What strap did Sean Connery use?

[Notepad12]

As per title, just wondering what straps Sean used on his Rolex during the James Bond films?

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[Old Expat Beast]

As I recall it was a 16mm strap on 20mm lugs...a makeshift setup that was ok for a quick film shoot but totally inadequate for actual use, even for desk diving.

[DCheeta]

He had it on an undersized NATO, looks like an 18mm width maybe.

[DCheeta]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

As I recall it was a 16mm strap on 20mm lugs...a makeshift setup that was ok for a quick film shoot but totally inadequate for actual use, even for desk diving.

Boom, there you go. 16mm. Looks funny to us, but I suppose back then nobody even noticed or cared.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by DCheeta

Boom, there you go. 16mm. Looks funny to us, but I suppose back then nobody even noticed or cared.

Yeah, as long as it was shoulderless or welded bars. Otherwise, that nato would have dragged one, then another bar, out PDQ (Pretty Damn Quick), as we said back then.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Notepad12

As per title, just wondering what straps Sean used on his Rolex during the James Bond films?

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

Although the cinematic different James Bonds have worn Rolex, Omega,and Seiko watches,to many the choice of which watch Bond wears can only come form his origins. Undoubtedly, the origins of James Bond lie with Ian Fleming and Bond's earliest incarnation in the cinema today.

No one knows exactly why Ian Fleming chose a Rolex for the wrist of James Bond. Perhaps Fleming was impressed by the fact that during World War II, British prisoners of war could write to Rolex and receive a watch free of charge delivered directly to their prison camp. Perhaps it was for Rolex's legendary toughness and dependability, or perhaps it was because Fleming wore a Rolex himself. Whatever the reason, Ian Fleming chose a Rolex for his most famous gentleman spy with a license to kill and as such should be considered the main brand of the James Bond watch.

But just what model of Rolex Fleming chose for his spy, he never makes quite clear. Like his clothing choices for Bond, Fleming is vague about the model of Rolex that Bond wears. One of the few references Fleming gives can be found in Chapter 16 of On Her Majesty's Secret Service when Bond prepares to use his Rolex as a knuckle duster: When Bond was brought to the large screen however, the producers clearly had to pick their own model.

According to the book James Bond the Legacy Bond would not just drink champagne, it would be Dom Perignon, and "he could not just wear a watch, it needed to be a Rolex".Now when Rolex declined to provide one of their watches for the production of the film And the budget did not allow for the purchase of one, Cubby Broccoli took his off his wrist and gave it to a member of the art department for use in the film. That Rolex was a Submariner with a very large crown, no crown guards, a coin edge bezel and on a black leather strap.

Many vintage Rolex collectors call all early Submariners without crown guards the James Bond Submariner, while others in the watch collecting field believe, that the watch Connery wore in Dr. No was the Rolex Submariner model 6538. Still other collectors believe that the Submariner Connery wore was more than likely one of four models they are the 6200, 6538A, thick cased 6538 and the 5510. Now IMHO I believe that it is impossible to nail it down to one of the four models, and I'll get into the specifics later.

All four models share the same thick case, a large crown marked Brevet (from the French word Brevette meaning patented), a coin edge non ratcheted bezel, an acrylic crystal, a depth rating of 200m/660ft and Mercedes hands. I should add that only the "thick cased" shoulder-less Submariners had the large winding crown. now, it should also be noted that the 6538 existed first as a thin cased model with a small crown. It became a thick cased model as the 6538A and was available alongside the 6200.

Once the thin cased versions were gone, the 6538A became the 6538 remaining the same until it and the 6200 were replaced by the 5510,well thats Rolex for you confusing as ever.. Since Sean Connery as James Bond only wore the thick cased Submariner (evident by the large crown), none of the thin cased, small crown so called James Bond Submariners without crown guards will be discussed.

IMO the only proper Sean Connery James Bond Submariner

Is one of the thick cased Submariners with the large crown first appeared on Connery's wrist in Dr. No, From Russia With love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball. It is assumed that Connery also wore this watch in You Only Live Twice, but I don't recall seeing it in that movie and to my knowledge it is not in the movie. If someone can direct me to a scene that shows otherwise, I'll happily revise this. By analysing close ups of the Connery Submariner, it is clear that the watch has the big crown with no crown guard,and has a gilt dial , and has Mercedes hands. The bezel insert is the non-graduated version, meaning there are no extra minute markings between 0 and 15 and the bezel pearl is in the centre of a silver triangle. Later versions of the Submariner had the extra minute markings between the 0 and 15 including the ones without crown guards. These observations are important because the watch has characteristics of a 6200, a 6538A, a thick cased 6538 or even a 5510 (depending on whether you discern the depth rating of Connery's watch as white or gilt) despite what so called experts say about it being only a 6538.

To me the proper Bond Submariner, has always had contradictory characteristics with respect to the exact model. In fact I have never seen another untouched version exactly like it. Firstly, the non-graduated bezel insert is that of the earliest thick cased, large crown Submariners, the 6200. However, on the mid 50's version of 6200, there is only one line of printing on the lower part of the dial, the word "SUBMARINER" in gilt, because although it was rated to a depth of 200m/660ft it did not yet appear on the dial.

The late 50's 6200, 6538A and 6538 did have the two lines of printing on the lower part of the dial (chronometer versions of the 6538A and thick cased 6538 had 4 lines) and the depth rating was printed in white while the word "SUBMARINER" was in gilt. As Now On the 5510, late 50's models had both the depth rating and the word "SUBMARINER" in the same colour, gilt. To further make things even harder, the late 50's 6200, 6538A, 6538 and 5510 had graduated bezel inserts, and the triangle containing the luminous pearl was red. As I said before, the Connery Submariner has a non-graduated bezel insert and the triangle containing the pearl was silver.

So what does all that mean, probably not much. The fact of the matter is that at this time Rolex often used up older parts even when they went to a new model. So it would be entirely possible to have 6538A with a 6200 bezel insert. Also, it's quite possible that a 6538 or 5510 could have been serviced during its ownership by a service centre having older parts which means that a 6538 or a 5510 might end up having a 6200 bezel insert.

So unless the Broccoli family, who are rumoured to have the original watch, furnishes the exact model number, we may never know the exact model number of the Connery Bond Submariner. However with the wealth of parts available, it is possible to achieve the same look using the 6200, 6538A, thick cased 6538 or the 5510 Submariner because they all share the same case and big Brevet crown. But, be warned, some collectors and myself hate to restore or change watches. And IMHO its better to have an original beat up watch, than a pristine restored one. Luckily, there is a building trend now toward gentle restoration.

Movements in the Different Models

The 6200, 6538A, 6538 and the 5510 all had different movements. The 6200 had the A296, while the 6538A and thick cased 6538 had the 1030. The movement in the 5510 was the 1530 (although some military versions had the 1520 movement).Rolex at this time done
a lot of strange things,and used any part movement to make a complete watch.

The 1530 and 1520 movement are the same movements used in the later 5513 Submariners of Lazenby and Moore fame. The 15XX series of movements are considered among the best Rolex ever made, so the 5510 with the old style case coupled with the newer movement make it the most wearable of the Connery Bond Submariners, however it was made in very low numbers and is considered quite rare,and now very collectible.

The Bond Strap.

In Dr. No and From Russia With Love, Connery wears his Submariner on a crocodile or perhaps alligator strap; if you look at close-ups of the strap, you'll see striations consistent with a crocodile or alligator skin. However, by Goldfinger and later Thunderball, Connery sports his Submariner on an 18mm black cloth NATO/MOD type strap with twin grey service stripes. So, why the change? Although this is conjecture on my part, it is possible that the producers became aware of the early military Submariner that was available to the Royal and Canadian Navies. By extension, I believe the nylon strap was chosen to give the on-screen Bond a military bearing, especially to those in the know.

The early military Submariner was differently optioned than civilian Submariners and was, among other things, fitted with fixed bars between the lugs instead of spring bars to accommodate a cloth NATO/MOD type grey strap. The reasons for such straps were that they were anti-reflective, and easily cut off, if necessary. For this reason some have speculated that the Submariner that Connery wears in Goldfinger and Thunderball was an early military Submariner, however I don't believe that is true. When you look at close-ups of Connery's Submariner, you can clearly see that the strap is attached with spring bars between 20mm lugs as evidenced by holes in the lugs. A military Submariner would have filled lug holes.

George Lazenby, Roger Moore and the Rolex 5513 Submariner

In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, George Lazenby dons a Rolex Submariner 5513. It has been written that Lazenby wanted the part of Bond so bad that he went out and bought his own Rolex and got one of Connery's suits from Anthony Sinclair. It's quite possible that the watch Lazenby wore in his first outing as Bond was his own purchase. The Lazeby Submariner had crown guards, and a metal riveted bracelet.

In Roger Moore's first and second outings as Bond, he wears a 5513 Rolex Submariner. Unlike Lazenby's Submariner, Moore's Rolex is seen in more detail, at least in Live and Let Die. In this instance the dial has white printing and inducer's. It should be noted however that the depth rating on Moore's Submariner is shown above the word Submariner on the lower part of the dial rather than below it. The depth also appears as 660ft=200m rather than 200m=660ft. This is important because 5513's are available with the alternate dial printing as described. The reason for these differences had to do with the regions for which the Submariners were made and the years in which they were produced.

Moore's Submariner also had a bezel with a saw tooth edge. The original bezel was re-cut to accommodate the watch, with a little movie magic, functioning as a saw. The hyper-intensified magnet function of the watch was shown to be activated when the watch induces turned red. Separate 5513 Submariners were re-worked by the prop department to accommodate these functions. When Moore returned in The Man With The Golden Gun he was again seen wearing a 5513, however the watch had no special function used in the movie and is easily missed. Moore began sporting Seiko's in all subsequent outings as Bond probably because of a better endorsement deal on the part of Seiko.

Movements of the Rolex 5513

The movement in the 5513 Submariner is either the 1530 or 1520. Again, the type of movement is dependant on where and when they were made. The 1520 was the less expensive version having fewer jewels. As I said before, the 15XX series of movements are considered some of the best movements that Rolex ever used. For this reason, the 5513 is probably one of the best vintage Submariners for everyday wear.

Timothy Dalton and the Rolex 16800/168000 Submariner

When Timothy Dalton assumed the role of James Bond he was wearing a Rolex Submariner with a date function, the first Bond ever to do so and also the last Bond to date to wear a Rolex. Because of the time frame when Dalton made his Bond movies, it is likely that Dalton wore the 16800 and later perhaps the 168000 Submariner.

From what I've been able to ascertain, the only difference between these two models is the upgrade in stainless steel from 316 L to 904 grade SS,and crystal.

[Old Expat Beast]

"Moore began sporting Seiko's in all subsequent outings as Bond probably because of a better endorsement deal on the part of Seiko."

Possibly, although he wore a Seiko Golden Tuna 7549-7009 (with the best depth rating of any James Bond dive watch) both in For Your Eyes Only and in North Sea Hijack, suggesting that he actually owned one of those, rather than being paid to wear it.

Also, as far as I know, Bond the movie character has worn more Seiko models than any other brand.

[Goose 104]

Pretty sure it was a Zulu strap not a NATO (which didn't come in until 1973)

[foxytimes]

Thanks Padi for your detailed insights which add to the Rolex myth.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Goose 104

Pretty sure it was a Zulu strap not a NATO (which didn't come in until 1973)

I think you'll find it was an RAF strap.

[joli160]

Thank you PADI, excellent history lesson once more

[HL65]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

I think you'll find it was an RAF strap.

Correct as I had very similar one on my 6538 Big Crown.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

I think you'll find it was an RAF strap.

Possible but IMHO it was based on the English Admiralty Royal and Canadian Navy.


,

[White Collar Boy]

This is a fun and informative thread. Great post Peter. Would love to read more longform posts from you like that, that was terrific.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by White Collar Boy

This is a fun and informative thread. Great post Peter. Would love to read more longform posts from you like that, that was terrific.

Afraid history and Rolex knowledge takes second place on forum now, today its all about $$££€€ investment, alignment points, if I buy this or that etc.

[HogwldFLTR]

https://manofmany.com/fashion/watche...s-bond-watches

From the above link...for photos see the link.

A Complete List of All James Bond 007 Watches


Rolex Submariner 6538
1. Dr. No – Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538
Film: Dr. No
Year of Release: 1962
Actor who played James Bond: Sean Connery
Other notable watches: Gruen Precision 510


The connection between James Bond and Rolex dates all the way back to Ian Fleming’s original novel, “Casino Royale,” in which the famous spy rocks the equally famous brand. Fleming took direct cues from his own personal passions, as he was often seen with a Rolex Explorer Reference 1016 around his wrist.

According to legend, actor Sean Connery—who was the first to portray Bond—was also a devoted Rolex enthusiast. It’s actually been reported that the Rolex Submariner worn by Connery in the inaugural Bond film came straight out of his own collection. Affixed to a leather strap, it marked the stylish debut of what would eventually become an iconic relationship.

In Dr. No’s opening scene, Bond is seen wearing the soon to be notorious Gruen Precision 510. The watch can barely be seen under the shirt cuff, and while it’s a more suitable addition to a tuxedo than a divers piece, this watch left many fans in the dark for years. It wasn’t until famous Bond watch researcher Dell Deaton identified the watch as a Gruen Precision 510, 40 years after it first appeared on screen, that we could confirm its reference.


2. From Russia with Love – Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538
Film: From Russia with Love
Year of Release: 1963
Actor who played James Bond: Sean Connery

A new Bond film meant new enemies and new adventures, but for Sean Connery, it also meant the return of his premium Rolex Submariner. Since Q had yet to convert James Bond’s watches into clever weapons, this one showed just the time on its signature dial face. Eventually, watches would become an integral part of 007 lore and not just for stylish purposes.



3. Goldfinger – Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538
Film: Goldfinger
Year of Release: 1964
Actor who played James Bond: Sean Connery

As the saying goes: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. By the third 007 film, the swanky spy wasn’t broke and neither was his trusty Rolex Submariner. When Bond rolls up his tuxedo sleeve to present the watch in its full glory, a legendary partnership was cemented once and for all. In lieu of leather, the Submariner was now affixed to a slim fabric strap. Meanwhile, infamous Bond girl Pussy Galore (yes, that’s her actual name—Google it with caution) sports the Rolex GMT Master Reference 6542, a classic aviation watch if there ever was one.


4. Thunderball – Breitling Top Time
Film: Thunderball
Year of Release: 1965
Actor who played James Bond: Sean Connery
Other watches worn: Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538, Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806

James Bond is back and so is his trusty Submariner in this fourth franchise instalment. However, Q Branch also has a new toy for 007 to play with: a modified Breitling Top Time Chronograph that doubles as a Geiger counter. Can you guess as to whether Bond needs to use the extra function at some point in the film? We bet you can. Fun fact: the same Breitling watch made its way to an English flea market in 2013, where it was purchased for a mere £25. The owner then turned around and resold the watch for over £100,000 at auction. Cha-ching!



5. Casino Royale (1967) – Rolex GMT Master
Film: Casino Royale
Year of Release: 1967
Actor who played James Bond: David Niven

We’d be inclined to exclude this poorly-aged parody from the list, were it not for the fact that David Niven’s Bond can be seen wearing a Rolex GMT Master. Between that and Fleming’s original book, some might say that Rolex is the true “Casino Royale” watch, though Omega probably begs to differ.


6. You Only Live Twice – Gruen Precision 510
Film: You Only Live Twice
Year of Release: 1967
Actor who played James Bond: Sean Connery

The jury’s still out as to what Bond wears around his wrist in this 1967 instalment, which pits him and Japanese ninjas against SPECTRE and supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Most folks suspect it was probably a gold Gruen watch straight out of Connery’s personal collection. The Gruen Watch Company was a historic brand that disappeared in 1977 and then came back to life under new ownership in 2000.



7. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – Rolex Chronograph Ref. 6238
Film: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Year of Release: 1969
Actor who played James Bond: George Lazenby
Other Watches Worn: Rolex Submariner Ref. 5513 & Rolex Submariner Ref. 6358

For his one and only stint as Agent 007, Australia’s own George Lazenby wore three different Rolex Submariners. First up was the Reference 5513 on a bracelet of iconic Oystersteel. Then during a break-in scene, Bond places a Reference 6358 with an unscrewed crown on top of a copy machine. Later in the film, he’s seen wearing a Reference 6238. Here’s hoping the actor got to keep at least one, if not all, of those seminal models.

Gruen Precision 510
8. Diamonds Are Forever – Gruen Precision 510
Film: Diamonds Are Forever
Year of Release: 1971
Actor who played James Bond: Sean Connery

Sean Connery was back as Bond for the franchise’s seventh instalment, which featured no shortage of spectacle and seduction. While a wristwatch does appear during one scene, it’s almost impossible to make out the exact model. Most folks agree it was likely the same gold Gruen watch Connery debuted in the original film Dr. No.



9. Live and Let Die – Rolex Submariner Ref. 5513 & Pulsar LED digital watch
Film: Live and Let Die
Year of Release: 1973
Actor who played James Bond: Roger Moore

Roger Moore’s debut as Agent 007 introduced a new era for the franchise itself. It also brought back the classic Rolex Submariner, but with a now-iconic twist. Thanks to some handiwork by Q and his team, the watch additionally functioned as both a circular-saw and a magnet, predictably helping Bond out of a jam or two.


During the film’s opening sequence, meanwhile, the superspy wears a Pulsar LED digital watch from Hamilton Watch Company. To say it was a good PR move for the nascent quartz watch industry would be putting it mildly.



10. The Man with the Golden Gun – Rolex Submariner Ref. 5513
Film: The Man with the Golden Gun
Year of Release: 1974
Actor who played James Bond: Roger Moore

If the words “James Bond Rolex” went by any other name, that name would be Rolex Submariner. The model appears once again in “The Man with the Golden Gun,” albeit minus any tricks or gadgets. It nevertheless makes for one stylish statement.


11. The Spy Who Loved Me – Seiko 0674 LC
Film: The Spy Who Loved Me
Year of Release: 1977
Actor who played James Bond: Roger Moore
Other Watches Worn: Rolex GMT Master

Digital watches were on the rise by the mid to late 1970s and the Bond franchise was duly keeping pace. Not only does Agent 007 wear a rectangular Seiko 0674 LC in this popular film, but the watch prints out tiny little messages from a fellow superspy. Keeping the analog spirit alive is a Rolex GMT Master, which Bond uses for timekeeping.


12. Moonraker – Seiko M354 Memory Bank Calendar
Film: Moonraker
Year of Release: 1979
Actor who played James Bond: Roger Moore

It’s no surprise that James Bond went all-digital for this outlandish, space-themed instalment. On the back of his fancy new Seiko M354 Memory Bank Calendar is an explosive charge, which plays a big role toward the finale. Kaboom!


13. For Your Eyes Only – Seiko 7549-7009 & Seiko H357 Duo Display
Film: For Your Eyes Only
Year of Release: 1981
Actor who played James Bond: Roger Moore

The thirteenth Bond film features not one, but two Seiko watches. One is a 7549-7009 while the other is an H357 with both analog and digital display. Like an early forerunner to the smartwatch, the H357 Duo Display delivers text-like messages and contains a built-in microphone.


14. Octopussy – Seiko G757 Sports 100
Film: Octopussy
Year of Release: 1983
Actor who played James Bond: Roger Moore
Other Watches Worn: Seiko TV Watch

Along with a scandalous film title came a new Seiko watch, complete with extra perks from Q Branch. Among those extra perks was the ability to follow a tracking device by way of a digital red dot on the screen. Even without the fantasy features, the Seiko G757 Sports 100 was an impressively functional digital chronograph in its own right.


15. Never Say Again – Unknown Watch
Film: Never Say Never Again
Year of Release: 1983
Actor who played James Bond: Sean Connery

Sean Connery reprised the role of Bond for one last time and then indeed said never again. As memorable (or unmemorable) Connery’s return may have been, there was no detectable watch to mark the occasion. Bummer.


16. A View to a Kill – Seiko 6923-8080 SPD09
Film: A View to a Kill
Year of Release: 1985
Actor who played James Bond: Roger Moore
Other Watches Worn: Seiko SPR007 7A28-7020; Seiko H558-500 SPW001; Rolex Datejust

For his final appearance as British superspy James Bond, actor Roger Moore rocks no less than four watches. That includes the Seiko SPR007 7A28-7020, a quartz chronograph with a white dial. Also making brief appearances are a Seiko H558-500 SPW001 dive watch and a two-tone Seiko 6923-8080 SPD09. Last but not least, Bond is wearing a Rolex Datejust when he discovers that his driver has been killed.


17. The Living Daylights – TAG Heuer Professional Night-Dive Reference 980.031
Film: The Living Daylights
Year of Release: 1987
Actor who played James Bond: Timothy Dalton

Timothy Dalton beat out Pierce Brosnan when landing the role of James Bond in 1987, bringing a harder and less humourous edge to the franchise. Kissing Seiko goodbye, Bond came strapped with a TAG Heuer Professional Night-Dive Reference 980.031 quartz dive watch. The piece’s luminous dial contrasted nicely with its black case and bracelet.


18. Licence to Kill – Rolex Submariner Ref. 16610
Film: Licence to Kill
Year of Release: 1989
Actor who played James Bond: Timothy Dalton

Dalton’s second and final performance as James Bond brought Swiss legend Rolex back into the fold for one last adventure. Honouring an iconic tradition, Agent 007 equips himself with a trusty Rolex Submariner (most likely a Reference 16610). After that, it was goodbye to Dalton and Rolex alike.


19. Goldeneye – Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2541.80
Film: Goldeneye
Year of Release: 1995
Actor who played James Bond: Pierce Brosnan

The James Bond franchise came roaring back to life in the mid-90s, with Irish actor Pierce Brosnan tackling the lead role. Thanks to his sharp looks and sly demeanour, Brosnan made for a truly sound and reliable choice. Representing more than one debut, 1995’s “Goldeneye” also introduced Omega as the franchise’s official watch partner. Enter the “Goldeneye” watch, i.e. an Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2541.80 quartz dive watch. True to form, it was tricked out by the Q Branch, touting a laser in the bezel and built-in detonator.


20. Tomorrow Never Dies – Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2531.80
Film: Tomorrow Never Dies
Year of Release: 1997
Actor who played James Bond: Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan returned and so did Omega for this 1997 instalment, which pitted Bond against a power-hungry media mogul. The watch of choice was an automatic chronometer version of the beloved Seamaster, which could remotely detonate a hand grenade (thanks, Q!).


21. The World is Not Enough – Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2531.80
Film: The World is Not Enough
Year of Release: 1999
Actor who played James Bond: Pierce Brosnan

They say repetition is key to marketing and who was Omega to reinvent the wheel? As such, Brosnan wore the same Omega Seamaster in this film as he did in the previous one. However, the watch did feature new gadgetry, doubling as both an ultra-powerful light source and a quick-action grappling hook.


22. Die Another Day – Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2531.80
Film: Die Another Day
Year of Release: 2002
Actor who played James Bond: Pierce Brosnan

Presuming you can get a bikini-clad Halle Berry off the mind, you’ll notice that the Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2531.80 is back for Brosnan’s final Bond film. Harkening upon its gadget-infused predecessor—aka the tricked-out “Goldeneye” watch—this one features both a built-in laser and detonator.


23. Casino Royale – Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Ref. 2220.80.00
Film: Casino Royale
Year of Release: 2006
Actor who played James Bond: Daniel Craig
Other Watches Worn: Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ref. 2900.50.91

By 2006, there was a new Bond in town and a new actor to portray him. That actor was the uber-serious Daniel Craig, who kicked things off by taking us back to where the whole saga began. Marking the occasion was not one, but two “Casino Royale” watches. The first was a Seamaster Planet Ocean, which Bond wears during the opening sequence. For the remainder of the film, he’s rocking an automatic Seamaster with co-axial escapement.


24. Quantum of Solace – Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ref. 2201.50.00
Film: Quantum of Solace
Year of Release: 2008
Actor who played James Bond: Daniel Craig

Widely considered a disappointment, 2008’s “Quantum of Solace” features brief glimpses of an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean with a stainless steel bracelet. Between its water resistance to 600m and Bond’s plunges into the deep sea, you’d think the watch would get more screen time. On the other hand, that’s just one among a legion of things the movie could’ve done differently.


25. Skyfall – Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ref. 232.30.42.21.01.001
Film: Skyfall
Year of Release: 2012
Actor who played James Bond: Daniel Craig
Other Watches Worn: Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ref. 231.10.39.21.03.003

Two different Omega Seamasters appear in “Skyfall,” one of the franchise’s highest-rated outings. During the opening scenes, Bond sports a Planet Ocean 600M with a unique case of titanium. Fun fact: that same watch later sold for just under 200,000 Euros at Christie’s “50 Years of Bond” auction. The other model was an Aqua Terra with a stunning blue dial and stainless steel bracelet.


26. Spectre – Omega Seamaster 300 Ref. 233.32.31.41.21.01.001
Film: Spectre
Year of Release: 2015
Actor who played James Bond: Daniel Craig
Other Watches Worn: Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ref. 231.10.42.221.03.001

Courtesy of Q Branch, Daniel Craig gets his first tricked-out Omega Seamaster 300 in 2015’s “Spectre.” Designed exclusively for the film, the watch features a NATO strap and comes equipped with explosive capabilities. Bond also wears an Aqua Terra model with a black dial earlier in the film, but it’s the Seamaster that remains synonymous with this particular instalment. To prove as much, Omega released a Limited Edition “Spectre” Seamaster 300 for purchase. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on who you ask), this one doesn’t double as an explosive device.

[Jpccarguy]

Thanks to all of you who provided expertise & enlightenment to those of us still learning about the history of Rolex.

Another thread that shows why I love TRF!

[scooba]

Originally Posted by padi56

Although the cinematic different James Bonds have worn Rolex, Omega,and Seiko watches,to many the choice of which watch Bond wears can only come form his origins. Undoubtedly, the origins of James Bond lie with Ian Fleming and Bond's earliest incarnation in the cinema today.

No one knows exactly why Ian Fleming chose a Rolex for the wrist of James Bond. Perhaps Fleming was impressed by the fact that during World War II, British prisoners of war could write to Rolex and receive a watch free of charge delivered directly to their prison camp. Perhaps it was for Rolex's legendary toughness and dependability, or perhaps it was because Fleming wore a Rolex himself. Whatever the reason, Ian Fleming chose a Rolex for his most famous gentleman spy with a license to kill and as such should be considered the main brand of the James Bond watch.

But just what model of Rolex Fleming chose for his spy, he never makes quite clear. Like his clothing choices for Bond, Fleming is vague about the model of Rolex that Bond wears. One of the few references Fleming gives can be found in Chapter 16 of On Her Majesty's Secret Service when Bond prepares to use his Rolex as a knuckle duster: When Bond was brought to the large screen however, the producers clearly had to pick their own model.

According to the book James Bond the Legacy Bond would not just drink champagne, it would be Dom Perignon, and "he could not just wear a watch, it needed to be a Rolex".Now when Rolex declined to provide one of their watches for the production of the film And the budget did not allow for the purchase of one, Cubby Broccoli took his off his wrist and gave it to a member of the art department for use in the film. That Rolex was a Submariner with a very large crown, no crown guards, a coin edge bezel and on a black leather strap.

Many vintage Rolex collectors call all early Submariners without crown guards the James Bond Submariner, while others in the watch collecting field believe, that the watch Connery wore in Dr. No was the Rolex Submariner model 6538. Still other collectors believe that the Submariner Connery wore was more than likely one of four models they are the 6200, 6538A, thick cased 6538 and the 5510. Now IMHO I believe that it is impossible to nail it down to one of the four models, and I'll get into the specifics later.

All four models share the same thick case, a large crown marked Brevet (from the French word Brevette meaning patented), a coin edge non ratcheted bezel, an acrylic crystal, a depth rating of 200m/660ft and Mercedes hands. I should add that only the "thick cased" shoulder-less Submariners had the large winding crown. now, it should also be noted that the 6538 existed first as a thin cased model with a small crown. It became a thick cased model as the 6538A and was available alongside the 6200.

Once the thin cased versions were gone, the 6538A became the 6538 remaining the same until it and the 6200 were replaced by the 5510,well thats Rolex for you confusing as ever.. Since Sean Connery as James Bond only wore the thick cased Submariner (evident by the large crown), none of the thin cased, small crown so called James Bond Submariners without crown guards will be discussed.

IMO the only proper Sean Connery James Bond Submariner

Is one of the thick cased Submariners with the large crown first appeared on Connery's wrist in Dr. No, From Russia With love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball. It is assumed that Connery also wore this watch in You Only Live Twice, but I don't recall seeing it in that movie and to my knowledge it is not in the movie. If someone can direct me to a scene that shows otherwise, I'll happily revise this. By analysing close ups of the Connery Submariner, it is clear that the watch has the big crown with no crown guard,and has a gilt dial , and has Mercedes hands. The bezel insert is the non-graduated version, meaning there are no extra minute markings between 0 and 15 and the bezel pearl is in the centre of a silver triangle. Later versions of the Submariner had the extra minute markings between the 0 and 15 including the ones without crown guards. These observations are important because the watch has characteristics of a 6200, a 6538A, a thick cased 6538 or even a 5510 (depending on whether you discern the depth rating of Connery's watch as white or gilt) despite what so called experts say about it being only a 6538.

To me the proper Bond Submariner, has always had contradictory characteristics with respect to the exact model. In fact I have never seen another untouched version exactly like it. Firstly, the non-graduated bezel insert is that of the earliest thick cased, large crown Submariners, the 6200. However, on the mid 50's version of 6200, there is only one line of printing on the lower part of the dial, the word "SUBMARINER" in gilt, because although it was rated to a depth of 200m/660ft it did not yet appear on the dial.

The late 50's 6200, 6538A and 6538 did have the two lines of printing on the lower part of the dial (chronometer versions of the 6538A and thick cased 6538 had 4 lines) and the depth rating was printed in white while the word "SUBMARINER" was in gilt. As Now On the 5510, late 50's models had both the depth rating and the word "SUBMARINER" in the same colour, gilt. To further make things even harder, the late 50's 6200, 6538A, 6538 and 5510 had graduated bezel inserts, and the triangle containing the luminous pearl was red. As I said before, the Connery Submariner has a non-graduated bezel insert and the triangle containing the pearl was silver.

So what does all that mean, probably not much. The fact of the matter is that at this time Rolex often used up older parts even when they went to a new model. So it would be entirely possible to have 6538A with a 6200 bezel insert. Also, it's quite possible that a 6538 or 5510 could have been serviced during its ownership by a service centre having older parts which means that a 6538 or a 5510 might end up having a 6200 bezel insert.

So unless the Broccoli family, who are rumoured to have the original watch, furnishes the exact model number, we may never know the exact model number of the Connery Bond Submariner. However with the wealth of parts available, it is possible to achieve the same look using the 6200, 6538A, thick cased 6538 or the 5510 Submariner because they all share the same case and big Brevet crown. But, be warned, some collectors and myself hate to restore or change watches. And IMHO its better to have an original beat up watch, than a pristine restored one. Luckily, there is a building trend now toward gentle restoration.

Movements in the Different Models

The 6200, 6538A, 6538 and the 5510 all had different movements. The 6200 had the A296, while the 6538A and thick cased 6538 had the 1030. The movement in the 5510 was the 1530 (although some military versions had the 1520 movement).Rolex at this time done
a lot of strange things,and used any part movement to make a complete watch.

The 1530 and 1520 movement are the same movements used in the later 5513 Submariners of Lazenby and Moore fame. The 15XX series of movements are considered among the best Rolex ever made, so the 5510 with the old style case coupled with the newer movement make it the most wearable of the Connery Bond Submariners, however it was made in very low numbers and is considered quite rare,and now very collectible.

The Bond Strap.

In Dr. No and From Russia With Love, Connery wears his Submariner on a crocodile or perhaps alligator strap; if you look at close-ups of the strap, you'll see striations consistent with a crocodile or alligator skin. However, by Goldfinger and later Thunderball, Connery sports his Submariner on an 18mm black cloth NATO/MOD type strap with twin grey service stripes. So, why the change? Although this is conjecture on my part, it is possible that the producers became aware of the early military Submariner that was available to the Royal and Canadian Navies. By extension, I believe the nylon strap was chosen to give the on-screen Bond a military bearing, especially to those in the know.

The early military Submariner was differently optioned than civilian Submariners and was, among other things, fitted with fixed bars between the lugs instead of spring bars to accommodate a cloth NATO/MOD type grey strap. The reasons for such straps were that they were anti-reflective, and easily cut off, if necessary. For this reason some have speculated that the Submariner that Connery wears in Goldfinger and Thunderball was an early military Submariner, however I don't believe that is true. When you look at close-ups of Connery's Submariner, you can clearly see that the strap is attached with spring bars between 20mm lugs as evidenced by holes in the lugs. A military Submariner would have filled lug holes.

George Lazenby, Roger Moore and the Rolex 5513 Submariner

In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, George Lazenby dons a Rolex Submariner 5513. It has been written that Lazenby wanted the part of Bond so bad that he went out and bought his own Rolex and got one of Connery's suits from Anthony Sinclair. It's quite possible that the watch Lazenby wore in his first outing as Bond was his own purchase. The Lazeby Submariner had crown guards, and a metal riveted bracelet.

In Roger Moore's first and second outings as Bond, he wears a 5513 Rolex Submariner. Unlike Lazenby's Submariner, Moore's Rolex is seen in more detail, at least in Live and Let Die. In this instance the dial has white printing and inducer's. It should be noted however that the depth rating on Moore's Submariner is shown above the word Submariner on the lower part of the dial rather than below it. The depth also appears as 660ft=200m rather than 200m=660ft. This is important because 5513's are available with the alternate dial printing as described. The reason for these differences had to do with the regions for which the Submariners were made and the years in which they were produced.

Moore's Submariner also had a bezel with a saw tooth edge. The original bezel was re-cut to accommodate the watch, with a little movie magic, functioning as a saw. The hyper-intensified magnet function of the watch was shown to be activated when the watch induces turned red. Separate 5513 Submariners were re-worked by the prop department to accommodate these functions. When Moore returned in The Man With The Golden Gun he was again seen wearing a 5513, however the watch had no special function used in the movie and is easily missed. Moore began sporting Seiko's in all subsequent outings as Bond probably because of a better endorsement deal on the part of Seiko.

Movements of the Rolex 5513

The movement in the 5513 Submariner is either the 1530 or 1520. Again, the type of movement is dependant on where and when they were made. The 1520 was the less expensive version having fewer jewels. As I said before, the 15XX series of movements are considered some of the best movements that Rolex ever used. For this reason, the 5513 is probably one of the best vintage Submariners for everyday wear.

Timothy Dalton and the Rolex 16800/168000 Submariner

When Timothy Dalton assumed the role of James Bond he was wearing a Rolex Submariner with a date function, the first Bond ever to do so and also the last Bond to date to wear a Rolex. Because of the time frame when Dalton made his Bond movies, it is likely that Dalton wore the 16800 and later perhaps the 168000 Submariner.

From what I've been able to ascertain, the only difference between these two models is the upgrade in stainless steel from 316 L to 904 grade SS,and crystal.

What a wonderful post, Thank you Peter

[Tools]

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=60770

[Madprofx]

Thank you Padi that was the most fascinating read - thoroughly enjoyed it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Case61]

Here's a shot of the tasteful Gruen Precision Connery wore as his personal watch (noted by HogwldFLTR above) in the iconic fight scene with Odd Job.

[crazycarlitos]

Originally Posted by padi56

Afraid history and Rolex knowledge takes second place on forum now, today its all about $$££€€ investment, alignment points, if I buy this or that etc.

Ain’t that the truth.

Thanks for taking the time out to post re: bond and his watch

Ur one post was more informative than 100s of useless threads I read last year

[Roddypeepa]

Originally Posted by padi56

Although the cinematic different James Bonds have worn Rolex, Omega,and Seiko watches,to many the choice of which watch Bond wears can only come form his origins. Undoubtedly, the origins of James Bond lie with Ian Fleming and Bond's earliest incarnation in the cinema today.

No one knows exactly why Ian Fleming chose a Rolex for the wrist of James Bond. Perhaps Fleming was impressed by the fact that during World War II, British prisoners of war could write to Rolex and receive a watch free of charge delivered directly to their prison camp. Perhaps it was for Rolex's legendary toughness and dependability, or perhaps it was because Fleming wore a Rolex himself. Whatever the reason, Ian Fleming chose a Rolex for his most famous gentleman spy with a license to kill and as such should be considered the main brand of the James Bond watch.

But just what model of Rolex Fleming chose for his spy, he never makes quite clear. Like his clothing choices for Bond, Fleming is vague about the model of Rolex that Bond wears. One of the few references Fleming gives can be found in Chapter 16 of On Her Majesty's Secret Service when Bond prepares to use his Rolex as a knuckle duster: When Bond was brought to the large screen however, the producers clearly had to pick their own model.

According to the book James Bond the Legacy Bond would not just drink champagne, it would be Dom Perignon, and "he could not just wear a watch, it needed to be a Rolex".Now when Rolex declined to provide one of their watches for the production of the film And the budget did not allow for the purchase of one, Cubby Broccoli took his off his wrist and gave it to a member of the art department for use in the film. That Rolex was a Submariner with a very large crown, no crown guards, a coin edge bezel and on a black leather strap.

Many vintage Rolex collectors call all early Submariners without crown guards the James Bond Submariner, while others in the watch collecting field believe, that the watch Connery wore in Dr. No was the Rolex Submariner model 6538. Still other collectors believe that the Submariner Connery wore was more than likely one of four models they are the 6200, 6538A, thick cased 6538 and the 5510. Now IMHO I believe that it is impossible to nail it down to one of the four models, and I'll get into the specifics later.

All four models share the same thick case, a large crown marked Brevet (from the French word Brevette meaning patented), a coin edge non ratcheted bezel, an acrylic crystal, a depth rating of 200m/660ft and Mercedes hands. I should add that only the "thick cased" shoulder-less Submariners had the large winding crown. now, it should also be noted that the 6538 existed first as a thin cased model with a small crown. It became a thick cased model as the 6538A and was available alongside the 6200.

Once the thin cased versions were gone, the 6538A became the 6538 remaining the same until it and the 6200 were replaced by the 5510,well thats Rolex for you confusing as ever.. Since Sean Connery as James Bond only wore the thick cased Submariner (evident by the large crown), none of the thin cased, small crown so called James Bond Submariners without crown guards will be discussed.

IMO the only proper Sean Connery James Bond Submariner

Is one of the thick cased Submariners with the large crown first appeared on Connery's wrist in Dr. No, From Russia With love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball. It is assumed that Connery also wore this watch in You Only Live Twice, but I don't recall seeing it in that movie and to my knowledge it is not in the movie. If someone can direct me to a scene that shows otherwise, I'll happily revise this. By analysing close ups of the Connery Submariner, it is clear that the watch has the big crown with no crown guard,and has a gilt dial , and has Mercedes hands. The bezel insert is the non-graduated version, meaning there are no extra minute markings between 0 and 15 and the bezel pearl is in the centre of a silver triangle. Later versions of the Submariner had the extra minute markings between the 0 and 15 including the ones without crown guards. These observations are important because the watch has characteristics of a 6200, a 6538A, a thick cased 6538 or even a 5510 (depending on whether you discern the depth rating of Connery's watch as white or gilt) despite what so called experts say about it being only a 6538.

To me the proper Bond Submariner, has always had contradictory characteristics with respect to the exact model. In fact I have never seen another untouched version exactly like it. Firstly, the non-graduated bezel insert is that of the earliest thick cased, large crown Submariners, the 6200. However, on the mid 50's version of 6200, there is only one line of printing on the lower part of the dial, the word "SUBMARINER" in gilt, because although it was rated to a depth of 200m/660ft it did not yet appear on the dial.

The late 50's 6200, 6538A and 6538 did have the two lines of printing on the lower part of the dial (chronometer versions of the 6538A and thick cased 6538 had 4 lines) and the depth rating was printed in white while the word "SUBMARINER" was in gilt. As Now On the 5510, late 50's models had both the depth rating and the word "SUBMARINER" in the same colour, gilt. To further make things even harder, the late 50's 6200, 6538A, 6538 and 5510 had graduated bezel inserts, and the triangle containing the luminous pearl was red. As I said before, the Connery Submariner has a non-graduated bezel insert and the triangle containing the pearl was silver.

So what does all that mean, probably not much. The fact of the matter is that at this time Rolex often used up older parts even when they went to a new model. So it would be entirely possible to have 6538A with a 6200 bezel insert. Also, it's quite possible that a 6538 or 5510 could have been serviced during its ownership by a service centre having older parts which means that a 6538 or a 5510 might end up having a 6200 bezel insert.

So unless the Broccoli family, who are rumoured to have the original watch, furnishes the exact model number, we may never know the exact model number of the Connery Bond Submariner. However with the wealth of parts available, it is possible to achieve the same look using the 6200, 6538A, thick cased 6538 or the 5510 Submariner because they all share the same case and big Brevet crown. But, be warned, some collectors and myself hate to restore or change watches. And IMHO its better to have an original beat up watch, than a pristine restored one. Luckily, there is a building trend now toward gentle restoration.

Movements in the Different Models

The 6200, 6538A, 6538 and the 5510 all had different movements. The 6200 had the A296, while the 6538A and thick cased 6538 had the 1030. The movement in the 5510 was the 1530 (although some military versions had the 1520 movement).Rolex at this time done
a lot of strange things,and used any part movement to make a complete watch.

The 1530 and 1520 movement are the same movements used in the later 5513 Submariners of Lazenby and Moore fame. The 15XX series of movements are considered among the best Rolex ever made, so the 5510 with the old style case coupled with the newer movement make it the most wearable of the Connery Bond Submariners, however it was made in very low numbers and is considered quite rare,and now very collectible.

The Bond Strap.

In Dr. No and From Russia With Love, Connery wears his Submariner on a crocodile or perhaps alligator strap; if you look at close-ups of the strap, you'll see striations consistent with a crocodile or alligator skin. However, by Goldfinger and later Thunderball, Connery sports his Submariner on an 18mm black cloth NATO/MOD type strap with twin grey service stripes. So, why the change? Although this is conjecture on my part, it is possible that the producers became aware of the early military Submariner that was available to the Royal and Canadian Navies. By extension, I believe the nylon strap was chosen to give the on-screen Bond a military bearing, especially to those in the know.

The early military Submariner was differently optioned than civilian Submariners and was, among other things, fitted with fixed bars between the lugs instead of spring bars to accommodate a cloth NATO/MOD type grey strap. The reasons for such straps were that they were anti-reflective, and easily cut off, if necessary. For this reason some have speculated that the Submariner that Connery wears in Goldfinger and Thunderball was an early military Submariner, however I don't believe that is true. When you look at close-ups of Connery's Submariner, you can clearly see that the strap is attached with spring bars between 20mm lugs as evidenced by holes in the lugs. A military Submariner would have filled lug holes.

George Lazenby, Roger Moore and the Rolex 5513 Submariner

In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, George Lazenby dons a Rolex Submariner 5513. It has been written that Lazenby wanted the part of Bond so bad that he went out and bought his own Rolex and got one of Connery's suits from Anthony Sinclair. It's quite possible that the watch Lazenby wore in his first outing as Bond was his own purchase. The Lazeby Submariner had crown guards, and a metal riveted bracelet.

In Roger Moore's first and second outings as Bond, he wears a 5513 Rolex Submariner. Unlike Lazenby's Submariner, Moore's Rolex is seen in more detail, at least in Live and Let Die. In this instance the dial has white printing and inducer's. It should be noted however that the depth rating on Moore's Submariner is shown above the word Submariner on the lower part of the dial rather than below it. The depth also appears as 660ft=200m rather than 200m=660ft. This is important because 5513's are available with the alternate dial printing as described. The reason for these differences had to do with the regions for which the Submariners were made and the years in which they were produced.

Moore's Submariner also had a bezel with a saw tooth edge. The original bezel was re-cut to accommodate the watch, with a little movie magic, functioning as a saw. The hyper-intensified magnet function of the watch was shown to be activated when the watch induces turned red. Separate 5513 Submariners were re-worked by the prop department to accommodate these functions. When Moore returned in The Man With The Golden Gun he was again seen wearing a 5513, however the watch had no special function used in the movie and is easily missed. Moore began sporting Seiko's in all subsequent outings as Bond probably because of a better endorsement deal on the part of Seiko.

Movements of the Rolex 5513

The movement in the 5513 Submariner is either the 1530 or 1520. Again, the type of movement is dependant on where and when they were made. The 1520 was the less expensive version having fewer jewels. As I said before, the 15XX series of movements are considered some of the best movements that Rolex ever used. For this reason, the 5513 is probably one of the best vintage Submariners for everyday wear.

Timothy Dalton and the Rolex 16800/168000 Submariner

When Timothy Dalton assumed the role of James Bond he was wearing a Rolex Submariner with a date function, the first Bond ever to do so and also the last Bond to date to wear a Rolex. Because of the time frame when Dalton made his Bond movies, it is likely that Dalton wore the 16800 and later perhaps the 168000 Submariner.

From what I've been able to ascertain, the only difference between these two models is the upgrade in stainless steel from 316 L to 904 grade SS,and crystal.

That has to be the most comprehensive answer ever. Well done, sir.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[inadeje]

Its was a 16mm black/red (burgundy) strap within sub 20mm springbars. It was not the later described james bond iteration of silver/black zulu that is erroneously called james bond today.

[HogwldFLTR]

Early version of James (Jimmy) Bond, Barry Nelson in 1954 quite a bit before Connery also the first non-European to play the role.

[jake]

Connery's strap in Goldfinger and Thunderball was NOT a NATO, nor a ZULU strap.

Sean wore a misfit 16mm Regimental stipe "Slip Through" strap, which is essentially constructed like a woven belt that simply slides down between the watch body and springbar, travels under the watch and comes back out between the opposite lug and springbar.

The Regimental Stripe strap he wore was tri-color with Navy Blue and Olive green stripes with fine burgundy stripes as seen in the photo here.

Cheers!

Jake :-)

[jaySL350]

Originally Posted by scooba

What a wonderful post, Thank you Peter

+1,,,
Thanks Peter

[toolr]

Thoroughly enjoyable read!

[ajas]

Such great post. Thank you very much

Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk

[Peter99]

Originally Posted by jake

Connery's strap in Goldfinger and Thunderball was NOT a NATO, nor a ZULU strap.

Sean wore a misfit 16mm Regimental stipe "Slip Through" strap, which is essentially constructed like a woven belt that simply slides down between the watch body and springbar, travels under the watch and comes back out between the opposite lug and springbar.

The Regimental Stripe strap he wore was tri-color with Navy Blue and Olive green stripes with fine burgundy stripes as seen in the photo here.

Cheers!

Jake :-)

The strap appears to show the colours of the Queens Royal Regiment 2nd of Foot formed 1661 to 1957 now known as the Princess Of Wales Royal Regiment.
The Red and Blue signifying a Royal Regiment and the Green the facings on the uniform, cuffs etc.