Watches ─
James Bond Watches

In summary, Biondi writes, Fleming “doesn’t seem to have written with a conscious eye on redefining the [British spy novel] genre; but he did just that.”

From my perspective, particular selection of the James Bond watch serves Fleming’s approach to “storytelling as game.” A key and recurrent theme is luxury juxtaposed with discomfort, including torture. “The novels are rather like a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition game,” argues Biondi, “where the winner is a foregone conclusion, yet the game is immensely enjoyable as spectacle.” It’s important to take pleasure in the 007 books and to like the central character, James Bond. A “liking tinged with envy.”

Rolex advertising in the period during which Ian Fleming wrote these thrillers positioned that wristwatch as a brand chosen by “Leaders of Industry” and “all walks of life,” sold through “Only the best jewelers.”

One ad for an Oyster Perpetual reinforces the high-end association by asking, “Can you buy a Rolls Royce in a discount house?”

If James Bond is good looking, yet tough, Ian Fleming certainly provides a strong metaphor by appointing his character with a Rolex watch. In fact, the novel On Her Majesty’s Secret Service stretches this parallel to its fullest extent. Worn by Bond to bed with Ruby, its “big luminous numerals” nicely tell him the time at midnight. Later, of course, that watch disintegrates in rough justice while serving as a knuckle-duster to dispatch a Blofeld henchman.
That escape weighs heavily on 007, and at one point he “had no idea how he managed to stay upright.” And yet, with his beloved wife-to-be Tracy as an ally, he pushes himself to prepare for another round with the bad guys.
His watch reflects his character.

Bond let go the girl’s hand and slipped the shattered Rolex back over the knuckles of his right hand. He had gathered enough strength, mostly from the girl, to have one more bash at them!

Plot-wise, Lee Biondi notes in his 15-page Firsts feature article that, “for every torture, Bond gets a ‘treat.’” From a strict horology focus, this comes in Chapter 23, “Gauloises and Garlic,” where the shattered Rolex is replaced with a new one — though “he had had to blarney it out of Q Branch” (in lieu of replacing it via purchase from an expense account reimbursement).

The final appearance of this James Bond watch comes at the bottom of page 285 in the first edition, just before the close of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Bond does not just note the time as 11:45 in the morning, but has “glanced at his watch” to do so. Three pages later, James Bond’s first and only wife Tracy is dead.

Poignantly, Ian Fleming chose these words to express 007’s denial of that painful tragedy: “we’ve got all the time in the world.”

Don’t look for the name Rolex to appear anywhere in “Collecting Ian Fleming,” from Firsts: The Book Collector’s Magazine. But it’s a brand reference that I’m confident would move Mr. Biondi’s piece from great to timeless if he ever has the call to update it.

Also feel free to envy the James Bond Rolex as well, if you’d like: As it turns out, that tinge can add fun to the ride.

Posted by Dell Deaton, November 25, 2008 at 10:59 AM

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