“Where would James Bond be without his wristwatch?” provided me the opportunity to share for the first time a number of exclusive images related to my research and findings on the original, literary James Bond Rolex of Ian Fleming.
Among what only 2009 NAWCC conference attendees have seen in public so far: Photographs of original Rolex documentation dating the Ian Fleming Rolex Explorer 1016, as referenced in my February 2009 WatchTime article, “Discovered: James Bond’s Rolex.”
I was also able to share a close-up image of the Fleming-Bond Rolex Explorer 1016 with its production dial intact, from prior to its replacement for display as part of the Ian Fleming Centenary exhibit at the Imperial War Museum in London. Access to these is critical to proper identification of the watch.
In addition to the Saturday presentation, a virtually identical Rolex Explorer 1016 was displayed as part of the historical timepieces exhibit at the 64th Annual National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
It is believed that this watch was produced by Rolex as little as just 7 hours before the Ian Fleming watch case. The watch shown on my wrist in the image shown here is of that “brother” Rolex Explorer 1016 shown last week in Grand Rapids.
Because this wristwatch retains its original dial, the configuration shown here is actually the closest representation of what 007 creator Ian Fleming referenced when writing about the original James Bond Rolex in his novel, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
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