NATO Watch strap basics
Ward
Maryland/LondonPosts: 195MI6 Agent
All,
sorry for the rookie post.
Just became aware that these exist...Connery wore one in Goldfinger after the diving sequence, but that is the only appearance, is that correct? I'm assuming that these are "in the field" straps and not to be worn with a suit or formal wear?
sorry for the rookie post.
Just became aware that these exist...Connery wore one in Goldfinger after the diving sequence, but that is the only appearance, is that correct? I'm assuming that these are "in the field" straps and not to be worn with a suit or formal wear?
Comments
More modern nylon straps (NATO) have metal strap holders in addition to the metal clasp.
You are correct that they are not to be worn with a suit or formal wear. Connery wears his over his diving suit in Goldfinger, and then put it around his wrist when wearing the dinner jacket since he is still using it to time the explosion. Even in the other Bond films, Connery only wears his Rolex with a suit on two other occasions.
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.
....and obviously in non-diver mode with the crown not secured
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
As you well know. Rolex has tolerances that would probably be just as water resistant for diving with crown out. Not deep diving obviously, but to 30m or less certainly.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Don't be too hard on yourself. We're all quite used to that by now.
The Sub only pops up a couple times in FRWL. He mostly wears the gold Gruen watch.
I don't think the gold Gruen watch is an oversight because he wears it a lot, and in four films. You are right that the producers wanted Bond to be associated with the Rolex, but the Soviet embassy shot in From Russia with Love is the only time he is seen wearing the Rolex with a suit in From Russia with Love. In other shots with the same grey suit (as well as other suits) Connery is wearing the Gruen. They probably used the Rolex for this shot only because they didn't want to show the Gruen up close, but they overall probably didn't want Connery wearing the Rolex with a suit and wanted him to wear the dress watch.
Excuse me, but how do we know it's a "Gruen"? Moreover, why would the producers stick a "Gruen" on Connery's wrist if they wanted him associated with Rolex as the Legacy book says?
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.
This man identified it: http://jamesbondwatchesblog.com/2013/12/16/gruen-made-james-bonds-first-movie-wristwatch-part-1-of-3/
And he counters the Legacy book quote here: http://jamesbondwatchesblog.com/2013/12/20/gruen-made-james-bonds-first-movie-wristwatch-part-3-of-3/#more-4253
Did you ever notice that a photo in the book with a caption that says Rolex shows this dress watch instead?
This man is Dell Deaton. He describes visual evidence. But I don't think it really matters what the watch is, and it matters more that it's not the Rolex Submariner that Connery is better known for wearing. He wears this watch a lot in four Bond films since the costume designer probably deemed it more appropriate with a suit and with evening wear.
Yep, it's the same guy! He was adamant for several years that it was a Rolex Precision and now it is a "Gruen" because why?
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.
The person you mentioned above was on this board and wanted to be our "James Bond Watch guy". He was proved wrong so many times he became obsessive and deleted all of his posts. I had also written an article about James Bond and the Rolex Submariner which still exists here. It talks about how Cubby Broccoli gave his Submariner to the production of Dr. No. So, the person you mentioned obsessively watched all of the Bond movies and said "ah hah" Connery also wears a gold colored watch. It has to be a Rolex, further it has to be "the" Rolex given to Connery for Dr. No. A Rolex Precision seems to fit. The problem is, the gold watch is never shown to be a Rolex or anything else for that matter.
The "gentlemen" in question also wrote about the literary Bond's Rolex being a 1016 Explorer for a watch magazine. However, he was involved in a thread over at WUS (Watchuseek) prior to the article being written where somone else came up with the theory that the literary Bond wore a Rolex Explorer.
There are many Bond watch experts on this board. Higgins and Asp9mm are just a couple of them. Higgins being the resident expert on Bond Seikos. He's an expert because he's been collecting for years, not because he woke up one day and said I want to be "THE JAMES BOND WATCH GUY".
The person in question is not held in very high regard here or on many watch boards I'm afraid. Apparently you like him, many here don't.
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.
Hello Matt,
I really don't want to wade thru all the self-praise and - promotion on Deaton's page, which mostly spins around pulling evidence from his own evidence.
So can you please point me to where EXACTLY he visually identifies the Gruen watch in Dr. No?
This aside, just because he hates myself, Asp9mm and Donald Grant (he even created a webpage with the only purpose to throw his racist mud on us) - does not mean that he's the good guy.
I may be wrong - but I can recently feel a negative vibe from you against me and Asp9mm - probably influenced by him.
Just one hint: The Explorer, which he continues to praise as his own discovery has been on public display at the IWM for more than one year before he started spinning the entire thing.
As a matter of fact, it has been reported on AJB much earlier - ask yourself why he fails to even mention it.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
This dress watch has been Connery's or Terence Young's personal watch.
We all know how keen Young was about "dressing to the protocole", so he probably was insisting on a "dresswatch" when Bond wears a suit or a tux.
Maybe it was this, maybe it was just an oversight at the begining and people where following "the rule" without really questioning it.
However, the dress watch is so barely visible (remember that at the time it was unthinkable that people would stop the movie and crop into the imgae just to identify the smallest detail) and so unimportant that I personally don't spend more lifetime on it.
I am sure that there is no "big" story behind it. Feel free to disagree.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I won't fight you guys what kind of watch this one is, or what Dell Deaton says it is. I was unaware that you guys did not get along with him, and I have no influence from him over you. I'm sorry if you've gotten a negative vibe from me. I personally believe this watch is more significant that you think it since Connery wears this gold watch on more occasions than he wears the Submariner. They just don't focus in on it like they do with the Submariner. It's not Terence Young's watch or just something at the beginning because it also shows up in Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice, and maybe also Diamonds Are Forever (I'd have to check on that one again, I can't remember for sure). I'm really surprised you are all ignoring this watch considering how much Connery wears it. This wouldn't happen with any way Daniel Craig wears.
Well Matt, it's simple. The only reason you are talking about the gold watch is because way back when on this very forum Wendell was handed his lunch, at least in his mind anyway. So he found a watch that Connery wore that no one really noticed or cared about. He then said to members of AJB, ah hah you stupid know nothing's, I've got it and proceeded to write about the gold watch as though he had discovered the Ark of the Covenent or Noah's Ark or something. Now you have discovered his nonsense and it seems to dovetail with what you believe men should wear with suits. Problem is, that back then SCUBA was "the" in recreational sport for those who could afford it, so it would not be un-common to have a man in a suit wearing a rather high end, handsome dive watch during that time period. Connery even wears it in the beginning of Goldfinger with a white dinner jacket.
I saw my first Bond movies in the early 70's, probably 1970. Just after Lazenby and just before Connery returned in DAF. I saw a Connery triple feature re-release ( they don't do those much anymore). What I noticed then was Connery's Submariner, not the gold watch. It's true, if you look
you will find the gold watch, but it is never presented in a way that says this is Bond's watch. As a kid I yearned for the Submariner, not the gold watch. It's just not memorable.
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.
You're right that it's not memorable, but it is still there. And it has nothing to do with this other guy "discovering" the watch. I too noticed the watch, so I searched the internet to see what I could find and that's what I found. Yes, I believe men should wear dress watches with suits, and Connery wearing the Sub with his white dinner jacket has to do with diving. It ties in with the scene before when he is in a diving suit and still using the watch. It wouldn't make sense for him to change watches. I'm sorry I brought up this other guy, but my interest in the watch has nothing to do with him. I'm just really surprised to see everyone else ignoring the watch when people here don't even ignore anything Daniel Craig wears outside of the Bond films!
I really have to admit I only noticed the dress watch in the odd scene and never really looked out for it as such. Will do next time I watch the earlier films.
Back on topic - I'm not a fan of Natos on the new Ceramic Rolex watches, only look cool on the pre ceramic bezel subs!!!
I have just read through, and indeed read through again, all three pages of this piece – I was compelled to re-read as I was certain I must have missed something the first time.
The article presents itself as definitive and authoritative, and yet, on closer analysis of the actual content, it has absolutely no substance whatsoever. A serious historian would present evidence to back up the claims made therein. This piece literally offers no evidence, of any kind.
Essentially the whole article can be boiled down to this:
“Someone once showed me a picture of the watch, and it was a Gruen. I am not at liberty to share any more information.”
Whilst I don’t dispute the author may have seen such a picture, how can he possibly have the brass balls to present this as a factual discovery? Surely he must understand the concept of evidence, and that any ‘discovery’ can be no such thing until corroboration is presented?
I’ve noticed that the author seems to have denied the public the opportunity to refute his claim by closing the comments section down – a pity as I feel a perfect response would have been:
“I’ve also seen a picture of the watch, and it was actually a Sekonda. Don’t ask me to prove it though, you’ll just have to take my word for it.”
The pomposity is quite staggering! I’m assuming that the author of this piece is not a respected 007/horological historian?
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
http://jamesbondwatchesblog.com/2013/12/18/gruen-made-james-bonds-first-movie-wristwatch-part-2-of-3/
This is the description of the 'Eureka!' moment:
I ended up physically holding in my hands and critically scrutinizing original archive photography with my own eyes. This evidence has satisfied me to a reasonable certainty that Sean Connery wore a Gruen Precision with small-seconds sub-dial and other configurations that I’ve noted above, when he played James Bond in the first scenes shot and in the first scenes shown in the first EON Productions and United Artists 007 movie, Dr. No.
Copyright © 2015 James Bond Watches Blog
I misspoke. He does not actually give any proof to what the watch is. I'm sorry I brought up that guy and his article. I retract that part of what I wrote. It was simply the only thing I found on that watch I have long wondered about. I will continue to wonder what the watch is, but my opinions on how and why Connery often wears it as opposed to a Submariner stay the same and have nothing to do with the other guy (with whom I have never corresponded and have no affiliations with). I feel like I am being attacked over a misunderstanding.
Relax - noone attacks you {[]
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Thanks Jackie A.
Usually newbies show up here taking everything from that 'expert' as gospel - it's refreshing to see a starter who has his things right! {[]
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Yes, Matt, you are entitled to your own opinion. However, it may be influenced by how "you" think a man should dress. Perhaps that is why you found the gold watch apparently on your own. I have no problem with that whatsoever. Nevertheless, you also must be cognizant of the time frame in which the pictures were made, and that the producers wanted Bond associated with Rolex. That's if your looking for the truth and not merely trying to justify the way you believe things should be.
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.