Omega hosts James Bond 60th anniversary party

There are arguably few fictional characters that have as close an association with watches as James Bond. His long and storied history with timepieces stretches back throughout the entire six-decade history of the film franchise.

Ever since the first movie Dr. No was released in 1962, James Bond has set new standards for on-screen action as well as sartorial sensibilities. And nowhere is his sense of style clearer than in the gorgeous timepieces that have graced his wrist over the years.

James Bond has donned many watches, including pieces from Seiko, Hamilton, Rolex, Breitling and Heuer, throughout his on-screen life. However, it is arguable that Bond is best known for wearing the OMEGA Seamaster.

Bond & OMEGA 

James Bond first donned an OMEGA timepiece in 1995, marking the beginning of a new horological era for Bond. This came in GoldenEye when Pierce Brosnan wore a quartz OMEGA Seamaster Professional. And from this moment on, OMEGA was the exclusive watch brand of the Bond universe.

This carried on from the Pierce Brosnan era all the way up to the Daniel Craig era, which started with the Casino Royale movie. While the Casino Royale movie might be better known for its aesthetic associations with the glitz and glamour of the casino world, it was also defined by the stunning timepieces used by Craig throughout the film.

This close link between the OMEGA watch brand and James Bond has been marked most recently as part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the James Bond movie franchise. As part of this, OMEGA announced the launch of two new OMEGA Seamaster watches which the horological world has spent the last few weeks drooling over.

The commemorative Seamaster Diver 300m watches will be available in two versions. The first of these is a stainless steel variation that bears a close resemblance to the classic OMEGA Seamaster worn by Pierce Brosnan in the GoldenEye film. The second is a Canopus Gold version adorned with green and yellow diamonds, which takes its inspiration from Ian Fleming’s Jamaican home where he wrote the original James Bond book as well as the first movie outing Dr. No.

The stainless-steel version features a bright, deep blue oxalic anodised dial and bezel, which has a laser-engraved wave pattern and LumiNova finish. Fans of the series will also appreciate the detail on the caseback, which features a replica iconic silhouette and gun barrel as depicted in the opening sequence of the movie franchise. 

In contrast, the 18K Canopus Gold version is made from a gorgeous natural grey silicon and features a stunning crystallite dial. The yellow and green diamond bezel is supposed to be a tribute to the Jamaican flag, with the watch even coming in a wooden box made from mango tree wood. This is a reference to the ‘Underneath the Mango Tree’ song that featured in the 1962 film Dr. No.

OMEGA Seamaster Launch

These two gorgeous timepieces were launched at an event in London, where visitors got to experience first-hand the incredible story behind their production.

The 60th anniversary edition Omega Seamaster watches will retail for around €8,500 for the steel version, although the yellow and green diamond version will cost considerably more.

OMEGA CEO Raynald Aeschlimann revealed that this will not be a limited edition, with future production runs projected. However, given the unique nature of the watch and the materials it is made from, it likely that any future production runs will be incredibly limited.

Of course, the launch event where these two commemorative models were announced was a lavish affair. It was held in the railway arches of London Bridge and even saw the former bond Daniel Craig in attendance. In true Bond style, Craig turned up impeccably dressed in a tuxedo, sporting a Seamaster.

Other celebrities were also in attendance, including the likes of Will Poulter, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Gwilym Lee and David Jonsson.

This was a truly incredible event for fans of the series. Even if it did not include an announcement about the much-anticipated next film in the Bond series, it did provide us with the perfect opportunity to revisit some of our favourite moments from the six-decade history of the franchise.