Our "Tweets" leading 007 watch updates

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If you're Following http://twitter.com/bondwatches, you already know that things are moving rather quickly with regard to James Bond Watches lately.

We also capture Tweets on this Blog, if you scroll down the page and look to the column on the lower-left.

That said, it seemed appropriate here to provide this reminder, since to some it may appear to have been a while since much has happened in the exciting world of James Bond watches.

Quite the opposite, in fact (to borrow some of M's thinking).

We have made major progress in identifying a good number of watch brands and models that have appeared in the EON Productions James Bond films. Updates are provided on the "Bond Watches, James Bond Watches" exhibition, including sponsor dialogues and new acquisitions. And more.

So do be sure to keep your web browsers tuned into our Twitter feed (if not routed real-time to your cell phone). The pace continues to pick up speed! It's time to Follow James Bond Watches on Twitter! [link]

http://twitter.com/bondwatches
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Timing Is Everything on James Bond Watches, part 2

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To layer a bit of trivia upon trivia here, we can cite two magazines in which "The Hildebrand Rarity" was published prior to being included in the Ian Fleming collection of short stories titled, For Your Eyes Only.

"The Hildebrand Rarity"

Playboy, March 1960
Today, March 19, 1960

James Bond is on the Wavekrest, trying to go to sleep, but distracted by the "deep, rattling, utterly lost snores that come from big blue sleeping-pills on top of too much alcohol," emitting from Milton Krest elsewhere on the ship.

"This was too damned much. Bond looked at his watch. One-thirty. If the snoring didn't stop in ten minutes, Bond would go down to Fidel Barbey's cabin and sleep on the floor, even if he did wake up stiff and frozen in the morning."

None of the five adventures included in For Your Eyes Only tell us very much about 007's timekeeper. The following, in fact, stands out as rather rare, contributing a curious adjective in exclusive reference to the minute-hand on Bond' watch. (Wouldn't one expect him to be watching its second-hand, if his wristwatch had one, in counting down a mere ten minutes before acting on his resolution?)

"Bond watched the gleaming minute-hand slowly creep fround the dial."

Then, of course: The horrible end of Milton Krest. And a curious foray into who-dunnit exposition from the gifted imagination of Ian Fleming.
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Sexy James Bond Watches, part 2

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This reference additionally speaks to how James Bond Watches came to name the "Miss Taro Rolex."

Dr. No

Eon Productions movie, 1962

James Bond (in bed with a woman he does not convert to the side of good with his charms), has just called a taxi from Miss Taro's bungalow. A bit of dialogue between them exposes her duplicity, and 007 takes here in his arms. At 54 minutes, 43 seconds, he glances past her neck to check the time on his watch.

Reference The Definitive List

See our Definitive list of James Bond Watches for further specifications on this Rolex. [link]
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Original SEIKO Memory Bank Calendar ad

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This two-page spread is from the November 1978 issue of Sunset magazine.

The headline suggests it is among the first to introduce the SEIKO calibre M354, which was featured as a James Bond watch the following year in the movie Moonraker.

As presented in the publication, the color image of the two watches originally appeared to the left, the black and white page with copy and illustrations to the right.

It's rather fascinating to read here reference to "December 2009" in a thirty-plus-year-old ad, and to realize that just over three months from now, the wristwatches in shown will be aged beyond their anticipated need to perform.

Click on either image to see it at highest resolution.

My personal SEIKO Quartz LC Memory-Bank Calendar Bond watch is sitting before me now as I make this Blog entry.

It's running strong, with no sign of retirement - thank you very much - and it wears every bit as functionally, stylishly today as it did when Roger Moore wore a similar model as James Bond in Moonraker.

A high standard of performance indeed!
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Serendipitous James Bond Watch Uses, part 2

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When you consider that Ian Fleming's Thunderball novel was published the year before the movie Dr. No went into production, and that Thunderball was the initial intent for the first EON Productions James Bond film, the following parallel to "Serendipitous James Bond Watch Uses, part 1," shouldn't come as a surprise.

Dr. No

Eon Productions movie, 1962

Here again, starting approximately 46 minutes, 40 seconds into Dr. No, James Bond confirms the functioning of a Geiger Counter by testing it against the luminous dial of his wristwatch. The action lasts just 3 seconds.

Based on what we're shown (which does not necessarily mean things operated that way), the way in which actor Sean Connery moves the probe over the watch and the consequent sounding of the Geiger Counter tends to confirm the watch in question here had a Radium dial.

By the way: Did you also notice at 46 minutes, 44 seconds, when 007 removes the watch from his wrist, that the strap is installed with its buckle at the 6 o'clock, as opposed to the 12 o'clock position?

Reference The Definitive List

James Bond Watches has labeled this the "Miss Taro Rolex" on our Definitive List. [link]
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"Main Strike Diver Watch" label deleted

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Based on our further research into Seiko watches worn by Roger Moore as James Bond in A View to a Kill, James Bond Watches has confirmed that only three watch types appeared on screen in the film.

The timekeeper identified for research and collector purposes on our definitive listing of EON Productions movie wristwatches as the "Main Strike Diver Watch" duplicates a label that already covers these associated scenes.

Thus we've deleted "Main Strike Diver Watch" from our list and request that others discontinue its reference.
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View-Master and the "Live and Let Die" watch(es), part 2

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As promised, here's our second installment of script references to James Bond's watch from the Live and Let Die View-Master slide packet.

Text associated with Picture Three on Reel Two reads as follows.

"Now Solitaire was put to the test. Kananga ordered his tall black henchman Tee-Hee to stand beside Bond. Tee-Hee, who had lost an arm, wore a fake arm fitted with a savage pair of pincers. Kananga read out the number on Bond's wristwatch. 'True or false?' he asked Solitaire. If her reply was wrong, Tee-Hee was to cut off Bond's little finger with the pincers."

Picture Six on Reel Three included the illustration shown in this Blog along with the following verbiage.

"Bond pulled at the winding button on his watch. A shark gun pellet, drawn by the hyper-intensified magnetic field, flew straight to his wrist. He touched the watch again. The outer ring of its casing began to spin around like a miniature circular saw. Bond cut through the ropes on his wrists...."
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View-Master and the "Live and Let Die" watch(es), part 1

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In 1973, GAF View-Master produced a "Showtime" packet of 21 stereo pictures titled, "James Bond 007: Ian Fleming's Live and Let Die."

Although none of the color images featured anything approaching a detailed image of the James Bond watches featured in the related film, the accompanying script makes several references to horology a'la Q Branch.

This is rather significant, if you're familiar with View-Master. Slide producers obviously had to make a balance cutting a feature-length film into less than two dozen scenes, yet still tell a story. The script book contained simple drawings not always tying to the slides with which they are associated.

Picture One is what's referenced here.

"M's secretary, Miss Moneypenny, handed Bond his flight tickets. She had also brought Bond's watch, modified by Q of the Special Ordinance Section.

"Bond pulled the winding button of the watch, and M's coffee spoon flew suddenly from his saucer to Bond's wrist.

"'A hyper-intensified magnetic field, sir,' explained Bond. 'Powerful enough to deflect the flight of a bullet at long range. Or so Q claims.'"

What one wouldn't give to have a stereo image of that James Bond watch!
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Watches, Seiko-Bond Watches

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JamesBondWatches.com is now able to report that we are on the verge of providing over half-a-dozen specific calibre and model numbers for Seiko-brand James Bond time pieces.

These are Seikos worn by actor Roger Moore as Agent 007 in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), and A View to a Kill (1985).

Anticipate several "Certainty" levels to bump up in our definitive list, titled, "James Bond Watches: 'The List' of EON Productions Movie Wristwatches." [link]

As always, consistent with our ongoing commitment to the readers of this Blog and the James Bond Watches website, we'll specifically name our Seiko watch sourcing for accountability. Forget about the guesswork: This is the illusive information that collectors and researchers have been waiting for when it comes to vintage Seiko timekeepers and 007!
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Mission-specific James Bond Watches, part 1

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Introduction to the seventh (and, appropriately numbered, final) "Fun" category: "Mission-specific James Bond Watches."

Yes, "gadget watches" are included here. But, as you'll see, starting with this very first entry, this collection isn't as limited as some may think.

Live and Let Die

Glidrose Productions, 1954

Chapter 19, "Valley of the Shadows," and Ian Fleming's exact words concerning James Bond: "He looked at the Rolex watch on his wrist."

In this mission, Agent 007 is to mine Mr. Big's ship, the Secatur, which had an anchorage of about thirty feet. The story takes place in February of 1954 (at the latest) on the north side of Jamaica. Bond will be required to swim a three-hundred-yard stretch of sea between his vantage point and the Secatur.

Q Branch sends him gear from London. Mr. Fleming specifically names as part of this inventory various items that include a frogman's suit and harpoon gun. The Rolex, only mentioned in the reference provided above, is not listed here.

But the context clearly suggests this as the first mission-specific Bond watch provided by the venerable MI6 Quartermaster.
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You know Our Man by his James Bond wristwatch, part 1

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Introduction to the sixth "Fun" category: "You'll know Our Man by his James Bond watch" (as opposed to the general truism about knowing any man by his choice of wristwatch).

In some respects, I suppose these could be referred to as gratuitous references. But those who've truly studied Ian Fleming will easily shoot down those arguments, so to speak. Indeed, it is the credibible, specific, detailed references to the real that hooks and sweeps audiences through the fantastic, exotic, and bigger-than-life world of 007!

Die Another Day

EON Productions, 2002

Although Pierce Brosnan wears and highlights the Bond watch during pre-title sequences in Die Another Day, he otherwise rather uncharacteristically goes sans timepiece through the first hour of this film.

After M puts him back on the active duty roster, he meets with Q and is issued a new watch in a 10-second sequence beginning around 1 hour, 5 minutes into the plot.

"Now: A new watch," Q says, abruptly, handing it to Bond. "Um, this would be your twentieth, I believe."

"How time flies," quips James Bond.

"Yes, well, Double-O-Seven, why don't you establish a record by actually returning this one."

Reference The Definitive List

James Bond Watches has labeled this the "Old Relics Omega" on our Definitive List. This is the scene from which that name was originally derived. [link]
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Follow James Bond Watches on Twitter

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As many have noticed, things continue to move even faster in the world of James Bond Watches.

Last year, Quantum of Solace made a strong hit in theaters, thanks to EON Productions. The previously illusive original, literary James Bond watch was identified for the first time, and covered in an exclusive, major feature article for WatchTime.

"Bond Watches, James Bond Watches" is now less than 12 months out from its June 2010 opening at the National Watch & Clock Museum in Columbia, Pennsylvania.

As a supplment to our James Bond Watches website and this Blog, we've registered with Twitter to keep fans, researchers, and collectors updated real-time on the latest. Additionally, we'll alert you to all additions and updates on the main James Bond website as they come along.

It's time to Follow James Bond Watches on Twitter! [link]

http://twitter.com/bondwatches
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James Bond Watch Registries announced

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James Bond Watches is pleased to announce that five limited edition watch "registries" have been created in support of Omega 007-model collectors.

To date, a total of 40,035 wristwatches have been released among five styles since the very first, which commemorated 40 years of James Bond films in 2002. Sequentially-numbered to 10,007 and 5,007 pieces, these include both Omega Seamaster and Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean configurations.

Additionally, James Bond Watches has created a general index to all watches included in this growing study.

www.jamesbondwatchregistries.com [link]

Individual James Bond Watch Registries currently available can be accessed directly via the following LINKs.

2008 Omega Seamaster "James Bond," limited to 10,007 pieces [link]

2006 Omega Seamaster "James Bond," limited to 10,007 pieces [link]

2006 Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean BIG SIZE "Casino Royale," limited to 5,007 pieces [link]

2008 Omega Seamaster "James Bond 007 Collector's Piece," limited to 10,007 pieces [link]

2008 Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean "Quantum of Solace," limited to 5,007 pieces [link]

Response to our "soft" announcement has been incredible, with information coming in from both owners and those eager to share information on watches they've spoted for sale. We are, as you'll see for various model Postings, interested in "stories" as well.

These are fantastic groups to be a part of!
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