Truly unique wristwatches, distinguished by the individual stories behind them, attract increasing collector attention.
There’s a National Watch & Clock Museum dedicated to such things in Pennsylvania, housing the largest collection of timepieces outside of Switzerland. Three years ago, its special exhibit of watches worn by U.S. Presidents commanded some of the largest visitor numbers it had ever seen. [1,2]
Outside of this world, it’s been more than four decades since the first moon landing. Yet NASA created and maintains a website with ongoing updates, dedicated to accounting for all mission-flown watches worn by Apollo astronauts. [3]
And when it comes to the realm of fantasy, no timekeeping affiliation commands more attention than James Bond’s watches.
Consider a sampling of auctions for screen-worn watches as bellwethers.
The Rolex modified to create a buzz-saw effect for the 1973 James Bond movie, Live and Let Die, sold for $242,655 at Christie’s auction last month. Ten years prior, the winning bid was $37,560 for that exact same wristwatch, serial number 2683776. [4,5]
More popular still, as it turns out, was the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, serial number 81084716, worn by actor Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (2006). That watch — including sand still encrusted from its time on location — sold for $255,565 in April 2007. [6]
As big as these watches become, as of today, producers have yet to officially announce which watchmaker will be featured on the wrist of Agent 007 in the next James Bond film, Skyfall, when it premiers in late 2012.
So, until then, the most current James Bond watch remains the Breitling for Bentley Motors T Speed Chronograph, specified by author Jeffery Deaver in the novel, Carte Blanche (Simon & Schuster, June 2011). [7,8]
James Bond may be a fictional character, but this watch is very real.
Model A2536513, serial number 2363493, to be exact.
Ron Peterson of Lewis Jewelers, Ann Arbor, made arrangements for Mr Deaver to wear this watch as part of the author’s final book promotion tour stop for Carte Blanche late last June. This Deaver-Bond Breitling then traveled to the National Watch & Clock Museum, where it was displayed along side Ian Fleming’s personal 1960 Rolex Explorer wristwatch as part of a special historical showing. [9]
“Breitling doesn’t do paid product placements,” Mr Peterson noted. “So there was no promotional arrangement in place to actually show fans and collectors what this Breitling model meant in terms of what the Bond character had chosen to wear in support of his mission cover in Africa.
“‘Split-second timing’ is also one of the defining, ongoing traits of the James Bond stories. That’s why the watch makes the story and the hero much more credible.”
During an exclusive in-person interview for this article, Jeffery Deaver disclosed that he had picked this Breitling, simply “because it was the best watch I could think of for the circumstances.” Perhaps not coincidentally, “Breitling” and “Bentley” emerged just over a week later as two of only three brand references he promoted in an MSNBC television interview.
After all this, the Deaver-Bond Breitling then returned to Lewis Jewelers.
The watch was not shown again publicly until Lewis Jewelers made it available for only the second time ever, at a special event it hosted in Ann Arbor on November 12. Along with the watch, Ron Peterson had a copy of Carte Blanche, personally signed by Jeffery Deaver and uniquely inscribed to him, with a special Breitling for Bentley reference.
It is believed that this is the first time since 2003 that any verified original James Bond watch has been displayed here in Michigan. The last time was as part of a special exhibit at The Henry Ford Museum. [11]
This article was also published in The Ann Arbor News. [12]
References
- National Watch & Clock Museum (home page).
- “Time in Office” National Watch & Clock Museum (July 10, 2013) YouTube.
- “Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronographs” Lee Bailham and Eric M Jones (2004) Apollo Lunar Surface Journal.
- “Sale 1383: Important Watches, 14 November 2011, Geneva – James Bond’s specially adapted Rolex wristwatch converted from a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner wristwatch” (November 14, 2011) Christie’s.
- “Sale 9017: James Bond, 14 February 2001, London, South Kensington” (February 14, 2001) Christie’s.
- “Omegamania Lot 300: The Casino Royale Planet Ocean – Actual Watch Worn by Daniel Craig During the Filming” (April 2007) Antiquorum.
- “Breitling for Bentley James Bond Chronograph / Carte Blanche 2011” Dell Deaton (December 20, 2013) Vimeo.
- “Carte Blanche (2011)” Jeffery Deaver.
- Lewis Jewelers (home page).
- “Inside the James Bond Watches Exhibit at the National Watch and Clock Museum (VIDEO)” Eric Wind (September 27, 2010) Hodinkee.
- “james bond exhibit, henry ford museum, detroit, mi, 21 sep 2003” Jose Nazario (September 21, 2003).
- “One of the original James Bond watches displayed in Ann Arbor” Dell Deaton (December 3, 2011) The Ann Arbor News.
