Like the film it’s featured in, the design of the Omega No Time To Die Watch doesn’t hold back. And, like the film, it maintains a suave sleekness.
Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond marked 25 years of the franchise’s partnership with Omega. As such, I was curious about the idea of an Omega No Time To Die Watch upon the film’s announcement. And by curious, I mean I was ravenously enthralled.
When it comes to watches, while the Rolex Explorer II was my first watch, the love of my life is the GoldenEye Seamaster. After all, it’s the model that started the partnership. I’m also a big 007 fan, and as a rule, I love the James Bond watch culture around this fandom. Besides, that ‘90s Seamaster is an excellent Omega for small wrists.
Casino Royale, an origin story, launched a deeper-than-usual, character-driven Bond series. The full-on popcorn Spectre was meant to be the finale. It was our reward for taking that mental journey. It was a thank you from the franchise. “Now that you have a deeper understanding of Bond’s psyche, here are the explosions, punching, and pretty girls you come to us for.” No Time To Die is an addendum that implodes that. And the star timepiece is a stylish representation of the film’s role in the franchise.
From Rolex to Omega
What I love most about the Omega No Time To Die Watch is that it takes design cues The first watch to grace James Bond’s wrist in the franchise’s first movie was the Rolex Submariner reference 6538. He wore this watch for the first five Bond movies. 1995’s GoldenEye marked a shift away from the crown and to Omega.
By Casino Royale, Bond had been wearing Omega watches for four films and over a decade. One of my favorite moments in that movie is when Vesper Lynd clocks Bond’s watch when they first meet. She asks him if it’s a Rolex, a hat-tip to the original Bond Watch. In fact, especially at the time of the film, many would say it was the only Bond watch. Even more, the Omega is also the same color palette as the first James Bond Submariner.
Bond corrects her and mentions it’s an Omega. This self-aware moment is a symbolic torch pass. The Seamaster had done the work, and now, it gets its very own Bond Watch throne next to the Sub’s throne. Okay, out of respect, perhaps this throne is just behind the Sub’s.
The Omega No Time To Die Watch: Best Design Practices
What I love most about the No Time To Die Watch is that it takes design cues from both tentpole Seamasters. See, the Seamaster isn’t like the Submariner. It’s changed a lot.
If you look at the history of Omega, you’ll see that the Seamaster has had predecessors on the market. Basically, it grew and evolved in front of the public. However, there are two quintessential designs. The first is the design based on the first Seamaster truly made for diving, the CK 2913. It features the iconic broad arrow hands and the flush triangular indices. The second is the 2541.80, the aforementioned GoldenEye Watch from 1995. This timepiece distinguishes itself via its blue dial, scalloped bezel, wave design, and skeletal hands.
The No Time To Die Seamaster combines elements from both of these icons. It flaunts the distinct scalloped bezel, skeletal hands, and classic indices as the GoldenEye Watch. This combination of familiar elements is given the matte black and tropical color palette of a vintage broad arrow.
The No Time To Die Watch symbolizes the Seamaster’s evolution. It also symbolizes how it wouldn’t be what it is today if not for its partnership with the 007 franchise. And, like the film, it’s a sort of cumulative design, having built on the work that came before it.
The combination of that beautiful domed sapphire and the sleek mesh bracelet in a Milanese style combines vintage with modern. It’s chicness and ruggedness—what we want from a Bond watch.
You can also find it in a handsome NATO strap. This strap is definitely more brawny and less decorative than the Milanese. Still, the brown, gray, and black stripes are sophisticated and were tailor-made for this particular 007 watch.
Omega James Bond Seamaster: Top of the Line Function
Omega is known not to shy away from experimenting with different functions. It’s why, unlike Rolex, they started manufacturing quartz watches. Some think this is good, and others think it’s not so great. However, it’s one of the reasons why different iterations of the Seamaster can compete against a range of different divers.
Omega builds the James Bond Seamaster from Grade 2 titanium instead of the more traditional stainless steel. This means it’s strong but far lighter, down to half the weight of stainless steel. It’s also a relatively thin diver. This makes it pretty comfortable wear. Plus, titanium is hypoallergenic. From a style perspective, it provides a fascinating, almost gunmetal look. It’s not perfectly matte and not as shiny as polished steel.
Of course, all of the top-notch specs we expect from Omega are there, too. It’s water resistant at 300 meters, anti-magnetic, and features a crisp unidirectional bezel and a helium escape valve. Omega’s 8806 movement powers it. This Master Chronometer boasts a Co-Axial escapement, which reduces friction, ensuring less servicing and greater accuracy as it operates over time.
Omega 007 Seamaster Limited Edition
Usually, this combination of best Bond practices is reserved for limited edition Omega 007 Seamasters. Fortunately for us, though, the No Time To Die Watch isn’t limited at all. In fact, it’s still available on the website. Still, it’s worth quickly looking at the few limited edition Bond watches Omega has indeed served up. They’re pretty great.
Omega built a special Seamaster for Spectre, the film that preceded No Time To Die. Daniel Craig’s era tended to do away with a lot of the corny gadgetry many of us love about the franchise. However, as mentioned, Spectre was a gift to the audience. One that was rife with the Bond tropes previously missing in the Craig chapter.
His Seamaster in this film featured an explosive device. Talk about pay-off. Of course, the broad arrow Spectre Watch released by Omega in the real world doesn’t do that. However, it features a beautifully textured black dial on top of its classic design. It was limited to a production of 7,007 — get it?
The On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Watch is another cool limited edition Seamaster from the franchise. It came out in 2019 — a tribute to the 1969 movie of the same name starring George Lazenby. It’s a really unique piece that goes hard on the Bond aesthetic. The dial features an abstracted gun barrel design, while the 12 marker is the Bond coat of arms. Like the Spectre Watch, it was limited to 7,007 pieces.
FAQs
Here are a few commonly asked questions about the No Time To Die watch.
Is the No Time To Die Omega Limited?
No, it’s not a limited edition. While other James Bond Omega models have been limited in production, the No Time To Die Watch wasn’t one of them.
Is Omega Seamaster No Time To Die discontinued?
As of 2024, you can still purchase the No Time To Die Seamaster directly from the Omega website.
What Model Is the Omega Seamaster in No Time To Die?
The No Time To Die Watch has two references. Reference 210.90.42.20.01.001 is the one that comes on a Milanese strap, like Bond’s in the film. There’s also the 210.92.42.20.01.001, which comes on a NATO. The only difference between the two reference numbers is the fifth digit, a 0 in the former and a 2 in the latter.
Conclusion: A Worthwhile Bond Watch
So, how does this watch stack up? I think it’s quite a solid and impressive Bond timepiece. The Omega No Time To Die Watch is both a unique creation and an homage to those that came before it. And it’s undeniably well-built.
My favorite is still the GoldenEye Watch. Most would say that the original Submariner simply can’t be dethroned, which is fair. But the No Time To Die Watch perfectly symbolizes the film while also honoring past Bond traditions.
Questions? Comments? Let me know!