New Ian Fleming / James Bond watch display opened May 4, 2011

[delldeaton]

Columbia, PA-- As promised, here's my update on "what next?" after our "Bond Watches, James Bond Watches" exhibit closed at the National Watch & Clock Museum on Saturday, April 30, 2011.

As many of you know, those earliest discussions began in 2007, before the original literary James Bond watch owned by Ian Fleming had ever been publicly shown anywhere, let alone identified. The Ian Fleming Centenary followed, then my WatchTime and NAWCC Bulletin magazine articles and presentation at the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors conference in Grand Rapids.

And, um, oh, yeah: "Bond 23" was supposed to have started production somewhere in the timeframe of our exhibit run, with an eye toward 2011 release. That didn't happen, of course, due to the MGM financial mess.

On the other hand, the latest successor to the Ian Fleming novels, Carte Blanche, by Jeffery Deaver, was very much on track for release in the United Kingdom in May of 2011. And it just didn't seem right for the first literary 007 watch to step back from public view just a month before that. So I approached the Fleming family last December to see about "extending" the loan of their watch, and they happily agreed.

The special gallery where "Bond Watches" was being held had already been committed to the next exhibit. So I worked with Museum Director Noel Poirier and his staff to make arrangements for a dedicated "Ian Fleming's Own James Bond Watch" display as part of the main exhibit gallery. As I'll be showing you in future updates to this post, placement here is at the center of where the prestigious display of US Presidents' time pieces was held a few years back.

That's where the Ian Fleming Rolex 1016 Explorer will be when Carte Blanche is released later this month. And when Bond 23 starring Daniel Craig goes into production.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any more serious attention, eh?

As ongoing Guest Curator, I obviously have a bit more access to the watches and display than the general public. We've made arrangements for photography to be allowed here, but I'll be showing you all images (and video) taken "behind the scenes," as well as with case housings removed (heightened security measures well-in place throughout, just outside of camera view, of course).

More to come. Meantime: Enjoy!

[The Laird]

Hi,

I sent you an e-mail after reading your book. James Bond Watches.
I included a photo of the watch worn by Sean Connery in, Never Say Never Again.
Were you possibly able to identify it?
Many, many thanks.

Till next time...

The Laird

[delldeaton]

Originally Posted by The Laird

Hi,

I sent you an e-mail after reading your book. James Bond Watches.
I included a photo of the watch worn by Sean Connery in, Never Say Never Again.
Were you possibly able to identify it?
Many, many thanks.

Till next time...

The Laird

Send me a PM here on TRF and we can go from there. I don't recall any recent eMail on the watches you've mentioned (but, then, again, as you might imagine, it's been a very busy last few weeks).