Late last July, I was in the Great Smoky Mountains and passed through Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where the “Hollywood Star Cars Museum” is located. Of major interest to the James Bond fan is their display of the “GoldenEye BMW Z3, Driven by Pierce Brosnan as James Bond” (quoting here from a graphics panel next to the vehicle). On top of that, their website and staff claim their museum has “the largest collection of James Bond movie props on display in the USA.”
Among those artifacts, a time piece labeled “Omega Seamaster Watch from Goldeneye.”
Pierce Brosnan did indeed wear a quartz Omega Seamaster 2541.80 model as James Bond 007 in the feature film GoldenEye, released in 1995. And throughout most of the film, he wore it on a stainless steel bracelet. Yet the wristwatch displayed by the Hollywood Star Cars Museum on July 30, 2008, was definitely not an Omega 2541.80 Seamaster. In fact, it did not appear to be any sort of Omega watch.
Image #1.
As visitors approach the James Bond display area, there is one setup suggesting a Q Branch lab at MI-6. A long display case with glass cover and sides houses tools, photographs, and other items — some of which are clearly differentiated from pieces that are mere decoration. The case is largely lit by several work lights that cast hard reflections. Image #1 is the part featuring what is identified as the GoldenEye James Bond watch.
Image #2. This is a close-up of the watch.
(Some photos had to be taken hand-held using available light, due to issues with reflections). Note the card features both a still from the movie and the trademark 007 gun barrel logo.
Immediately apparent on the dial of this watch is an indication that it is an “Automatic.” The GoldenEye wristwatch, which was a quartz, has the word “Professional” between the Seamaster model name and the depth rating. The date window on the true 2541.80 is framed in a fine white line, not filled as it is here; neither are its markers framed in silver, as on the Star Cars Museum piece. Overall case proportions seen in this photograph are wrong as well.
Image #3. Notice the folded links in this close-up of the bracelet?
An Omega symbol is visible on the clasp, indicating another clear intent to connect this watch with the official brand. But the watch in the exhibit absolutely does not have the formidable closure for which present day Omega is well known, nor its diver’s extension.
Image #4.
Perhaps this museum has some information that it believes does clearly tie its watch to GoldenEye; some scene in which this alternate was used. Unfortunately, visitors to the Hollywood Star Cars Museum are simply left with the discrepancy of what is seen on display there, versus what is known about the Omega 2541.80 Seamaster featured in the film.
And that raises questions and doubt. What does the authenticity of this watch suggest about the display of firearms on the back wall, each carefully associated with a particular James Bond movie? Or the BMW Z3 roadster itself, now featuring missile tips in two of the headlight wells?
Image #5.
On the wall right next to the driver’s door of the car, visitors can read this State of California Certificate of Title, listing a VIN and showing an issue date of 06/13/96.
Interesting—
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