Some associations are obvious. No one would identify James Bond with anything other than an Aston Martin or a vodka Martini. However, it took 20 years for the secret agent to see his name associated with Omega watches, after more than a quarter of a century under Rolex domination. The story of a watchmaking battle under the aegis of Her Majesty. 

James Bond is a legend, and so are his watches. And, like all legends, this one is partly reality, partly collective imagination. Many people see Rolex as 007's first historical watch, engraved with the Scottish seal of the great Sean Connery. This is not the case.  

 

In the first opus of the saga, it is a Gruen that we see associated with 007. This watch manufacturer, which disappeared in 1977, had received the approval of the production because the watch looked good and, above all, was not very expensive, which made it affordable to change it if Bond broke it on the set. This little Gruen lasted five years, from the inaugural opus "James Bond vs. Dr. No" to "You Only Live Twice" in 1967.  

Quarter of a crowned century

Why did Rolex, present from the beginning, gradually impose itself? First, because it was what Ian Flemming, the author of the James Bond saga and a former secret agent himself, was wearing. It seemed natural that his character should wear the same piece. Secondly, Bond is a Commander, a rank in the Royal Navy. So a diving watch like the Rolex "Submariner" made sense.  

Finally, because the aura of the brand with the crown became so strong in the 1970s that it became an integral part of the 007 character. The first Rolexes appeared on the set as early as 1962 and until 1989 on the wrist of Timothy Dalton, not without a few furtive detours, notably to Breitling. Rolex bowed out that same year, with "License to Kill ". 

1995, a pivotal year

Could it be to Jean-Claude Biver, then in charge of Omega's marketing, that we owe the arrival of the brand on the wrist of the next 007, Pierce Brosnan? The man, in any case, claims to be responsible. In a recent book dedicated to him, Biver explains: “For the film Golden Eye, released in 1995 with Pierce Brosnan, we were asked to pay a few thousand dollars for James Bond to wear an Omega (...). We offered to pay the original asking price plus a few hundred thousand dollars. In doing so, we obtained a significant number of additional rights, such as the right to make 15, 30 and 45 second films and photos from the various original filming sessions.” From then on, the Swatch Group's machine was set in motion and renewed its commitment to 007 with each new film.  

Mr Bond's diving watches

What pieces mark Omega's reign with James Bond? As with Rolex, divers: a Seamaster Quartz Professional 300M, from 1995. The Seamaster lineage is still alive today, but this particular model will mark the end of the quartz era. From "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), all Omega watches will be automatic.  

 

The arrival of Daniel Craig marks a double break. He will be the first Bond whose watch will not be equipped with any gadget and, from now on, each opus of the saga will have two watches instead of one. In Casino Royale, 007 will alternate between a Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co-Axial Chronometer and a more formal Seamaster Aqua Terra. 

 

For Omega, the opportunities are multiplying. With each new episode, the watchmaker launches two series that are sold out even before the film is released. The communication extends to more or less six months before and after the release of the film, without the public ever seeming to get enough! For Spectre, Bond wears a Seamaster 300 with the same NATO bracelet as Sean Connery in 1964 in Goldfinger. And the Daniel Craig / Omega association is all the more effective as the British actor is himself a keen collector of vintage Omega... 

 

The (provisional) end

"No Time To Die" is the last opus with Daniel Craig. The collectors were on the edge. The object of their fantasies: the new Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition. Its 42 mm case is made of titanium, as is its mesh bracelet closed with an innovative adjustable buckle. The aluminum dial and bezel are a "tropical" brown. The piece is given a vintage touch with a cream-colored Super-LumiNova coating on the dive scale, blackened hands and markers. Also note the vertical "arrow" on the dial at 6 o'clock that indicates this is an army watch. 

What about tomorrow? No one can predict it. Daniel Craig will no longer play the role. Omega will. But on whose wrist? All bets are off!