James Bond Watches Blog

Did latest Omega James Bond watch announcement help or hurt local Authorized Dealers (who play by the rules)?

I wish I could say that the first new James Bond watch announcement for 2012 was merely a comedy of errors.

But it’s nowhere near that good.

Yesterday morning (that is to say, Eastern Time in the United States, where this James Bond Watches Blog is written), Omega sorta officially announced an upcoming James Bond Seamaster model. Actually, two.

Both “commemorate” 50 years of the James Bond films. There’s a 41mm watch, limited to 11,007 pieces; and a 36.25mm watch, limited to 3,007 pieces.

TimeZone broke Tuesday with full text of the formal communication from Omega, along with photographs.

Trouble is— they also broke with it last Friday. But that January 20 information was from an Omega Authorized Dealer in London. A dealer that had posted detailed information for both watches as items it was then-selling on a pre-order basis.

As a strong advocate for purchasing new Omega watches through Authorized Dealers, I’ll remind my friends here that we commonly see signs in display cases to warn us that genuine Omega watches aren’t sold new on the Internet. In particular, there’s reason to doubt warranties for sales via the web. Same thing at point of purchase for Rolex.

And yet the leak-source from last Friday blatantly promotes itself as an official part of the retail network for both. Ready to do business with all comers, apparently, via its website.

Those of you who follow my James Bond watch updates on Twitter @bondwatches saw my due diligence on this story as it unfolded continue reading…

Exactly one week ago today, Empire magazine posted this photo of Daniel Craig in-character as James Bond in "Skyfall." Would you buy an Omega watch now based on speculated identification based only on what you see here?

Last Friday the thirteenth must have been a happy one for James Bond fans, considering the number of Tweets and eMails I’ve gotten with requests to identify the Skyfall wristwatch — based on this movie set image released through Empire magazine, one week ago today.

“There it is!” read one subject line.

Sorry. I still don’t see it. And, from the watch forum threads I’ve watched spring up that day, only to crash for lack of substance the next, neither does anyone else.

Anyone “credible,” that is. Of course there are those wish-watch experts who “see” without a doubt a blue titanium Seamaster Planet Ocean by Omega in this Skyfall image.

Nobody buys that. Or, rather: Nobody’s gonna buy based on that.

With all due respect, ask yourself: Why on earth is anyone looking in the first place?

I for one wasn’t even hell-bent to break news with the Quantum of Solace James Bond screen-worn watch model identification. Beyond that, I believe the difference in time between whoever actually did, versus the blogger from Timbuktu who picked it up as old news, could be measured in hours.

The Skyfall Omega won’t be any different.

Unfortunately, product placement partners are playing by 2005 rules, operating on assumptions based on what they saw with James Bond watches tied to Casino Royale.

Let’s remember some of the James Bond watch factors that had us watching 7 years ago:

• “The James Bond Omega” was ostensibly continue reading…

Although Daniel Craig inherited the role of "James Bond" Ambassador for Omega in 2006, it's actually been the Bond girls who've been most visible in promoting his movie-related James Bond watches

According to Omega, 81% of its 1995 market was “Gents.”

In 2010, the distribution was only 51% Gents, compared to 49% wristwatches for “Ladies.”

James Bond started wearing Omega in 1995, of course — with the introduction of Pierce Brosnan as 007 in GoldenEye. His watch was a quartz Seamaster, which I suppose no one who knows his watches could imagine today.

Then again, as has been pointed out elsewhere, a great deal has changed in the world of James Bond since 1995. Specifically, a greater emphasis on the female characters. Remember the rumored “Jinx” spin-off series that was discussed as Die Another Day was coming out in 2002?

Quantum of Solace scripting took us right into the bedroom of Lady M. And now in the third month of principle photography on Skyfall, we’ve seen more photos of Judy Dench online than of Daniel Craig. Not to say that his performance as James Bond in Skyfall will be a minor one. As Michael G. Wilson emphasized at the press conference last November, Barbara Broccoli is interested in seeing more of Mr Craig, sans clothing, in Bond 23.

Yet keeping the Omega on his wrist as proof of performance, again, following suit after the sauna sequence in GoldenEye?

It’s been somewhat the subject of debate as to when, exactly, Daniel Craig became a brand ambassador for Omega watches. Sure, his “James Bond” seamlessly stepped into the job as Pierce Brosnan stepped out. But only in terms of the product placement arrangement with the movies; not, as Mr Brosnan had enjoyed, as his own, separate person.

That changed recently, and now Mr Craig is official on his own as well with Omega. Starting in 2010? or 2011? Either way, not in 2008.

The, um, acting brand ambassador for Omega? back continue reading…