Which WATCH would James Bond choose?

double0seven7

Yes, yes I know. The Seamaster is his choice these days but unfortunately I am not able to afford a thousand dollar watch straight out of college. I am thinking of buying one of the following watches and wanted to ask my fellow Bond fanatics which watch they think Bond would choose if he HAD to pick one or the other.

I've narrowed my choice down to these two watches, I am interested to hear your opinions.

Watch 1:
Seiko SKX007J Auto 200m Diver



Watch 2:
Citizen Promaster NY2300-09E Diver

A7ce

The Seiko is nicer with a good positioning of the button too and is a very reliable brand - and Bond wore a couple of Seikos too !

Seahawk

I tend to the view that a good dress watch & a good Diver's watch are two very different things, so it would depend very much what you wanted your watch for. I have used a Citizen Automatic like the ones illustrated as my Dive watch for nearly 5 years now & I find it to be excellent for this purpose & also for every day wear but it is not a dress watch.
I am in the happy position of never having purchased a Rolex but owning two.
One of which is a Submariner. As a diving tool I find the Citizen to be its equal in many respects & superior in some respects. As a dress watch I think the Rolex is a far better watch BUT it is still too much of a Diver's watch to be entirely suitable for that purpose.
Citizen also do a Perpetual Calendar watch in about the same price range. I think this as probably about the equal of the Automatic as a Diver's watch & is superior as a dress watch.
(I should say that it is rare for me to attend two Black Tie events in a single year, whereas diving is my second favourite physical activity so I am somewhat partisan in that respect)
I don't think Bond would wear a Citizen but it is a good practical brand which gives you something approximating to his look at a fraction of the price.

double0seven7

Great responses guys...thanks!

I agree that a diving and dress watch are two different things. The Omega blends them well enough that Bond can sport one watch for both purposes. I'm basically looking for this to be my everyday watch which is why I was leaning toward the Sieko, because it has more of a dress look.

The Citizen would look dressier if I added a bracelet but the rubber strap (the Seiko can also be purchased with one) would be nice as an everyday and diving band.

Seahawk

Since my previous post I have remembered that apeks do a good affordable Submariner clone. http://www.apeks.co.uk/
Amusingly I notice that they describe theirs as a "Diver's dress watch" (maybe that's the watch Connery should have worn in GF's PTS?)
Also, one word of warning about the Citizen. Its scratch resistance is lower than most watches of its class. Mine has a discernible scratch which I like to think adds character to the watch, but that may just be wishful thinking on my part.

Asp9mm

He'd have the CWC Royal Navy issue watch, or even better, the SBS version...

http://www.armywatch.co.uk/royal-navy-divers-watch.htm

http://www.armywatch.co.uk/sbs-divers-watch.htm

A7ce

stick to the seiko mate !

Seahawk

Asp9mm wrote:

He'd have the CWC Royal Navy issue watch, or even better, the SBS version...

http://www.armywatch.co.uk/royal-navy-divers-watch.htm

http://www.armywatch.co.uk/sbs-divers-watch.htm

I'm not entirely convinced of that.Certainly both watches (especially the latter) are superb but as a clandestine operative, mere possession of one could endanger his cover in the eyes of those who recognised them. There again the same could be said of Connery's NATO strap, and the cinematic Bond does seem to inhabit a world where Aston Martin build cars which are inconspicuous enough to be utilised as surveillance vehicles, so maybe he would after all.;)

Shatterhand67

Before you jump into Seiko or Casio, I would look at www.westcostime.com.

They have a dead ringer (or close enough) to a Rolex submariner (no date ala Connery era). Here are some of the highlights taken from the site regarding this watch:

1) Saphire crystal
2) 200m depth rating
3) Military dial - 24 hr markers
4) ETA 2824-2 automatic self-winding movement which is shockproof and all Swiss made. The is the same movement used by MANY MANY of the worlds’ best watchmakers for their watches for reliability, and ease of repair and parts are always available
5) Price is $335 USD ...I don't know how this compares to the Seiko or Casio watches you mentioned

I think you can get the watch with a metal bracelet or a NATO style bracelet as Connery wore. If I was a young college student looking for a quality time piece on a budget I would probably pick this one up.

I currently have several Omegas...a DeVille, Speedmaster, Seamaster and Planet Ocean...as well as several other watches...and I'm still thinking about picking this one up from Westcoastime. Take a look at the website and let me know what you think. Happy hunting.

This ends my 200th post gents. Let the pigeons loose!

Shatterhand67

Here's a direct link to the exact watch and page I was referring to in my original post on this topic:

http://westcoastime.com/specmodofwcm.html

Cheers!

Higgins

if you are going for the ETA 2824-2, book appointments with your watchmaker.

I once had a watch with that movement and it spent weeks in the workshops. I replaced it with a 2892-2 and the problems were history.

And according to the several watchmakers, I have not been the only one with trouble with that movement: Power reserve!

Shatterhand67

Bondtoys wrote:

if you are going for the ETA 2824-2, book appointments with your watchmaker.

I once had a watch with that movement and it spent weeks in the workshops. I replaced it with a 2892-2 and the problems were history.

And according to the several watchmakers, I have not been the only one with trouble with that movement: Power reserve!

Markus...I don't understand your entire post. It seems as if the 2824 has power reserve issues. Is that correct? Please expound on that thought if you would. Thanks.

James003

Well for my budget I own a Casio Wave ceptor it looks good in dress clothes and I can swim in it Water resistant to 100 meters.

A7ce

This looks like a good Omega seamaster Alternative, a Casio at £39.95

enlarge the pic
http://www.bassett-watch-shop.com/casio-classic-diver-watch-mtd1051a2avef-p-113.html

Sea Dweller

I used to have that Seiko 200m automatic with a rubber strap. Nice watch, but eventually sold it because 1) the time kept speeding up several seconds every minute, 2) there's very little power reserve (if you don't wear it for a day, it will stop), 3) the seconds hand does not stop when you are trying to set the time - very annoying when you have to set the time back so often.

If your diving with it, then an accelerating watch isn't so bad!

There's also some debate about the quality of movement depending on whether the watch was made in Japan vs Malaysia (mine was made in Malaysia).

I went back to wearing a Sea Dweller. Among your choices, I would recommend the Seiko made in Japan. I would also recommend to you get the rubber strap in addition. If you go to Ebay, there are many good reviews of that watch.

Higgins

Shatterhand67 wrote:

Bondtoys wrote:

if you are going for the ETA 2824-2, book appointments with your watchmaker.

I once had a watch with that movement and it spent weeks in the workshops. I replaced it with a 2892-2 and the problems were history.

And according to the several watchmakers, I have not been the only one with trouble with that movement: Power reserve!

Markus...I don't understand your entire post. It seems as if the 2824 has power reserve issues. Is that correct? Please expound on that thought if you would. Thanks.

Sorry for having not posted earlier, this threat got out of my sight.

Yes, that's exactly what I am saying: The ETA 2824 has massive issues to get the right power reserve.

To tell it simple, the rotor can't manage well getting over the high resist, which the entire winding train is giving.

I know these issues from a lot of watches with that movement and can't recommend it with good faith.

Donald Grant

Asp9mm wrote:

He'd have the CWC Royal Navy issue watch, or even better, the SBS version...

http://www.armywatch.co.uk/royal-navy-divers-watch.htm

http://www.armywatch.co.uk/sbs-divers-watch.htm

I'm with Asp9mm, the CWC dive watches fit the bill. My wife just bought me the SBS version for this Christmas. Nice watch. But since it's going under the tree, I can't touch it, just a quick glimpse.

DG

apc007

As James has worn several Seiko watches, but never a Citizen, I think the choice has been made for you.