A contemporary James Bond Rolex
Higgins
GermanyPosts: 16,619MI6 Agent
Hey folks,
as we all know, Ian Fleming was a Rolex fan and gave a Rolex to his hero in the novels.
The cinematic Bond received a 6538 Submariner in Dr. No and this watch has defined the Bond watches for all times imo.
Case: The sleek classic lines of the "older" Submariners are timeless and I adore the non-crownguard cases from the early age.
Here you see a Sub with crownguards:
The 6538 prominently features the big crown as opposed to the other Sub from that era, the 6536 which has the small crown:
Dial:
The printing on the dial was gilt colour - contrary to recent watches, where the printing is white coloured on steel watches:
The luminiscent material on the dial was radium back then - pretty high x-ray exposure and the colour of that lume material was somehow greenish when new - it fades to a brownish tone after some decades - remember 6538 are > 50 years old.
So I really love to own a 6538 as a good original one costs between 50.000 - 100.000 US$ it is out of question for me besides the fact that such an old watch will not be able to widthstand water constantly and the radiation of the dial would also be a turnoff for me.
Due to that, the idea rose how a modern James Bond Rolex Submariner would look like today.
The obvious choice would be a modern Submariner
Or Submariner Date:
Owning a recent Submariner Date (Ceramic) myself, I really enjoy all the modern updates on this watch - but I find the case far too bulky and "bling" if that makes sense.
I also don't like the ROLEXROLEX engraving on the ring around the dial (rehaut), so I have to watch out for another option.
Now our man himself
pojnted me into the right direction- I mean if Daniel Craig approves, it should be good for me as well.
Here is the watch that ticks so many fields:
To be continued
as we all know, Ian Fleming was a Rolex fan and gave a Rolex to his hero in the novels.
The cinematic Bond received a 6538 Submariner in Dr. No and this watch has defined the Bond watches for all times imo.
Case: The sleek classic lines of the "older" Submariners are timeless and I adore the non-crownguard cases from the early age.
Here you see a Sub with crownguards:
The 6538 prominently features the big crown as opposed to the other Sub from that era, the 6536 which has the small crown:
Dial:
The printing on the dial was gilt colour - contrary to recent watches, where the printing is white coloured on steel watches:
The luminiscent material on the dial was radium back then - pretty high x-ray exposure and the colour of that lume material was somehow greenish when new - it fades to a brownish tone after some decades - remember 6538 are > 50 years old.
So I really love to own a 6538 as a good original one costs between 50.000 - 100.000 US$ it is out of question for me besides the fact that such an old watch will not be able to widthstand water constantly and the radiation of the dial would also be a turnoff for me.
Due to that, the idea rose how a modern James Bond Rolex Submariner would look like today.
The obvious choice would be a modern Submariner
Or Submariner Date:
Owning a recent Submariner Date (Ceramic) myself, I really enjoy all the modern updates on this watch - but I find the case far too bulky and "bling" if that makes sense.
I also don't like the ROLEXROLEX engraving on the ring around the dial (rehaut), so I have to watch out for another option.
Now our man himself
pojnted me into the right direction- I mean if Daniel Craig approves, it should be good for me as well.
Here is the watch that ticks so many fields:
To be continued
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Comments
https://www.instagram.com/wearitlikebond/
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
https://www.instagram.com/wearitlikebond/
He has no love for the 5513.
Bondtots The Butcher
The reply is not that easy:
1. Plexi crystal: I love the look but they are prone to scratches and are not perfect to keep a watch waterresitant permanently.
2. Lume: The main problem is the lume: the 5513 had tritium luminous material and after around 12 year, the lume is not bright at night anymore. That's the major turn-down if Bond would choose a Rolex today and a turn-down for me as well.
I love it when I am waking up and can read the time without turning on the light.
So a functional lume is non-negotiable and that closes out the 5513.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
And you should see her in the middle of the night and her sleep without makeup
Once you have seen that, you'll not ask again
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Yeah...gave me a real fright she did
And...
Bondtots in decent watch pic shocker
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
1. a 6538 will be too expensive and not good for daily use
2. It would be nice to have one of the old matte dials but the absence of working lume puts them out
3. For that reason, I'll go for a glossy black dial with working lume and (unfortunately) the whitegold-surroundings around the lume plots
4. For a maximum of durability and waterresistance, a watch with a sapphire crystal is a must
5. The modern Submariner (Ceramics) are nice but too bulky -particularly on the lugs
6. The crownguards must go!
Now 3 more thoughts:
(1) Date or not:
I know that the basic tool-watch concept means that the Bond Submariner had no Date. I have one watch without a date function and am getting annoyed because i check the date several times during a workday on my watch, so a datefunction is a must
(2) Cyclope:
A very practical invention is Rolexs Date magnifing cyclope at 3. To keep a clean pure look on the Bond Submariner, that must go!
(3) Strap:
The Bond watch does not come on a metal bracelet. The alligator strap on the early Connery Sub is not good for water. The NATO straps later, I don't like for the following reasons:
- they are too thin!
- They go behind the watch and catch dirt - which means that the caseback is constantly ground down a little from that dirt.
- I don't like the metal rings on the NATO straps
Fortunately, I have found a very good alternative to the NATO straps, the MARATAC Composite strap:
I am wearing this type of strap on my IWC watch
and like it more and more every day. So the Bond Sub will have a Maratac Composite and not a NATO.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
https://www.instagram.com/wearitlikebond/
on our next rendez-vous, I'll shave them
Or does it turn you on? :v
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
More like the missing link :v
DG
"People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Richard Grenier after George Orwell, Washington Times 1993.
problem is that there is no money shot yet
The watch is still in the making and I am boring you guys with my basic thoughts to get some reassurance that ruining a perfect Rolex is the right thing and to cope with my excitement during the waiting time until the watch is ready {[]
BTW: Having met that Asp9mm recently I can assure you that there may be noone in the entire world who's so boring and hermit-ic like him.
He can't socialize, only brabbling about his guns 8-) - annoying for everyone....
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Check out my Instagram: @livingthebondlife
"I never joke about my work, 007."
One stupid question... what size is the 6538 model - i have always thought it was like a mid-size on Connerys hand....
www.007jamesbond.dk
http://thedangermen.com/
I like your idea for the strap, but will you use an all black strap or will it be possible to have a Goldfinger style color scheme?
Hello Ian,
glad that you like it. The 6538 should be at 38 mm case diameter - a pretty large watch back then, relatively small to our standards today.
BTW the 6538 and the 6200 came with a dial that matches ecactly what Fleming describes in OHMSS (luminous numerals..):
See the watch on the bottom left? It does not even say "Submariner" on the dial
People tend to argue, that Fleming would have mentioned "Submariner" if it was written on the dial.
I am not saying that the OHMSS Rolex was that kind of Sub, but it is possible....
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
The MARATEC Strap comes only in black.
The colour scheme from GF may be pretty iconic, I personally don't like it too much - particularly when it's understrapped like we see in GF.
I doubt that a modern Bond would wear a watch like that today - to the same degree that I am sure that a british spy would drive a low-profile car instead of an Aston Martin DBS.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Anyway lets call it 6538 mid-size by todays standard... :x
www.007jamesbond.dk
http://thedangermen.com/
If they where, I would not be hanging around with you boring guys here but live a high-life - James Bond Style
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Oghhh a pity
www.007jamesbond.dk
http://thedangermen.com/