A Look at all James Bond’s Omega Watches
Rolex might historically have strong ties with James Bond, but Omega has been the timepiece of choice since 1995. Since then, there has been a diverse assortment of James Bond Omega watches crafted over the years – some to coincide with the release of new films and others simply for their standalone appeal.
Timepieces worn by James Bond are key elements of his unique flair. And in this article we delve into the evolution of Omega watches in James Bond’s story, examining the various models featured throughout the films and their subsequent influence on the watchmaking industry.
The introduction of Omega to the 007 universe occurred with Pierce Brosnan‘s debut movie, GoldenEye, in 1995. From then on, every movie featuring Brosnan as Bond showcased an Omega timepiece.
When Daniel Craig stepped into Bond’s shoes, he continued the Omega legacy but added a unique spin. While previous films highlighted watches equipped with spy-friendly modifications, the Omega watches worn by Craig brought forth unique attributes and individuality, further amplifying their significance in the Bond narrative.
Check out all James Bond Timepieces from each movie…
GoldenEye (1995)
Bond 17 introduced Pierce Brosnan in the lead role, where the plot centers around the heist of a concealed Soviet Weapon named GoldenEye. This weapon can unleash an electromagnetic pulse, decimating all electronic equipment within its reach.
Bond’s ex-comrade and fellow agent 006, Alec Trevelyan – supposedly deceased – plots to deploy GoldenEye against London’s financial district. The task of thwarting him rests on the shoulders of Bond and Russian computer programmer Natalya Simonova.
In this movie, Brosnan adorns the first Omega watch ever seen in the Bond series – the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Professional Quartz (2541.80.00), marking Omega’s entry into the 007 universe.
Although the Seamaster model lacks the laser cutter James Bond used, it boasts other impressive features. This quartz variant requires no manual winding to sustain its accuracy, all under its striking exterior. It offers an average battery life of approximately 42 months, equipped with a helpful end-of-life battery indicator and a date window.
The incorporation of a screw-down crown and a genuine helium escape valve ensures a water-resistant case up to 300 meters, while the glow-in-the-dark hands guarantee easy readability, even in minimal light conditions.
This first Omega Seamaster James Bond watch was the first of many exquisite watches and set the tone for what was to come. The watch is no longer being produced, but is still available on secondary markets. Click on the link and take a closer look at the GoldenEye Omega Seamaster watch.
Pierce Brosnan’s Other Movies
In Pierce Brosnan’s subsequent portrayals of James Bond, he sports the same Omega watch: the Omega Seamaster Professional 300M (2531.80.00).
In Tomorrow Never Dies, Bond delves into the scheme of media tycoon, Elliot Carver, who’s planning to incite conflict between the UK and China, with the intention of enhancing his ratings and earnings. He aims to achieve this by commandeering a warship to launch an attack on a Chinese ship.
Bond 19, The World is Not Enough, sees Brosnan reprising his role for the third time. Here, James Bond uncovers oil magnate Elektra King‘s strategy to create worldwide pandemonium by utilizing a potent weapon that’s out to blow Istanbul to bits and contaminate the Bosporus, forcing corporations to use her family’s pipeline.
In Die Another Day, Bond uncovers the partnership between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond tycoon who are collectively financing the creation of a global space weapon. Bond teams up with Giacinta “Jinx” Johnson as they go from Cuba to Iceland to North Korea in Brosnan’s last outing as James Bond.
James Bond uses the same Omega watch in all three movies, which bears striking similarities to the Quartz watch from GoldenEye, including the dial and design elements. This time, the Omega Calibre 1120 automatic movement ensures Bond never runs out of time during his action-packed missions, thanks to the 44-hour power reserve.
Like the previous model, it features a screw-in crown, a helium escape valve, and a date window at 3 o’clock. However, this model acts as a remote bomb detonator in the movie, replacing the laser in his previous watch.
In the last movie, The World is Not Enough, Bond’s Omega watch receives gadget enhancements, including a flashlight and a grappling hook activated through the helium escape valve.
This James Bond Omega watch is discontinued, and is hard to find, although you can find it on secondary markets such as Amazon and eBay.
Casino Royale (2006)
In 2006 we got a full reboot of 007, but if anything the James Bond Omega watches went up a notch, as we got two fresh Omega timepieces. Daniel Craig’s inaugural Bond movie, Casino Royale, saw the introduction of the Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Co-Axial Chronometer (2220.80.00) and the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co-Axial Chronometer 45.5mm (2900.50.91) featuring a rubber strap.
Bond 21, Casino Royale aimed to usher Bond into the contemporary era, and the addition of a luxury timepiece with a ‘rubber’ strap significantly contributed to the film’s modern vibe. As a newly minted 00 agent, Bond’s mission is to prevent a dangerous banker, Le Chiffe, from funding global terrorism and recover his client’s capital in a high-risk poker game in Montenegro.
A significant shift from previous Omega watches in James Bond movies is the absence of gadgets integrated into these exquisite timepieces. Instead, the watches worn by Daniel Craig exude their inherent sophistication and functionality, deemed sufficient without the need for extra features.
The Seamaster Professional 300M is a diving watch powered by an automatic movement. It showcases a stainless-steel casing, sapphire crystal, and offers water resistance up to 300 meters (1,000 feet). The dial is furnished with luminous hands and hour markers, including a date display at 3 o’clock. This watch is discontinued and hard to find, although you can find it on eBay.
The Planet Ocean 600M, launched in 2005 as part of the Seamaster collection, maintains its popularity thanks to its enduring design, largely unchanged since its inception. Daniel Craig dons this model at the start of the movie. Its rugged aesthetics and sturdy construction perfectly align with the movie’s adrenaline-fueled sequences. Like the Seamaster Professional 300M, this watch is hard to find, although you can get it on eBay.
Quantum of Solace (2008)
Daniel Craig is back for the second time as James Bond in Quantum of Solace, this time sporting yet another Omega watch. The movie continues the narrative from Casino Royale, with Bond on a personal crusade to expose the international crime syndicate, Quantum, accountable for the death of his lover, Vesper Lynd in Venice at the end of Casino Royale.
In Bond 22, Bond’s wrist houses an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Chronometer (ref. 2201.50.00). Despite not being the most favored among Craig’s Bond movies, his wrist still bears a timeless watch.
Marginally smaller than the watch he wore aboard Le Chiffre’s yacht in Casino Royale, this 42mm watch robustly withstands the rough-and-tumble of Bond’s adventures with its stainless-steel casing and bracelet, anti-glare crystal, and a black dial complemented by a matching ceramic bezel.
This is one of the best James Bond Omega watches, but has been discontinued, although you can get it on eBay.
Skyfall (2012)
In Bond 23, our suave agent once again sports the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean. This time, 007 must contend with a security breach at MI6 that leaves all operatives vulnerable. Drawn out of hiding, Bond must hunt down Raoul Silva, who’s threatening to wreak vengeance on M, played by Judy Dench for the final time.
At the beginning of Skyfall, James Bond can be seen wearing the Omega Planet Ocean 600m Co-Axial Chronometer 42mm (232.30.42.21.01.001), where Bond commandeers a military tank, and his wrist is adorned by this dynamic timepiece. Get this on eBay.
This watch resembles James Bond’s previous Omega accessories, complete with a stainless-steel case and bracelet and a black dial, but it has been upgraded compared to older Planet Ocean models.
This specific version has been updated with Omega’s in-house Co-Axial calibre 8500, which incorporates a host of features that enable bidirectional automatic winding.
In the middle of the movie, Bond switches this model for a meeting with M, and we are introduced to a model that appears in his subsequent film: the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m (231.10.39.21.03.001). This is also discontinued and only available on eBay.
This model also sports the calibre 8500 but transitions from the rugged aesthetics of the Planet Ocean to a more streamlined stainless-steel design, and from a black to a sophisticated blue dial with lacquered deck-type embossing. This more compact Omega watch, at 38.5mm, marks the debut of the Aqua Terra on James Bond’s wrist.
Spectre (2015)
The striking blue Omega Aqua Terra is back at the start of Bond 24 as 007 takes a shot from a rooftop. This time, it’s the Omega Aqua Terra 41.5mm (ref. 231.10.42.21.03.003), a model boasting a Master Chronometer certification. This version is only available on secondary markets Amazon and eBay.
In Daniel Craig’s fourth outing as James Bond, the spy must decipher an enigmatic message from his history that sends him on a trail to expose a nefarious organization known as SPECTRE. The mission intertwines with revelations from his past and pits him against his most formidable foe yet, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
A memorable scene with this blue-dialed watch harks back to the era when Bond received specialized watches from Q, equipped with clever gadgets to aid his missions. When Q presents him with this model, Bond asks if it has any special features, but Q wittily responds, saying “it tells time,” a function that should help with Bond’s habitual lateness.
A tribute to classic James Bond watch traditions manifests in the form of the Omega Seamaster 300 (233.32.41.21.01.001) that appears in a subsequent scene. This model is a refreshed version of the original Seamaster 300 from 1957. The time-only piece is upgraded with a ceramic bezel and exudes a retro-cool vibe with faux patina luminescence, a lollipop seconds hand, and a 5-stripe NATO strap.
In a thrilling scene from Spectre, Bond girl, Dr. Madeleine Swann, removes Bond’s watch while he’s restrained and triggers its grenade function, marking the first time a watch has got special gadgets in the Daniel Craig era.
This is another of the James Bond Omega watches that is discontinued, although it’s available on Amazon and eBay.
No Time to Die (2021)
In Daniel Craig’s final movie film, No Time to Die, Bond dons a Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition. The movie sees Bond savoring the tranquility of retired life in Jamaica. However, old ally Felix Leiter talks Bond out of retirement to help to rescue a captured scientist. This sets Bond on a quest that brings him face to face with a mysterious new enemy and cutting-edge technology.
Daniel Craig trades his previously preferred Aqua Terra for an all-new model – the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer Edition 007 (210.90.42.20.01.001). Notably, Daniel Craig played a role in designing this unique timepiece.
Distinct from previous James Bond Omega watches, the mesh bracelet, paired with a 42mm titanium case, stands out. The unidirectional bezel and dial are crafted from attractive brown aluminum, with the luminous markers styled in a vintage hue.
It also proudly displays the renowned Broad Arrow on the dial and case back. You can also opt for this watch with a striped NATO strap (over $1000 cheaper) in a combination of dark brown, grey, and beige hues.
Ultimately, this Omega watch is a tribute to James Bond’s military roots, making it a suitable final timepiece for Daniel Craig. This watch is still available for sale in fine stores such as Goldsmiths, and you can also get it on secondary markets Amazon and eBay. Check out our review of this fine Omega timepiece.
James Bond Omega Watches – Timeless Companions
James Bond Omega watches have become emblematic entities in the realm of horology and cinema, achieving not just iconic status but also exemplifying the sophistication, panache, and progressiveness that define 007.
Over the course of the last 25 years, these timepieces have evolved, mirroring the changing times and the shifting persona of the world’s most sophisticated spy. They’re designed with precision and style, and have proven to be much more than mere practical tools for James Bond.
