Last Updated on October, 2024
The famous James Bond film series has been featuring some of the most innovative gadgets over the years. Among those gadgets, the film series has also featured several branded products from the top companies around the globe.
From Tom Ford to Aston Martins and of course, Rolex Watches. In this article, we’ll talk about the top 5 Rolexes featured in Bond movies worn by various actors playing the role. So, let’s hop on the ride and have some fun.
Quick Summary
- Rolex watches have been prominently featured in nine James Bond movies, with different actors wearing these iconic timepieces. The Rolex Submariner 6538, worn by Sean Connery, became the signature Bond watch.
- Notable models include the Rolex Submariner 6538, GMT-Master 6542, Submariner 5513, Daytona 6238, and Submariner 16610. These watches were worn by various Bond actors and even a Bond girl, contributing to their legendary status.
- The last time a Rolex was featured in a Bond film was in “License to Kill” (1989) on Timothy Dalton’s wrist. Since then, Omega has taken over as the official watch brand for the James Bond character.
How Many Bond Movies Featured a Rolex Watch?
Rolexes have featured in nine different 007 movies and we’ll talk about them in a bit. But in the eight movies that feature the vintage Rolex, different actors got to wear this timeless timepiece on their wrists.
It all started in 1962 with Dr No when Bond was spotted wearing a Rolex Non-Perpetual with a light-coloured dial, a cold-coloured case, and a dark strap.
This watch was named the Sylvia Trench Rolex and then in the same movie Bond wore a Rolex Submariner 6538 which later became 007’s signature watch.
Why Rolex?
Have you ever wondered why Bond and Rolex were such a big thing back then? Well, in Ian Fleming’s second novel, Live and Let Die (1954) he imagined Agent 007 in a Rolex.
And that came from the writer’s affection for the brand, as Ian Fleming himself owned a Rolex Explorer reference 1016. Filmoholics believe that Connery was also a Rolex fan and a watch collector himself. They also believe that the Rolex Submariner 6538 belonged to him.
Top 5 Rolexes From Bond Films
1. Rolex Submariner 6538
The first watch and the most iconic of all Bond’s watches was the Rolex Submariner reference 6538 which Sean Connery wore in Dr No (1962). This Bond film marked the initiation of something that would become an iconic relationship between 007 and Rolex.
With variations, this watch also appeared in From Russia with Love (1963) with a textured leather strap. It was named the Russian Embassy Rolex later on.
This watch reappeared in Goldfinger (1964) and was called the Cigarette Lighter Rolex featuring an RAF strap. In Thunderball (1965) this watch again appeared but with an undersized RAF strap which was a Nato-style strap made of nylon.
In Goldfinger, this watch got a close-up shot of a suited Sean Connery, which cemented it into history as the signature Bond watch.
2. Rolex GMT-Master 6542
This one on the list has its own special place in history. The Rolex GMT Master reference 6542 was worn not by Agent 007 but by his mistress, Bond girl, Pussy Galore in Goldfinger 1964.
She’s the only female in Bond movies to wear a Rolex watch. Galore was an aviatrix in that Bond film and suitably wore a pilot’s watch which was the GMT-Master 6542.
The watch worn by Galore made such an impact that the 6542 was named Rolex GMT-Master Pussy Galore. An example of this can be seen in the online catalogue of Phillps Auction which featured the same model for sale.
3. Rolex Submariner 5513
In 1969, the Rolex Submariner reappeared in the wrist of George Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. This time Bond was sporting a Rolex Submariner reference 5513 with a steel bracelet.
It might be Lazenby’s first and only appearance in a Bond film, but it wasn’t the watch’s last. Roger Moore again wore the 5513 in Live and Let Die (1973) and then again next year in The Man with the Golden Gun.
However, on Roger Moore, it had a new epoch and this was the first time that Q added a few gadgets to the watch. After Sean Connery, Roger Moore made this watch famous once again as more and more men were after a similar type of timepiece for themselves.
4. Rolex Daytona 6238
As if they were making up for his single appearance as Bond, Lazenby got to wear two different Rolexes. He got to wear the 5513 in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, as mentioned above, and the Daytona 6238.
It’s the first and the only time a Rolex Chronograph would appear in a 007 movie. After production was completed, EON Productions’ staff were provided with an opportunity to purchase costumes that were used in the movie.
One of the staff members bought Lazenby’s Rolex Chronograph, which went on sale in 2003 at Christie’s Auction for GBP 22,192.
At the time of sale in 1968, it was roughly around GBP 600. This watch later appeared in a 2016 Artcurial auction
5. Rolex Submariner 16610
Rolex returned on the wrist of Timoty Dalton in License to Kill (1989) after 15 years since its last appearance. Timothy Dalton sported a Rolex 16610 well suited to his submerged escapades in the movie.
During this time Seiko appeared on Bond’s wrist during different movies. A Rolex on Timothy Dalton was the final appearance of this brand in a Bond film to date. Since Pierce Brosnan took the iconic role with his debut in Golden Eye, Omega became the exclusive 007 watch.
Relevant guides:
Final Thoughts
The relationship between Agent 007 and Rolex is a no-brainer. The creator of the Agent 007 character, Fleming imagined him in Rolex and he used to wear a Rolex as well.
But with time, other brands took over Bond’s wrist and since the iconic character died in the last movie, it’s a question will we be able to see Agent 007 carrying on with his love affair with one of the most iconic watch brands in the word? Only time will tell.
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