Deconstructed: The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Commander’s Watch

In You Only Live Twice (released 50 years ago), The Spy Who Loved Me (released 40 years ago) and Tomorrow Never Dies (released 20 years ago), James Bond can be seen wearing his official military uniform. Inspired by Bond’s rank and regalia — and the notable anniversaries for these three films — Omega has created the limited-edition Commander’s Watch. The stainless-steel model is limited to 7,007 pieces and is driven by the Omega calibre 2507, while an 18k yellow gold model is limited to just seven pieces.

Offered in our Watches Online auction in October are three Seamaster Diver 300M Commander’s Watch Limited Edition models — one in stainless steel, one 18k yellow gold model, number #007, and one unique version created from 18k white gold.

Each of these watches also comes with a unique piece of James Bond memorabilia. The stainless steel and yellow gold Seamasters will be offered with the replica navy uniforms worn by, respectively, Sean Connery in the 1967 Bond film You Only Live Twice, and Sir Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), both signed in gold pen on the inside label by producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

The white gold Seamaster will be offered with a British Royal Navy Ensign flag from the 2015 Bond film Spectre, signed in black pen by Daniel Craig. All proceeds from the sale of these three watches will go to UNICEF, the United Nations Mine Action Service and a number of charitable organisations.

The watch worn by Bond

Omega has been worn on the wrist of James Bond since GoldenEye  in 1995. It was Lindy Hemming, the costume designer on GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002) and Casino Royale (2006), who proposed that 007 should wear an Omega.

‘I was convinced that Commander Bond, a naval man, a diver, and a discreet gentleman of the world, would wear this watch, as opposed to the one everyone expected me to use,’ says Hemming of her choice of the Seamaster.

‘My father had been in the RAF,’ the costume designer explains, ‘but was friendly with navy men. I remember as a child one often visiting us and he always wore this Omega, which fascinated me, with its unusually sporty design, looking as though it was built for purpose. It’s the small details that really matter.’

The Seamaster’s navy heritage

Hemming was right in linking Omega with the British Royal Navy. It was the Seamaster 300, originally released in 1957, that was issued to military divers around the world. In 1967, a famous batch of second-generation Seamaster 300s was also delivered to the UK’s Ministry of Defence for issue to certain units.

During the early days of the Second World War, the MoD introduced the specifications for a wristwatch that would help British forces in the air, on land and at sea. Subsequently, Omega delivered more than 110,000 pilot’s, navigator’s and soldier’s watches to Great Britain’s MoD.

Saluting the colours of the British Navy

Touches of white, blue and red — the ensign colours of the British Royal Navy — are found throughout Omega’s Commander’s Watch. The 41 mm stainless-steel case features a blue ceramic bezel with a Liquidmetal® diving scale and red rubber covering the first 15 minutes. The dial is polished white ceramic and includes 12 blue indexes, the word ‘Seamaster’ written in red and blue skeleton hands.

Unique features include the 007 gun logo counterweight on the central seconds hand, and the number 7 in the date window which is coloured red, while all other numbers are blue.

The NATO bracelet is blue, red and grey and follows a 5-stripe pattern with a polished buckle. On the wave-edged caseback, the ‘three stripes’ of the Commander’s naval insignia are featured on the rotor, along with a 007 ‘bullet’ design.

The Commander’s Watch is presented in a special box that has been inspired by a military medal case, and which also contains a stainless-steel bracelet, a changing tool and a ‘naval pin’ that mirrors the design of the NATO strap.