A Timeless Legacy: The Best James Bond Watches

From the original 007 novels, it is obvious that Bond is a man of expensive tastes who appreciates the finer things.

You see, my old man was a self-professed James Bond fanatic who had a particular fondness for the charismatic character. From James Bond’s cars to his superlative style to how he articulated his words. Bond was one of the many things we BOND-ed over growing up. We saw every film that was released in theaters during the opening week. It was just our thing.

Now, to get into the watch portion, my father once had his eyes on the Bond Rolex Explorer, which he bought and wore through most of the 80s. He later gave this watch to me, and I wore it pretty much constantly all the way up until this year. Recently, I took a visit to the Omega store and couldn’t help but gift myself the No Time to Die Seamaster. I’m totally enamored with it, especially the full titanium build.

Here is my take: The world’s favorite secret agent has been paving the way for watch nerds ever since the 1960s. Below are seven of the very best watches Bond wore throughout the franchise.

Rolex Submariner

What can be said about the Rolex Submariner that isn’t about Bond himself? The relationship between Rolex and James Bond goes way back to “Casino Royale” Ian Fleming’s first novel, where the popular spy dons the equally popular marque. Sure, Fleming used to wear a Rolex Explorer, and it is likely the watch he had in mind when penning the novels.

The Rolex Submariner graced Sean Connery’s bushy wrist for the franchise’s first four films. Some fans actually believe that it was actually one of Connery’s personal collections.

Movies: Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965)

Omega Seamaster

Although traditionalists argue that Fleming intended Bond to wear a Rolex, most fans would argue that he is more of an Omega man. Hell, if James Bond died and came back as an inanimate thingy, chances are, he’d be an Omega Seamaster chronometer.

007 pledged allegiance to Omega ever since 1995 when the Bond franchise came soaring back to life, with Pierce Brosnan being the main character. He debuted his blue-bezel Seamaster Diver 300M for the first time, and it couldn’t be more perfect. Yep, the modern Bond wasn’t always a Submariner either!

Movies: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002), Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), No Time to Die (2022)

Breitling Top Time

Connery’s Bond got a new toy in the form of a distinctly modified Breitling Top Time Chronograph. It was actually the first watch specially modified and issued to Bond by the ‘Q’ branch.

Embedded within is a Geiger counter, 007 uses this watch to locate atomic weapons stolen by SPECTRE. Although the original Top Time has been lost for decades, it resurfaced in 2013 and fetched an astounding sum at auction. 

Movies: Thunderball (1965)

Hamilton Pulsar P2

The Hamilton Pulsar P2 was a technically advanced watch at the time, even though it did not have a lot of features. It is perhaps the most radical Bond watch ever because it is pretty much the antithesis of the Rolex Submariner.

When it debuted in 1972, it was the first solid-state digital watch, meaning it had no gears, springs, or dials, nothing to wear out, run down, or wind up. Roger Moore’s Bond donned this LED digital watch, showcasing Bond’s ability to adapt to the changing world. However, LED technology eventually gave way to LCD screens, and Bond decided to ditch the timepiece forever.

Movies: Live and Let Die (1973)

Gruen Precision 510

The Gruen Precision became synonymous with Bond’s early adventures. He wore one with a black fabric strap and stripped-back design while dealing cards—an obvious choice for someone with his proclivity for action.

I like the Gruen since it isn’t necessarily a high-quality material timepiece but because it has a great story behind it. This watch is special as it is one of the few legit vintages of a brand long gone. Although Gruen ceased production in 1977, the Gruen Precision 510 lives on as a testament to the timeless elegance of Bond’s wristwear.

Movies: You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Seiko 7549-7009 ‘Golden Tuna’

In 1981, Bond made a move that was (positively) shocking. In the guise of Sir Roger Moore, he wore this big beast of a dive watch—the Seiko 7549-7009—on the outside of his yellow diving suit, so it was pretty prominent.

Well, the Seiko Tuna is legendary, but the Golden Tuna is even more so because of the film “For Your Eyes Only.” With its robust construction and remarkable water resistance, this timepiece was the perfect companion for Bond’s underwater adventures.

Movies: For Your Eyes Only (1981)

TAG Heuer Professional Night-Dive

The 1987 film remains noteworthy as Timothy Dalton’s first go at the role following the retirement of Roger Moore from the fictitious character. That’s not all. It marks the debut of the most underrated watches Bond has ever worn: The TAG Heuer Professional Night-Diver.

This timepiece has only been featured in one Bond film, The Living Daylights. In fact, the specific model worn in the film was shrouded in mystery for decades until, once again, discovered to be the “Professional 200M”.

TAG Heuer released an updated version of the Night-Diver in 2021. It’s a modern reinterpretation of the classic with a 43mm stainless steel case coated in matte black diamond-like carbon (DLC). The official retail price is $4,100, but you can get it at a discount on JomaShop ($3,050 for a brand new model).

Movies: The Living Daylights (1987)

Frequently asked questions about James Bond watches