Daniel Craig Helped Omega Design His Killer New James Bond Watch

Paige Reddinger

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He’s back. Daniel Craig is prepping for the big release of his latest, and supposedly last, turn as James Bond in the upcoming film No Time to Die set to be released in April of next year and he’s already got a trick up his sleeve. Unveiled last night at a swanky black-tie soirée at The Standard Hotel in Manhattan, the new Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition watch is one of the best Omega releases for Bond in recent memory, and Craig helped design it. The actor is reportedly a watch enthusiast—even outside his brand ambassador role at the Swiss watch company—and it shows in this Seamaster.

“Being given an Omega watch to wear in a movie is quite a big deal anyway, full-stop,” said Craig during a press conference just before the party. His favorite Bond timepiece, before this one, of course, was the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M watch he wore in Casino Royale, which the brand gifted to him. “I thought that might be the last [Bond] movie I made, so I thought, ‘Ah! At least I’ve got a watch!'”

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The 42 mm timepiece is made from Grade 2 Titanium—tough enough to survive any 007 mission (although Craig admitted during the press conference that he often wore fake versions during stunt scenes). It’s strong and lightweight and, this time around comes in a thinner 13.15 mm case. That profile is slimmer than previous Seamaster models because Craig specified that he wanted a watch that would fit under the cuff of his dress shirt. You know, something fitting for taking down assassins by day and donning a tux by night. “It’s important that Bond has that kind of luxury accessory that fits him because he has the character of being on one side being an incredible adventurer with a lot of missions and on the other side, a gentleman,” Raynald Aeschlimann, Omega’s CEO, told reporters. Another cool feature, one that is certainly the directive of a true watch connoisseur, is the aluminum dial and bezel ring were made with an aged brown hue that mimics the faded look of vintage “tropical” dial—a term for vintage watches that have faded over time into a very specific brownish hue. A special doming technique of the sapphire-crystal glass also lends further vintage appeal and adds to the slimness of the watch.

On the caseback you’ll find engravings that underscore the watch’s symbolism. There’s 007 (for Bond), 62 (for the year the film franchise was born) and the A stands for a screw-in crown. There are also real-world signals from the British Military of Defense—0552 is a naval code number, while 923 7697 indicates that it’s a MilSpec dive watch. The dial and the caseback both feature a broad arrow, a symbol used to mark government-issued property in a tip of the hat to Bond’s role as a secret agent.

The Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition comes on two different straps (they are not interchangeable and must be purchased as two separate watches)—a Nato strap in dark brown, gray and beige with 007 engraved on the loop ($8,100) or on a titanium mesh bracelet with an adjustable buckle ($9,200). Both watches will be available starting in February. This is a really strong watch from Omega and for fans of both Bond and the brand, it’s a good thing that neither version of the timepiece is limited.

When asked what kind of superhero feature he would add to his Seamaster, if he could, Craig replied, “I think a laser, don’t you? A laser that can cut a hole in the wall. How useful is that? For making a quick exit, God you know, if you had to dip out to the bathroom you could just zip out through the wall.” Sounds like he was thinking about his escape from his James Bond fame. We wouldn’t mind if Craig let his career as Bond die another day, but if it is, in fact, his last time suiting up as 007, Omega should still keep the man on board—it turns out he is pretty good at designing watches.

 

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