OMEGA and the secret agent “007” have once again completed a chapter. In the realm of fashion or on the fringes of popular culture, there are always some “Icon-level” figures of men, and “James Bond,” “007,” or James Bond is definitely one of them. Therefore, it will inevitably take some time to adapt to the fact that after “No Time To Die,” the first female 007 will be introduced – after all, from Sean Connery to the current (still) Daniel Craig, the secret agent 007 has always been synonymous with the male icon.
However, people change and the moon becomes full. As “007” steps into a new era, just as it appeared on the big screen that day, the “special agent watch” on James Bond’s wrist is gradually becoming an essential position for OMEGA. The changes seen in recent years have evolved from the slow interchange between different brands to the interchange between Seamaster, Planet Ocean, or Aqua Terra. When mentioning OMEGA’s establishment of its “James Bond watch” status, one must revisit the history established in 1995 when the previous “007” Pierce Brosnan took over as James Bond for the first time. Before his appearance in “Goldeneye,” he thoroughly discussed the new look with the film’s costume designer Lindy Hemming, aiming to design everything from the smallest cufflinks to the suit tailoring to match Pierce Brosnan’s ideal image. However, when it came to discussing the watch choice, Lindy Hemming immediately decided to have Pierce Brosnan wear a blue-faced, blue-ringed Seamaster Professional 300M watch. From that moment on, the “James Bond watch” became synonymous with OMEGA.
From 2002 to 2006, it took the crew four years to introduce Daniel Craig, who was highly sought after at the time, as the new “007” to succeed Pierce Brosnan. Despite being harshly compared to previous James Bonds on his debut, Daniel Craig, after five appearances – second only to Sean Connery and Roger Moore’s 7 appearances – has been recognized by Hollywood and many “007” fans for his increased combat and action abilities, as well as his more daring image. In addition, from his big screen debut in 2006’s “Casino Royale” to this year’s “No Time To Die,” Daniel Craig has further solidified the close relationship between OMEGA and the film series. The brand has designed over 7 watches for him in the past, and in this final collaboration for “No Time To Die,” they have released the Seamaster Diver 300 watch in a “non-limited” form.
Life is often unpredictable, due to the impact of the epidemic, “No Time To Die” has been postponed for two years, it seems that even the heavens do not want this contemporary James Bond to bid farewell to the crew and fans. The two-year delay, undoubtedly a very heavy and unpleasant experience for the crew and himself, but in fact, all of this seems to echo Daniel Craig’s final collaboration with OMEGA. OMEGA launched the first titanium watch for “No Time To Die” and invited Daniel Craig to participate in the design and production process of the watch from start to finish two years ago, allowing him to truly create a “007” special agent exclusive watch for himself.
Regarding this collaboration, ZTYLEZ was fortunate enough to obtain the complete content of the special interview conducted by OMEGA with Daniel Craig about this collaboration. Fans of movies and watches, why not listen to Daniel Craig’s thoughts and experiences on participating in this design?
O: OMEGA; D: Daniel Craig
O: Tell us about your involvement in designing the new James Bond watch. What advice did you give to the designers? What key details did you focus on?
D: We started discussing the details and design of the watch back in “Spectre” (007: Ghost Empire). Similarly, this new watch is the result of everyone’s discussion. The final decision, of course, was made by Omega, but I made some suggestions, and they took that idea and ran with it. Raynald (Raynald Aeschlimann, Omega President and CEO) gave the design team a lot of freedom to unleash their creativity. When I saw the finished product, I couldn’t help but say, “That’s it!” The design is so perfect, there’s really nothing more to add. The watch is stylish, with military characteristics, reminiscent of Omega’s history and the watches they made for the British military during World War II. These are the elements I wanted to convey, and the designers cleverly connected them. I really love this watch.
O: Is the weight of the watch an important element? This time, using titanium, it is definitely lighter than previous styles.
D: OMEGA has shown me some titanium watches before, and every time I put them on, I always think, “It’s so light, I almost forget I’m wearing a watch.” They probably took my advice and decided to develop this titanium watch.
O: How does it feel to wear it during the shooting?
D: I completely forgot that I was wearing a watch. It is not only lighter, but honestly, it is also very comfortable to wear, and fits perfectly on my wrist.
Q: Is the Seamaster Diver 300M a classic James Bond watch, do you think the new watch must also be a Seamaster Diver 300M watch?
D: This watch is very in line with the plot of “No Time To Die” (007: No Time to Die). At the beginning of the story, Bond is already living a retired life on a boat in Jamaica, so it is quite coincidental that he wears a diving watch, which is very fitting and reasonable. The diving watch is a great lead-in, setting up the scene of Bond diving in the first half. The watch strap is also very special, full of a nostalgic 1970s vibe, I really like it. It’s like a diving watch from the 1960s and 1970s, very retro and beautiful.
O: Do you mention the nostalgic taste, do you like these nostalgic details? Do you also like watches with vintage designs in private?
D: When I was eighteen, my dad gave me my first Omega watch as a birthday gift, it was a formal gold watch. I used to wear it often, but one of the bars fell off and I couldn’t find it anymore. It’s a pity that the watch is lost, but it was my first proper watch that I owned, and that’s why I especially like antique OMEGA watches. I believe the designers also had this in mind, just as I suggested nostalgia, as if reminding them to “look back at history, get inspiration from antique designs,” leading to today’s design, paired with a military nylon strap (NATO Strap) adding a nice touch. I’ve always enjoyed changing my watch straps to military nylon ones, it’s fun to change up the look from time to time. The design team also accepted this suggestion, saying, “Good idea, let’s use military nylon straps.” So now every watch comes with a military nylon strap. However, I still don’t have the confidence to change the strap myself with small tools, I’d rather ask a watchmaker for help.
O: Over the years, James Bond watches have evolved with the movie characters. As a team, do you and the filmmakers discuss the design of the watches in the early stages of movie production, taking into account the plot and requirements of the film?
D: Yes, mainly because OMEGA has a very open attitude and hopes to be involved in the production of the film. Omega and James Bond are partners, and cooperation benefits both parties, so I have always felt that we should have more communication, rather than them showing up on the day the film starts shooting and saying to me, “This is your watch.” That’s not my style, I hope to know what watch James Bond will wear and what it looks like early in the film preparation. OMEGA also agrees, they are excited about the birth of the new watch and bringing new ideas to everyone. The last 007 film has been out for five years now, they have had a lot of time to develop new things and create the best designs.
Since the original creator of the story, Ian Fleming, created the character “007”, the watch on the wrist of each James Bond has become one of the popular cultural products and symbols for many years. For many people, the influence even goes beyond just a watch, it is a unique accessory belonging to James Bond. However, what is even more unexpected is that those deeply influenced are not just the audience, but even the actors who take on the role of James Bond have grown and experienced under this influence. This statement, I believe everyone can feel from Daniel Craig’s sharing this time, is both subtle and thought-provoking.
I have always believed that the character of James Bond is an emotionally charged handsome man, and after nearly 60 years of evolution and growth, with collaborations like this with OMEGA, the character has become more three-dimensional, and the actor’s interpretation in this aspect has become more delicate. Perhaps, at the end of this interview, watching Daniel Craig’s farewell speech at the “Day of Killing” during the filming of “No Time To Die” can better feel that emotion, pay attention to Daniel Craig even choked up at the end, the scene was quite touching.
Finally, don’t forget that “No Time To Die” will officially premiere in various cinemas in Hong Kong on September 30th. Fans of “007” must not miss Daniel Craig’s final performance as James Bond!
資料及圖片來源：Courtesy of OMEGA
