World Is Not Enough”, 1999, directed by Michael Apted, starring Pierce Brosnan;
20. “Die Another Day”, 2002, directed by Lee Tamahori, starring Pierce Brosnan;
21. “Casino Royale”, 2006, directed by Martin Campbell, this time Daniel Craig became the new Bond;
22. Quantum of Solace, 2008, directed by Marc Forster, starring Daniel Craig.

Work is already underway on the next one, the 23rd in a row. the official part of the Bond film, scheduled for release around 2012. It's called "Skyfall". Sam Mendes is invited to direct, and Daniel Craig will again play the role of Bond.

There are also two films that have been classified as unofficial, namely Casino Royale (1967) and Never Say Never Again (1983). The fact is that the initiators of the creation of television versions of the adventures of agent 007 were the Hollywood studios United Artists and MGM. They proposed the idea, and later developed it and turned it into famous films. And it was they who created a certain set of necessary attributes that should have been present in every James Bond film. And in the films “Casino Royale” (1967) and “Never Say Never Again” (1983), for example, there is no famous jazz theme invented for Bond by musician John Barry, certain elements of graphic design, etc. So , what is the origin of these series connected with?
It is known that back in the early 50s, the rights to Flemming’s novel “Casino Royale” were bought by a certain Gregory Ratoff, who based it on a television production with Barry Nelson as Bond. Long after that, when the rights to the rest of Flemming's works were also bought up by MGM United and Artists, Casino Royale remained isolated until Ratoff's widow decided to make a film adaptation of it. As a result, her agent Charles K. Feldman, who is not related to the above studios, became the film's producer.
The film Never Say Never Again was based on the novel Thunderball. The script for the film adaptation was written by Fleming himself in collaboration with his potential partner, English producer and screenwriter Kevin McClory. However, this project, called “Longitude 78 West,” was never filmed. In 1963, Sean McClory received the rights to film adaptation. With his light hand, the novel “Thunderball” became the film “Never Say Never Again” in 1983. Many people take this film adaptation as the official part of the Bond movie, since Sean Connery played Agent 007 in it.
Rolex Oyster - the best for the best

In Chapter 15 of the novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Fleming puts a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Chronometer on the special agent's wrist, the most prestigious and expensive watch of the time. The writer realized that this particular small accessory could include a lot of useful functions: from sending messages to drilling metal and eliminating the enemy in the absence of other weapons. Naturally, Bond could not wear something cheap, because he is impeccable in everything. That's why, in 1962, the first movie Bond from the movie Dr. No acquired this certified perpetual calendar chronometer with a wide metal strap.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual case combines the strength and reliability of steel with the beauty of gold. To ensure that the special agent is not afraid of the most unusual situations, this wristwatch is equipped with a magnifying sapphire crystal, is water-resistant to hundreds of meters, has a date window and an automatic winding function, providing about 50 hours of operation of the mechanism. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual wristwatch that belonged to the first Bond has a funny story. On the first day of filming, it suddenly turned out that Rolex for some reason forgot to provide a copy of this watch for filming. The film's director, Terence Young, took off his Rolex Oyster Perpetual and gave it to Connery. Bond acquired his “own” copy only in the film “Goldfinger”, which was already the third in a row. But even then, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual could only be remembered as an accessory, albeit expensive and stylish, but not endowed with special functions. And in the film “Thunderball”, these wristwatches are already endowed with the ability to measure background radiation.
Speaking of accessories, it's worth noting that Rolex GMT with a red and blue rotating bezel ring and a second time zone function, which was worn by the heroine Pussy Galore. This wristwatch was created in 1954 and was positioned as the ideal gadget for travelers. The appearance of actress Honor Blackman in this film wearing a men's watch is considered the first in history. Then it was surprising and unusual, but today the beautiful Pussy would be among the first fashionistas. Women wearing men's watches is one of the hottest trends.

Pulsar and Seiko - Roger Moore's quartz partners

In 1973, the role of James Bond in the film Live and Let Die was played by the charming Roger Moore. With the help of Dr. Q, Agent 007 acquired a bunch of different gadgets that could do all the work for him. Moore's Bond had two watches at once. Firstly, it was an expected and already traditional Rolex for a special agent. This time, the wristwatch allegedly emitted a magnetic field capable of deflecting bullets. By the way, this function not only saved Bond’s life, but also entertained him greatly: one day, with its help, agent 007 unzipped the dress of another beauty. The second wristwatch of the Pulsar brand is still considered a collector's item. These are not just electronic walkers of an unusual shape, they are a technical innovation. On the side of the Pulsar case there was a special button that activated the red backlight. Red numbers on a black dial are a stylish thing for a stylish man.
The Japanese watch company Seiko played the role of Dr. Q in 1977, offering Bond a wristwatch with a walkie-talkie and a computer. Upon receiving a message, the Seiko gadget instantly printed it out, so you could say it also had a mini-printer built into it. In the film Moon Thieves, Bond again uses electronic wristwatches from this brand. Agent 007 attached a rectangular body to the door and, pressing the red button, blew it up. Also in this picture, Bond demonstrates the crossbow function built into the Seiko. When you press the strap, the watch shoots out small poisonous arrows. Seiko next appeared in the film For Your Eyes Only (1981). This wristwatch was equipped with the functions of a pager and a walkie-talkie, although today this would hardly surprise anyone.
The last time Bond wore a Seiko was in Octopussy. This wristwatch served the agent as a GPS device and locator, acting as a radio beacon. By the way, it is still unknown who benefited more from this cooperation: Bond, who acquired a useful device, or the Seiko company itself, which did not pay a single American penny for this powerful advertising.

Omega - new habits of your favorite hero
However, in the 80s of the last century, Swiss watch companies regained their leading positions in the market, which had been shaken due to the quartz crisis. Therefore, it is not surprising that in 1995, in the film “GoldenEye,” the new Bond, Pierce Brosnan, appeared before fans of the superspy wearing an Omega Seamaster Professional wristwatch. Quartz is no longer worn comme il faut, but lasers and detonators have been successfully squeezed into mechanics in addition to existing functions. The Omega Seamaster Professional watch on a metal steel strap is equipped with a self-winding mechanism and indicates not only the time, but also the date. It has a blue dial, a 41mm round case, a sapphire crystal and is water-resistant even to a depth of 300m in case 007 has to dive. The Omega Seamaster Professional has a unidirectional rotating bezel ring. Wristwatches of this brand accompanied Bond throughout five films.
Agent 007 remained faithful to the Omega brand in the film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). The watch was used as a detonator to blow up a media tycoon's ship. In 1999, Bond's Omega gains a number of new useful features. The dial of this watch could be used as a flashlight thanks to the powerful light source built into it. In addition, Agent 007 appreciated the miniature harpoon built into the Omega case. Moreover, its flight could be controlled using the bezel of the miracle watch. To top it all off, when Bond harpooned his chosen target, the bezel began to rotate in the opposite direction, reeling in the cable and lifting the agent.
The year 2002 was marked for Bond fans by a new episode from the adventures of the famous agent 007. At a press conference dedicated to the new film “Die Another Day,” Pierce Brosnan demonstrated to the audience one of the unique capabilities of the Omega Seamaster Professional wristwatch. When the Bond actor turned the watch bezel slightly, there was a small explosion, just like in the movie.
To mark the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the adventures of agent 007, the Omega company has released a series of watches that replicate the models that over the years have managed to appear in the frame on the wrist of the movie hero. The number of pieces that make up this limited edition is quite symbolic - 10,007. The wristwatches of this line have a number of common features: a round steel case with an aluminum bezel, a blue dial and luminous markings. All of them are decorated with a logo - a pistol against the background of Bond's serial number - “007”. True, these Omega watches do not have the capabilities of their movie prototypes, but they have a number of other advantages. For example, Bond's favorite Seamaster Professional model with a classic set of functions is a reliable and utilitarian chronograph that would look at home on the hand of a man in a tuxedo or on a diver in an isoprene suit. The first copy from the James Bond line was received as a gift by then-007 agent Pierce Brosnan.

Daniel Craig and his Omega Seamaster
Now Brosnan has been replaced as super agent by actor Daniel Craig. His Bond also wears an Omega watch, a Seamaster model. For the premiere of the film “Casino Royale,” the company released a special variation of the wristwatch. It is similar to the one worn by Craig himself in the film, but is complemented by a small “007” logo placed on the second hand. In the next film, Bond becomes the owner of an Omega Seamaster Professional Planet Ocean 600 m on a steel strap with a complicated clasp. This automatic wristwatch is the epitome of elegant simplicity and functionality. Having a discreet design and medium case size (45.5 x 14 mm), a luminous hand and official chronometer status, it remains waterproof even at a depth of 600 m. Omega has timed the release of a limited collection of watches to coincide with the release of the film Quantum of Solace. Limited to 5,007 examples, the watch is engraved with “007” on the case back and “Quantum of Solace” on the back of the glass. Each watch has its own serial number.
In 2007, an Omega watch that belonged to Bond-Craig was purchased at an auction in Geneva for $207,000. I wonder what prompted the unknown film fan to make such a purchase—either the actor’s wonderful performance in the film “Casino Royale,” or his love for this watch brand?
It is not known whether Omega wristwatches will become James Bond's companion in his new adventures, but they have become as firmly entrenched in the history of the adventures of the famous agent 007 as his trademark habit of announcing that his name is Bond. James Bond.

Rolex and Omega - props went under the hammer

For many, the image of James Bond remains an unattainable ideal today, although Fleming himself treated it with a fair amount of humor. Of course, it will be difficult to have a career like that of a British secret agent. In addition, it is possible that even real intelligence officers, at least once during their work, find themselves in at least one equally interesting and exciting alteration, which abounds in Bond’s on-screen life.
But that’s why he’s a fiction, to be so beautiful. In this regard, the actors who played the role of Bond were the luckiest. They, even if only on the set, went through all his adventures for their hero, in which, by the way, the props played an important role.
Various paraphernalia used in films that later became famous are often sold at various auctions. Even in Russia, a charity auction was held at which props from legendary Russian films were sold, the proceeds from which were transferred to veterans of the Russian stage and cinema. This is generally a common practice for Hollywood. At various times, a cyborg skeleton (the film “Terminator 2”), the Holy Grail (the film “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”), and a laser sword that belonged to Luke Skywalker (the hero of the film “Star Wars”) went up for auction.
The Bond movie props naturally suffered the same fate. For example, last year the famous silver Aston Martin car, produced in 1964, which was the faithful assistant of the superspy played by Sean Connery in the films “Goldfinger” and “Thunderball”, was sold in London for 4 million 59 thousand. dollars at auction at the auction house RM Auctions in collaboration with Sotheby's. The lucky owner of the rarity was a businessman named Harry Iggy from Ohio. Now Bond's car has taken its place among the exhibits of the new owner's automobile museum. Before that, the rare Aston Martin belonged to Jerry Lee , a businessman from the USA who purchased it in 1969 at the Lagonda plant, where he found temporary refuge after filming was completed. Only after forty years did the American decide to part with the famous car.
As it turns out, there are many who want to own andBond's wristwatch. Here, fans of the film even have a choice: in the frame, several famous watch brands appeared on the superspy’s wrist, which themselves no longer need introduction and have their own fans.
In September 2011, the Rolex Submariner (Ref. 6538), released in 1956, found a new owner. They were sold at the Antiquorum auction of modern and antique watches, held in New York. This time it is called “Important Modern and Vintage Watches”. Rolex SubmarinerBonda is an elegant and rare piece. This stainless steel watch has a round case with a diameter of 38 mm with a screw-down case back and a large crown (about 8 mm in diameter with a case thickness of 14 mm). This model can easily withstand immersion even to 200 m. This Rolex Submariner has a black “face” and is equipped with an automatic winding mechanism.The organizers of the Antiquorum auction planned to earn from 35 to 65 thousand dollars from their sale. However, a certain fan of Bond films paid 76 thousand 900 dollars for the rarity.
Another model from Rolex, which adorned the wrist of Roger Moore, who played the role of James Bond in the film “Live and Let Die,” was sold at another famous auction - Christie's. At the auction held in Geneva, a certain admirer of films about the superspy paid 242 thousand . dollars for a watch that doesn’t even work! However, its main advantage is not its accuracy.
This watch was created specifically for filming based on the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner (Ref. 5513) in 1972. According to the plot, this sophisticated gadget was created for Bond by the movie Doctor Q. They supposedly had a built-in magnetic field generator, with the help of which Bond-Moore could deflect the trajectory of bullets flying at him. Thanks to the same amusing feature, he unzipped Miss Caruso's dress without touching her (“It's just magnetism, dear!”). In addition, with a slight movement of the hand, the bezel of Bond's Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner turns into an elegant circular saw. It was with her help that the hero played by Moore managed to free himself and his girlfriend from the ropes when they were fleeing from very unfriendly sharks. And if the role of a magnetic field generator was played by thin wires that were threaded under the back cover of the watch, then the saw is absolutely real. To install it, the craftsmen had to remove all the “stuffing” from the case and replace it with the necessary mechanism. However, as a result, these Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariners lost their ability to tell time. However, their current owner was obviously not embarrassed by this fact. In addition to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner watch itself, engraved with “Roger Moore 007,” he received several sketches made by its creator, designer Sid Cain.
The wristwatch of the current James Bond, Daniel Craig, did not go unnoticed either. The Geneva auction Antiquorum recently offered his Omega Seamaster Professional (Ref. 222.80.00) for sale. This wristwatch became Bond's companion in the film Casino Royale. A classic Omega Seamaster Professional with a blue “face” went under the hammer for $207,000. Despite the fact that this is a completely modern model, the watch can already be considered a rarity thanks to its brilliant “acting” career.

Other watches that are not directly related to James Bond, but are still associated with his name, were also sold at auction. The organizer of this unusual event was the British Ministry of Defense. The fact is that military appropriations were reduced, resulting in a significant budget deficit in this industry. The State Audit Office conducted an audit, which concluded that within 10 years the budget deficit will reach 36 billion pounds. The result could be the curtailment of several programs that are aimed at developing new types of weapons. To prevent this, the British Ministry of Defense decided to sell off unnecessary property.
However, when it comes to the defense industry, the term “unnecessary property” can hide anything. For example, the now decommissioned aircraft carrier Ark Royal, once the flagship of the Royal Navy, was sold for scrap for just £35 million. Considering the fact that upon purchase it cost the fleet as much as 200 million pounds, the price turned out to be almost a bargain. Another aircraft carrier, Invincible, suffered a similar fate. It was sold to a certain company from Turkey via the Internet.
In addition, the British Ministry of Defense successfully traded in Land Rover jeeps, which were gathering dust idle in army garages, and an armored Jaguar car. Also going under the hammer are Saxon armored vehicles, in which the British military traveled around Baghdad, and even Gazelle helicopters. Also up for auction are items that are not quite usual for auctions, such as a portable dental chair and a skirt from the dress uniform of a guardsman from Scotland.
In addition, Swiss watches from Raymond Weil (Tango model), valued at 1 thousand pounds, Maurice Lacroix for 5 thousand pounds, as well as ladies' Christian Dior models, decorated with 48 small diamonds, were put under the hammer for who are asking 2 thousand 750 pounds.
As the Ministry of Defense itself explains, all these watches were supposed to go to SAS special forces officers and British military intelligence officers who work in British embassies abroad. According to the management, people who, by the nature of their work, are required to attend various receptions and meet with diplomats and high-ranking officials in order to maintain a respectable image. Now, anyone who can afford it can become the owner of the watches worn by Bond’s colleagues. Moreover, the assigned price was, at best, a tenth of their real value.

To be continued...