Confirmed directly to me by Jeffery Deaver: James Bond's Carte Blanche Rolex is ...

[bondtoys]

Well, as I am the adressee, I'll be short:

1. I am not Donald Grant. Mr. Deaton knows me very well and I have no interest to bring out personal differences to TRF.

2. My contributions so far have been genuine and not "After a handful of posts to establish pseudo-credibility elsewhere".

3. I stand with what I have said before: The myth, that IF projected his personal 1016 into OHMSS and onto Bonds wrist is pure speculation.

4. Mr. Deaton fails to give detailed infos on his informations given by the Fleming family - however I doubt, that anybody from his family can today give detailled infos on his property back in the 50s and the thoughts, that went into the watches of Bonds choice.

5. I also want to point out, that I am not saying: " XX is the literaric Bond watch", I only give credible alternatives to this claim in favor to the 1016. I am not saying that it IS the Submariner.

Today is a sad day for TRF and I'll stay with this short reply for that reason.

[delldeaton]

Originally Posted by bondtoys.de

... I am not Donald Grant. Mr. Deaton knows me very well and I have no interest to bring out personal differences to TRF....

Your own post shows the facts to be otherwise (pulled from above):

Originally Posted by bondtoys.de

... For further less-biased opinions re. the literaric Bond Rolex have a look here:

Point made, nothing further needs to be said. Goodbye.

[Ed Rooney]

Wait, what happened to the Hamilton Pulsar? When I was a kid watching Live and Let Die THAT was the Bond watch to me.

[delldeaton]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

Wait, what happened to the Hamilton Pulsar? When I was a kid watching Live and Let Die THAT was the Bond watch to me.

Don't panic. It's still here:

As you can plainly see, when it comes to getting James Bond watches in priority, the good newspaper people of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (former home of Hamilton Watch Company, where the one and only US-made James Bond watch originated) have their priorities in order!

But now I've got to ask: What happened to Seiko? Have you had a falling out with them? It really seemed your dedication to seeing them return as "the" James Bond watch choice was unshakable.

[C. Davidson]

Having worn bigger watches while working out (Seamaster Pro, GMT IIC, PO 45mm), I have come to the conclusion that a smaller watch is better designed for use during highly physical activities. The Rolex Date (34mm) is the perfect size watch to have while running, biking, and for stopping international criminals.

I love the choice of the 34mm Date also because it is so counter trend to the bigger watches that abound in the market place today. Having a smaller diameter watch stands out more, if only because there are so many 40mm+ sized watches out there.

Personally, I like the white stick dial, though the black stick looks very smart.

Thanks to Dell as always, for continuing to enlighten me on the world of Bond watches.

[Mike B]

GREAT post Dell !!

Loved the picture of all of us at the Watch and Clock Museum !! You and your lovely wife did an OUTSTANDING job with the James Bond Watch exhibition, and it was truly an honor to meet you !!

I have complete trust that Dell knows 100% what he's talking about, when he references the Explorer as the "James Bond's watch". I have personally seen Mr. Flemings Explorer at the James Bond watch event, and ALL of the watches on display were truly breathtaking !!

Thanks again Dell for the personal tour !

Mike

[malnik]

I thought the Rolex Oyster Perpetual is kind of weak. Like a starter watch. After reading this thread, I want one!

[rodrob59]

While certainly not a Bond expert like many here the 34 mm Oyster perpetual seems an excellent choice and one that a man of Bond's size (6 feet,170 pounds) and nature would research and purchase. Unless it were issued, he would have wanted an accurate understated tool that would have served him well on and off the job and that he could have afforded to replace. Let's remember he spent almost all the rest of the money he'd received from this parents deaths on the Bentley. Besides, who could imagine James Bond in a Fossil?

[delldeaton]

... there's the 48.7mm Breitling for Bentley that James Bond wore significantly while under cover in Africa, later in the novel.

In keeping with the tradition of Geoffery Boothroyd and Ian Fleming, I met with Jeffery Deaver one week ago tonight, during his final US tour stop, in North Carolina, for Carte Blanche promotions. As described in more detail on my James Bond Watches Blog, I showed him a Breitling A2536513 with "Neptune Blue" dial on Speed bracelet as "closest match" to his Carte Blanche descriptions, based on a very extensive review of options.

He agreed, naming this "the" James Bond Breitling watch for Carte Blanche.

My contacts at Simon & Schuster had originally slotted me for 15 minutes one-on-one with Mr Deaver. This was primarily for a photo shoot, along with discussion of watches. That ended up going over half-an-hour. "James Bond" is not his first foray into horology, and his ad hoc knowledge of watches is incredible.

Designation of the 34mm Rolex was extremely well-thought-out, I'm happy to report after several discussions with him, and, without taking anything away from any other James Bond watch choice (or those whose preferences respectfully differ), the right one for the James Bond characterization he envisioned for Carte Blanche.

More photos to come--

[stephentross]

Just finished the book. "Carte Blanche" These are the only instances in which Rolex are referred to. (3 times)

"Onto his wrist he slipped his steel Rolex Oyster Perpetual, the 34mm
model, the date window its only complication; Bond did not need to know
the phases of the moon or the exact moment of high tide at Southampton.
And he suspected very few people did."

Their purpose was to kidnap him. His response would be textbook
protocol in an attempted rendition: disorient and then attack. Casually
working his Rolex over his fingers to act as a knuckleduster, he turned
abruptly to confront the pair with a disdainful smile.

While she’d coached him on facts that a South African mercenary might
know, Sergeant Mbalula had gone to the evidence locker and found an
incarcerated drug dealer’s gaudy Breitling watch, to replace Bond’s
tasteful Rolex, and gold bracelet for the successful mercenary to wear.

[Ski Dweller]

Isn't this guy a fictional character? What does Superman wear? The Green Hornet?

[TheWatchAuction]

wow, what a wealth of information. I may need to print out this thread for later reference!

[Rolexalex]

Originally Posted by C. Davidson

Having worn bigger watches while working out (Seamaster Pro, GMT IIC, PO 45mm), I have come to the conclusion that a smaller watch is better designed for use during highly physical activities. The Rolex Date (34mm) is the perfect size watch to have while running, biking, and for stopping international criminals.

I love the choice of the 34mm Date also because it is so counter trend to the bigger watches that abound in the market place today. Having a smaller diameter watch stands out more, if only because there are so many 40mm+ sized watches out there.

Personally, I like the white stick dial, though the black stick looks very smart.

Thanks to Dell as always, for continuing to enlighten me on the world of Bond watches.

I wear the same watch, and I am a big man! The date is smaller, no big weight, easy to work with, because the hand is free to be mooved in all direction. I think he choose the Oyster Date because Bond is a action man who don't need bulky and heavy watches. So good thinking Bond!