Omega's 60th anniversary of James Bond watches—a look into its history

As Omega celebrates the 60th anniversary of its iconic James Bond watches, we take a look back at its storied past and find out what the future will look like

No doubt, the Sixties was a decade of great excitement. Reacting to the conservatism of previous generations, those who grew up in this decade sought plenty of thrill. Including falling in love with James Bond, 007 himself, the fictional spy who embodied the cosmopolitan charm and finesse that true gentlemen are known for.

It was 1962 when the world first met Bond, portrayed by Sean Connery. Since then, the James Bond franchise has grown to include 25 action-packed films, with a family of actors and producers that have spanned generations. Sixty years have passed since the movie first premiered, and now Bond has become synonymous with clean-cut suits and his many exceptional timepieces. In 1995, James Bond wore an OMEGA watch on his wrist; ever since he has yet to lay it down.

Above Seamaster Diver 300M 60 Years of James Bond Canopus Gold

Lindy Hemming, the Oscar-award-winning costume designer who worked on five Bond films between 1995 and 2006, was the first to propose Bond wearing
Omega. In Goldeneye, Bond wears an Omega Seamaster with a laser installed. At this time, Pierce Brosnan had been the one to take on the role—his first with the franchise.

In the film, Brosnan as 007 proved how essential the timepiece was to the plot as he used the laser to cut an escape hatch on the floor of Alex Trevelyan’s train. “I was convinced that Commander Bond, a naval man, a diver and a discreet gentleman of the world, would wear this watch,” Hemming says of her choice of the Seamaster.

Above Seamaster Diver 300M Co‐Axial Master Chronometer 42mm 60 Years of James Bond

From the first exposure, Omega formed a close relationship with both Brosnan and Daniel Craig, two men who played 007 in a handful of memorable films. Alongside Craig, Naomie Harris, as Moneypenny, was also selected as an Omega ambassador. Unsurprisingly, both have become avid fans of the brand as they and their characters have had to rely on these fantastic timepieces, on and off camera.

After the first appearance of Omega in Goldeneye, audiences were wowed yet again by the Seamaster in the 1997 Tomorrow Never Dies. Here, Bond wears another modified timepiece that he uses to extract the helium release valve while onboard Elliot Carver’s stealth ship. The same model of the watch is seen in The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Die Another Day (2002).

In 2006, audiences rendezvoused with Bond in the film Casino Royale. The story relates how Bond became an 00 and featured two watches: a black Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M. Next was a sleek Seamaster Diver 300M which he switches after achieving his double-0 status. In Quantum of Solace (2008), he sports a black
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean before heading out to a new adventure in 2012, where he is spotted wearing an Aqua Terra with a blue dial. Most recently, Bond is seen in the 2021 film, No Time to Die, wearing a Seamaster Diver 300M, which he uses to gain entry into Safin’s base and then dispatch Primo by targeting the henchman’s bionic eye.

It’s been more than a decade since Omega and Bond began their formidable partnership, and since then, Bond’s Omega timepieces have saved his life more than a handful of times. To celebrate this, last November, Omega released two new watches held in London, with no less than Daniel Craig in attendance and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann. Representing the Philippines were Omega’s public relations managers Marilen Roa Nuñez and Rambo Nuñez, Vogue’s Pam Quiñones, this magazine’s editor-in-chief, Anton San Diego, and stars/influencers Richard Gutierrez, Sarah Lahbati and Lovi Poe.

The Seamaster Diver 300M, first worn by Bond in Goldeneye, is reimagined with a stainless-steel case and even replicates the Bond silhouette with a spinning gun barrel design beneath the sapphire. Another version is available in Canopus Gold.

Above Seamaster Diver 300M 60 Years of James Bond in Stainless Steel

Inspired by the Jamaican home of Ian Fleming, the author and creator of James Bond, the watch has a dial made of natural grey silicon and a bezel that pays tribute to the Jamaican flag with its green and gold diamonds in ten different tropical shades. From extra dark forest green to cognac, olive, yellow and gold, the timepiece vividly reminds us of Bond’s original creator and author. Made with the brand’s 18-carat Canopus Gold and measuring 42mm, the Seamaster Diver 300M is the perfect companion to finesse one’s way through multiple adventures.

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A look back into Omega's history of exquisite watches for the James Bond franchise