I decided that I don't like the idea of the gold watch worn by Connery to remain anonyms, hence I've invested in some online archival research. Surprisingly, there are a lot of high-quality photos of Connery from behind the scenes of the early Bond era, however most of the time he is wearing the 6538 Sub, no watch or frustratingly enough, his left wrist is juuuuust shy of being out of frame.
Although I have one picture of what I strongly believe to be the mystery watch. It is really hard to tell what it is, but it provides some guidelines.
Based on the theory of it being Seans personal watch I dugged a bit deeper and found some photos taken in 1968 where we can see him wearing a watch with a somewhat similar appearance.
But when comparing it to the BTS and screen grabs from Dr.No I have my doubt as it looks like the lugs are different along with the hands (again, really hard to tell).
I'm still digging, but we can barley make out some basic shapes of the hands at least.
Asp9mmOver the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,485MI6 Agent
edited October 2022
It was the first image in your post that made me think it was Smiths. The end of the lug looks slightly bulbous which was a feature of some Deluxe models. My Grandfather had one given to him for 20 years service in 1964.
Hopefully, before I turn my toes up, some behind the scenes still that’s been hidden away in some crew members drawer somewhere, will finally see the light of day. And it will have a magnificent close up of the watch.
I might have found a good picture of the watch that is seen on Sean's wrist in the famous "tailor" photo, based on it having the same type of strap (some sort of loop strap, perlon perhaps?)
Now the colourized photo is allegedly taken in 1962. Filming of Dr.No took place from Jan 16 to March 15 the same year, so it would be in the same time frame. However this is where I take issue and a bit hesitant to claim it to be the same watch.
Now, if I understand correctly, the tailor photo is taken before filming of Dr.No, and the picture linked above is likely taken during of post filming. But in the film it "looks" like it's on a more traditional leather strap?
That would mean the watch is on strap one (let's call it a perlon for now out if simplicity, even though it's not confirmed) before filming, then during the production of Dr.No it's on a leather strap, and after production it's back on the "perlon" strap? Assuming the photo is taken after filming, if it's during production then that would be even more concerning.
My point is that it feels unlikely for the watch to switch between straps in-between photos, this is my main issue with the theory of it being the same watch.
However, it does seem to fit the same profile as the watch from the BTS stills from Dr.No. So, if we could find some pictures that shows the very distinguished strap from the tailor photo connected to Sean's wrist during filming of Dr.No (or subsequent films such as FRWL etc) then I think we can make a good claim to the two watches being one and the same. Thus also mean that we have a good photo of the face of the mystery watch.
Good find, yes it looks the same as the one in the other tailor photos I was talking about. No idea if it's the one from the film but it does seem similar.
That bit is quite clever. It’s not lenticular, it’s a couple of small discs (almost) and the back one moves with the second hand. So Bond is exposed as the second hand moves around and moves the swirl disc around and exposes Bond shooting. Hence the hypno pattern. It’s difficult to explain. And I’ve not done it well.
No, I see how that works, that is clever. The way the handler was moving the watch in that clip made it look lenticular with the frames changing from the angle you view it from, but that is much cleverer. The spiral must be die cut which allows sections of the animation disc to be revealed as it moves. It's the same principle to lenticulars in that it requires the animation frames to be sliced into lots of sections (spiral sections in this case I guess), but a different method of revealing and hiding them, using a kind of venetian blind rather than a lens.
You see things like Ernest Borel cocktail watches from the 50s using rotating spirals to create hypnotic patterns on the dial, but it's a neat application to play an animation.
Asp9mmOver the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,485MI6 Agent
Pictures made this look garish and horrible and something that could only be justified in the baking heat within the confines of GoldenEye but I was lucky to try a few things on wrist recently and there it made a lot more sense, the stones a lot subtler and the dial, which hasn't photographed well, was fascinating to watch change in angles and light.
Finally completed my James Bond DC era watch collection with the NTTD Ti Seamaster.
I have had weird relationship with this watch and I put it off for years because I could not justify the cost (and I thought they had screwed it up by not going broad arrow hands like true mil spec watches). But an opportunity too good to be miss came up and I went for it at least to complete my set. Jury is still out to be fair but I do feel my collection is complete (for now).
I am missing two main players but the 45mm PO from Casino Royale is too big for my wrist and larger AT from Spectre can wait for now as I have the Skyfall version. But as always I will keep an eye open.
So for now I am done.
Cheers 😄
My name is Bond, Basildon Bond - I have letters after my name!
Comments
I decided that I don't like the idea of the gold watch worn by Connery to remain anonyms, hence I've invested in some online archival research. Surprisingly, there are a lot of high-quality photos of Connery from behind the scenes of the early Bond era, however most of the time he is wearing the 6538 Sub, no watch or frustratingly enough, his left wrist is juuuuust shy of being out of frame.
Although I have one picture of what I strongly believe to be the mystery watch. It is really hard to tell what it is, but it provides some guidelines.
Based on the theory of it being Seans personal watch I dugged a bit deeper and found some photos taken in 1968 where we can see him wearing a watch with a somewhat similar appearance.
But when comparing it to the BTS and screen grabs from Dr.No I have my doubt as it looks like the lugs are different along with the hands (again, really hard to tell).
I'm still digging, but we can barley make out some basic shapes of the hands at least.
It was the first image in your post that made me think it was Smiths. The end of the lug looks slightly bulbous which was a feature of some Deluxe models. My Grandfather had one given to him for 20 years service in 1964.
Hopefully, before I turn my toes up, some behind the scenes still that’s been hidden away in some crew members drawer somewhere, will finally see the light of day. And it will have a magnificent close up of the watch.
Another contender could be the Smiths Deluxe, which funny enough bare a striking reassembles to the Gruen 510
I might have found a good picture of the watch that is seen on Sean's wrist in the famous "tailor" photo, based on it having the same type of strap (some sort of loop strap, perlon perhaps?)
Now the colourized photo is allegedly taken in 1962. Filming of Dr.No took place from Jan 16 to March 15 the same year, so it would be in the same time frame. However this is where I take issue and a bit hesitant to claim it to be the same watch.
Now, if I understand correctly, the tailor photo is taken before filming of Dr.No, and the picture linked above is likely taken during of post filming. But in the film it "looks" like it's on a more traditional leather strap?
That would mean the watch is on strap one (let's call it a perlon for now out if simplicity, even though it's not confirmed) before filming, then during the production of Dr.No it's on a leather strap, and after production it's back on the "perlon" strap? Assuming the photo is taken after filming, if it's during production then that would be even more concerning.
My point is that it feels unlikely for the watch to switch between straps in-between photos, this is my main issue with the theory of it being the same watch.
However, it does seem to fit the same profile as the watch from the BTS stills from Dr.No. So, if we could find some pictures that shows the very distinguished strap from the tailor photo connected to Sean's wrist during filming of Dr.No (or subsequent films such as FRWL etc) then I think we can make a good claim to the two watches being one and the same. Thus also mean that we have a good photo of the face of the mystery watch.
Question is, should we continue the discussion in here, or make a dedicated thread of it's own?
Here you go.
https://www.ajb007.co.uk/discussion/55537/the-definitive-connery-bond-dress-watch-id-thread#latest
Good find, yes it looks the same as the one in the other tailor photos I was talking about. No idea if it's the one from the film but it does seem similar.
Seems funny to see him in jeans!
New Omega Seamaster James Bond 60th Anniversary Edition….
Got to love hypno-Bond there. Don't stare at him too long.
Oh it’s not what I thought: he’s a little lenticular doing the walk. Not sure why it needs the hypno pattern really, but okay
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClT0gGFAecj/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
That bit is quite clever. It’s not lenticular, it’s a couple of small discs (almost) and the back one moves with the second hand. So Bond is exposed as the second hand moves around and moves the swirl disc around and exposes Bond shooting. Hence the hypno pattern. It’s difficult to explain. And I’ve not done it well.
No, I see how that works, that is clever. The way the handler was moving the watch in that clip made it look lenticular with the frames changing from the angle you view it from, but that is much cleverer. The spiral must be die cut which allows sections of the animation disc to be revealed as it moves. It's the same principle to lenticulars in that it requires the animation frames to be sliced into lots of sections (spiral sections in this case I guess), but a different method of revealing and hiding them, using a kind of venetian blind rather than a lens.
You see things like Ernest Borel cocktail watches from the 50s using rotating spirals to create hypnotic patterns on the dial, but it's a neat application to play an animation.
Yeah, that’s it.
Does anyone know if Connery's brown croc strap with his Rolex in his first few films would've been shiny or matte?
It’s difficult to be 100% sure, but it looks to have originally been a shiny strap that was worn to a satin finish.
I think you’re probably right…
Is this another new movement?
https://twitter.com/omegawatches/status/1610229263411675137?s=46&t=APj271sfd8mG8qS_FdaGWw
Just the balance spring.
Hmmm..... this seems interesting... https://www.gq.com/story/momentum-sea-quartz-30-watch
"The Other Dive Watch Magnum, P.I. Made Famous"
-Mr Arlington Beech
Mr Craig finally managed to get one 😂
And it's the one that had complaints of the dye coming off 😂
Been wearing my Omega Planet Ocean XL all day today. My first Omega piece and had to honor my favorite Bond film - Casino Royale.
Check out my Instagram: @livingthebondlife
"I never joke about my work, 007."
Wear with pride. The original Planet Ocean is just perfect in my eyes (but I am biased - QoS 42mm model ;-)
I saw that WMT watches are doing this Goldfinger watch homage, and I think it's a pretty fun way to do it
Pictures made this look garish and horrible and something that could only be justified in the baking heat within the confines of GoldenEye but I was lucky to try a few things on wrist recently and there it made a lot more sense, the stones a lot subtler and the dial, which hasn't photographed well, was fascinating to watch change in angles and light.
Would you mind showing off the box? I've been quite intrigued from what I've read but I haven't seen it anywhere
I do like the sort of 'hidden' catch thing with the gunbarrel circle, nice touch.
It's been a while and I've finished a (non-Bond) related watch project that is very close to my heart!
I've even been interviewed by one of the big watch publications, I am now famous 😂
https://monochrome-watches.com/collectors-series-the-art-of-customization-bchh-x-andersen-geneve-celestial-voyager/
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Finally completed my James Bond DC era watch collection with the NTTD Ti Seamaster.
I have had weird relationship with this watch and I put it off for years because I could not justify the cost (and I thought they had screwed it up by not going broad arrow hands like true mil spec watches). But an opportunity too good to be miss came up and I went for it at least to complete my set. Jury is still out to be fair but I do feel my collection is complete (for now).
I am missing two main players but the 45mm PO from Casino Royale is too big for my wrist and larger AT from Spectre can wait for now as I have the Skyfall version. But as always I will keep an eye open.
So for now I am done.
Cheers 😄