Watches in the Movies
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Posts: 2MI6 Agent
I was watching the Brosnan movies, and I was wondering, are the watches worn all genuine, or are some of the 'stunt' watches which have been modified for prop use replicas? I only wonder, as although I have no doubt that Omega would have no problem with Brosnan wearing their watch in general, I cannot imagine Omega giving the production several watches to get hacked about. In TND, when he activates the detonator on the stealth boat, although the LEDs in the dial light up in sequence, the second hand stays ominously fixed at the 12 position. In TWINE, the sweep of the second hand is clear when he deplys the piton, and in DAD, the sweep of the second hand is clear when he removes the HEV/detonator. But. Would these modified watches be genuine Omegas, or replicas?
This wasn't really something I considered until watching Coronation Street, and I noticed that the actor who plays Les Battersby was wearing an Omega. From the quick glances, it's hard to tell which model it is, but my guess is the 2531.80 or 2541.80. He tends to wear it with the case on the inside of the wrist, so it is mainly the bracelet and clasp which are visible, but the markings on the clasp (and the deployment buttons) are a noticeable, as is the vaguely blue color of the face/dial. Just a quick glance on the TV, and that made me wonder... Is it the actor's own watch and the costume department simply let him wear it, (or don't even realize what he is wearing) or is it a costume prop and supposed to be a replica? (as Les Battersby could not afford a genuine Omega) I believe that the actor who plays Steve McDonald wears a Rolex Submariner. This got me thinking of other examples I had seen...
In an episode of The A Team, there was a close up of the Bad Guy's watch (Gold DayDate) It was clearly a replica, because the second hand ticked. Given that the character owned a casino, he would have been easily able to afford a genuine Rolex, so this was obviously a case of suspension of disbelief for a prop.
In a flashback in an episode of Highlander, an Immortal army captain in Thailand pulled a two tone Submariner from his pocket to try and bribe a raped girl not to report his underling's misconduct. His buddy was shocked at the watch, and the captain's reply was "It came off the back of a truck" Clearly, this watch was also meant to be genuine, but it was not seen in enough detail to be certain. (I suspect, unless it belonged to one of the crew, that it was a replica)
Can anyone shed any light on this issue? Thanks in advance.
This wasn't really something I considered until watching Coronation Street, and I noticed that the actor who plays Les Battersby was wearing an Omega. From the quick glances, it's hard to tell which model it is, but my guess is the 2531.80 or 2541.80. He tends to wear it with the case on the inside of the wrist, so it is mainly the bracelet and clasp which are visible, but the markings on the clasp (and the deployment buttons) are a noticeable, as is the vaguely blue color of the face/dial. Just a quick glance on the TV, and that made me wonder... Is it the actor's own watch and the costume department simply let him wear it, (or don't even realize what he is wearing) or is it a costume prop and supposed to be a replica? (as Les Battersby could not afford a genuine Omega) I believe that the actor who plays Steve McDonald wears a Rolex Submariner. This got me thinking of other examples I had seen...
In an episode of The A Team, there was a close up of the Bad Guy's watch (Gold DayDate) It was clearly a replica, because the second hand ticked. Given that the character owned a casino, he would have been easily able to afford a genuine Rolex, so this was obviously a case of suspension of disbelief for a prop.
In a flashback in an episode of Highlander, an Immortal army captain in Thailand pulled a two tone Submariner from his pocket to try and bribe a raped girl not to report his underling's misconduct. His buddy was shocked at the watch, and the captain's reply was "It came off the back of a truck" Clearly, this watch was also meant to be genuine, but it was not seen in enough detail to be certain. (I suspect, unless it belonged to one of the crew, that it was a replica)
Can anyone shed any light on this issue? Thanks in advance.
Comments
http://www.chronocentric.com/omega/bond.shtml
Fake watches do make there way into productions, especially TV and low budget films. Omega would not allow this to happen on a film that they were sponsers of.
As far as the props, I'm sure they were modified appropriately. I believe The Mantis has a Seamaster modified for "The World Is Not Enough" with lights in the dial and a wire running off for the power supply in his collection.
On the subject of replica or modified watches in the movies, in Minority Report, Tom Cruise wore an Omega Speedmaster Professional x33 which had been modified to have a Bvlgari logo on it
I still find it amusing that Les Battersby wears the same watch as James Bond :biggrin:
Hell, they sold me. I'm the proud wearer of a 2254.50 SMP.
Back on topic... I'm not sure about the comments given in the Hemming interview above about updating Brosnan's Bond and giving him a new 'Euro Look':
The change from Bond wearing a Rolex appears to have been for two reasons--one stylistic, the other financial.
Foremost, for introducing Pierce Brosnan as the "new" James Bond in the 1995 film GoldenEye, the producers wanted to update the image of Bond to a more distinctly sophisticated "Euro" look. Lindy Hemming, the costume designer for the first three of the Pierce Brosnan appearances as Bond was quoted in The European Magazine ["The Names Bond, Euro Bond", July 7-13 1995] as explaining: "Sean Connery wore a Rolex, but we thought they'd become a bit ordinary now. OMEGA are more minimal--even though this one does shoot off a bomb."
Bond's use of a German car and Italian suits didn't really make him appear European to me; if anything, Brosnan's Bond appears to go in the opposite direction, with a reinforcement of everything that was British and a conscious effort to get back to the look of the early film. Though BMW had a deal to supply the cars, the production team went out and bought three Aston Martins lest we forget 007's British roots (with more than a whiff of the aristocracy). We have Italian suits but the cut is very English and their use is much more widespread, accessories such as pocket handkerchiefs, cravats, brogues (wingtips), and probably numerous other examples.
Goldeneye's endorsement of the Brioni and Omega brands seems to have been entirely a pragmatic and financial decision - the film was made on a limited budget and neither Rolex or Savile Row were particularly interested in product placement and/or were unwilling to supply their goods in sufficient numbers for the film makers needs (15 - 20 examples of each suit and perhaps 20 watches). Omega, Brioni and BMW were more than ready to step in with help in the form of dollars or free examples of their products.
Just to comment specifically on the original topic: EON have no need to use pre-existing replicas when the original manufacturers are ready and willing to provide plenty of original product to play around with, but there have often been occasions where they have had to manufacture their own replicas. The Goldeneye watch was one example where the faceplate and internals were specially made. I believe the Rolex used in LALD had a much deeper case in order to house all the rotating bezel gubbins. Many of the shots of the BMW Z8 in TWINE feature a fibreglass replica based on a Cobra kit - purely because BMW weren't able to supply a suitable car in time, and the Living Daylights Aston featured a fibreglass bodyshell in the jump shots because it was cheaper and easier to catapult a replica.
So yes, they use replicas, but not the kind you're referring to.
If you are judging a watch only by its material costs, you may also prefer to evaluate your car by the tonnage of steel or your shirt by the price of some ounces of cotton.
Greetings
Markus
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
sounds good. keep us posted PLEASE
You know, when it comes to watches, I have gone thru several stages.
At first, my only goal has been to get a Rolex, then I thought, that they got out of fashion, overpriced and, that there are better alternatives. After owning mostly all of them, I realized, that they still do outstanding quality and don't feel the need to follow every mainstream. So, I swopped back and apologized for my ignorance.
So, your statement sounds to me a bit like:I know, he thinks, that "I'm rich, but I dont have any taste"
But I know better
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Of course if we want to talk economics, we can go into the opportunity cost to Omega of giving a watch to the Bond propmakers rather than selling it at retail price (or, to be accurate, about MSRP, since nobody pays it), but let's not get semantic.
Yes, you find a bunch of high-end machines in watch companies, that do (raw)components in larger quantities.
If you ever have the chance to visit a company, that produces high-end mechanical watches, you will see, that there are many watchmakers and other experts, who are working on the products.
So, your theory of a mass-production to material prices after an expensive R&D has nothing to do with the reality.
And I just wanted to throw in, that we all admire high-end products, regardless of the pure material input.
But I am sure, that a part of a multi-million $ contract with Omega and EON included support with a reasonable amount of watches and components. And I am sure, that all the Omega staff had no problem with the motivation to support the EON people with everything, they needed, because this has been fun.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
just fired off an email....will keep you posted on any news.
Official Omega DAD dummy watch for Jewellers windows
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
cheers
will keep you posted
Official Omega DAD dummy watch for Jewellers windows
Greetings
Markus
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!