James Bond is the proverbial man’s man. Perhaps he is a woman’s man, too. He has a “license to kill.” He drives an Aston-Martin. His suits are impeccable. He likes his martinis shaken, not stirred. Even though I like the Austin Powers franchise, I want to live like Bond. Who doesn’t? But watches like this are fantasy. I live in reality.
But what about the watches he likes. Let’s investigate.
Bond is a Brit. I am a New Yorker and an American, and I admire his connection to OMEGA. OMEGA has long been intertwined with the International man of mystery. Anyone who watches a Bond movie knows that the movies are as much about style as substance.
What’s the news? OMEGA has released a new Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond Edition. It’s a work of art. But there’s an interesting twist: OMEGA has a connection to Bond’s arch-enemy, SPECTRE.
LOL, even international criminal organizations want OMEGA.
From GoldenEye to No Time to Die
OMEGA’s relationship with James Bond began in 1995. In that year, Pierce Brosnan wore a Seamaster in the film, GoldenEye. Since then, OMEGA has been the watch worn by agent 007.
The Bond franchise has evolved, of course, over the decades. Sean Connery was suave and sophisticated. Roger Moore combined humor and charm. Daniel Craig? The “tough” James Bond. His version looked like he knew how to fight and win, even if he was roughed up more than once.
Craig’s final Bond film, No Time to Die, was released in 2021. It was the Bond Franchise’s 25th movie. It featured the usual international intrigue, spectacular scenery, villains, and beautiful cars. If you look closely, you can find watches galore. In that film, Craig wore an OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition. That watch is made from lightweight Grade 2 titanium. Its tropical brown dial and bezel gave it a slightly aged, military appearance. The watch’s technical features are therefore notable.
Here’s a fun fact from the movie. Don’t you love movies? And movie trivia? I sure do!
Q, Bond’s gadget expert, equipped the watch with the ability to zap out an electromagnetic pulse device. Bond used the feature to disable electronics. He even overcame the villain’s artificial eye.
As one of the top repair shops in New York New York for OMEGA, I have repaired thousands of watches over the decades. However, I have yet to encounter one that could zap out somebody’s eyeball.
The New OMEGA Seamaster: A Watch Worthy of 007
OMEGA’s new James Bond and SPECTRE collection brings the famous adversaries together. The new Bond edition differs from the titanium watch featured in No Time to Die, though the family resemblance is unmistakable.
The new James Bond Seamaster Diver 300M features a 42mm stainless-steel case, a blue aluminum dial with a laser-engraved wave pattern, and a Grade 5 titanium bezel. A brushed stainless-steel mesh bracelet completes the watch.
It’s sporty. Classy. Understated. Very James Bond.
The watch is water-resistant to 300 meters. It features a helium escape valve at 10 o’clock. It uses color in an interesting way. Here’s how. In the dark, the minute hand and bezel marker glow green. The hour hand, second hand, and hour markers all glow blue. The watch is “Color-coded.” That is where style meets substance, via the OMEGA brand.
This use of color isn’t just about style. A watch like this must be highly visible underwater. A diver needs to read elapsed time quickly. Clarity is a safety issue. I love how OMEGA combines form and function.
Inside is OMEGA’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8806. It’s METAS-certified, offers excellent precision, and resists magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss.
On the back, there’s a sapphire crystal case back with a rhodium-plated rotor decorated in the style of Bond’s famous gun-barrel opening sequence.
Now that’s attention to detail. If you or a loved one owns an OMEGA, bring it in for a tune-up or inspection. They are works of art. They are workhorses. And they are movie stars.
Style Meets Engineering
I love the James Bond movies. Who doesn’t? But what excites me most about these OMEGA watches is the engineering, not the movies. Each OMEGA watch is a wonderful little machine. Tiny gears, springs, and precision components are a delight to admire. No batteries. No secret-agent gadgets. The OMEGA brand embodies craftsmanship.
Nonetheless, even James Bond’s watch needs something. What? Regular maintenance and repairs as needed.
Water-resistant seals can deteriorate. Lubricants age. Mechanical movements eventually need servicing. That’s true whether you’re diving in the Caribbean or walking down Madison Avenue on a rainy fall day.
Speaking of New York, let’s return to the movies. OMEGA unveiled the No Time to Die watch at an event right here in New York City in December 2019. Not Los Angeles. Not London. Here, in New York, NY. James Bond may be just a figment of the movies. His cars are outrageously over-the-top, his adventures are ridiculous (looking at you, Austin Powers), and his ability to survive them is downright miraculous. That’s what makes him fun and aspirational. I love blogging about OMEGA because I love the brand itself. It’s one of the preferred brands among my younger clientele, the ones who can still dream of being Bond and doing those amazing physical stunts.
Keeping Your OMEGA in Mission-Ready Condition
At Ron Gordon Watch Repair, I service and repair OMEGA watches, including modern Seamaster models and vintage timepieces. My passion is keeping a watch running for decades. If your OMEGA needs a tune-up, a movement overhaul, water-resistance testing, or other repairs, bring it to my shop. We are at 280 Madison Avenue, near Grand Central Station in Midtown Manhattan. You can also call me at 212-869-8999.
An OMEGA Seamaster, of any age, is a watch worth taking care of. Please do not let it sit in a drawer. Like James Bond, get out into the world and defeat evil.
— Ron Gordon