"Actor's Watch" focuses on watches worn by actors in movies, television, etc.
This is the ninth installment and the third in the 007 series.
This time, we will be focusing on the wrists of George Lazenby, the second James Bond, and Timothy Dalton, the fourth James Bond , both of whom left the series after only a few appearances.
[2nd Generation] George Lazenby
After Sean Connery was replaced as the second James Bond, Australian model George Lazenby, had no acting experience.
*Source: https://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com/news/george-lazenby-guest-honour-james-bond-oslo-gala
Lazenby, an all-around athlete who also had experience as a ski instructor, showed off his action skills at the audition, and won the role of James Bond from among hundreds of other candidates, becoming Sean Connery's successor.
Submariner and Pre-Daytona from "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
James Bond faces off against Blofeld of the evil organization "SPECTR" which is plotting a bioterrorism attack.
On his wrist is a Rolex Submariner (Ref. 5513) inherited from Sean Connery's era and a silver-dial Rolex chronograph (Ref. 6238), commonly known as the "Pre-Daytona."
*Source: https://bamfstyle.com/2017/12/07/bond-ohmss-1-tux-car/
*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2005/03/chapter-5-george-lazenby-on-her.html
This third chronograph, produced in the 1950s and 1960s prior to the first Daytona (Ref. 6239) which was released around 1963, is a model that has gained great popularity in the vintage Rolex market and is commonly referred to as the "Pre-Daytona," combining the prefix "PRE," meaning "before," with "Daytona."
In the film, when Bond uses a ropeway to escape from a difficult situation, this Pre-Daytona chronograph is used in a very practical way to measure the time it takes for the ropeway's gears to stop.
*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2005/03/chapter-5-george-lazenby-on-her.html
In this film, perhaps in an attempt to differentiate himself from Sean Connery, James Bond is portrayed as a return to the original character, fighting enemies with just his own body and a gun, without relying on any secret weapons. Similarly, it is notable that the watch is used as a realistic prop, rather than a secret weapon.
George Lazenby was brought on to the screen with high hopes of becoming the new James Bond, but he was unable to shake off the image of Sean Connery, and unfortunately this was the only film he was in.
*Source: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/on_her_majestys_secret_service
However, today, due to its intense, physical action and tragic ending, it is being re-evaluated as a "masterpiece that came too soon," and it has become a popular work that always ranks highly in the series in fan polls.
[4th 007] Timothy Dalton
The man who succeeded the third 007, Roger Moore, who had the most appearances and the longest tenure of all the 007s, was Timothy Dalton , a talented actor from the Shakespeare company that has produced many great actors.
*Source: https://www.007museum.com/Dalton_Timothy.htm
Roger Moore's image of Bond was transformed from a light, stylish and elegant character to a wilder and more serious one, a trend that has been carried over to Daniel Craig's 21st century version of Bond.
"The Living Daylights"
The Living Daylights (1987)
Reflecting the social climate at the end of the Cold War, the enemy is not SPECTRE but the Soviet KGB.
A fierce intelligence battle unfolds in the east, in Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union.
The fourth James Bond, played by Timothy Dalton, wears a TAG Heuer Professional 1000 Night Dive (Ref. 980.031) . This quartz model is PVD-coated and has a luminous dial, making it highly visible in the dark.
*Source: https://timeandtidewatches.com/list-the-five-most-important-tag-heuers-on-film/
Of the many series, the Living Daylights is the only TAG Heuer watch to be used as a Bond watch, making it a rare piece in some ways.
*Source: https://www.calibre11.com/bond-tag-heuer/
By the way, Heuer was acquired by the TAG Group and became "Tag Heuer" in 1985 .
The timing of filming "The Living Daylights" was right at the turning point for Heuer, and as a watchmaker, I'm curious as to whether the watch in the movie is a "HEUER" model or a "TAG HEUER" model. There are no scenes in the movie that show the watch up close, so the most likely theory is that it's a "HEUER" model without the TAG, but at this point it seems difficult to confirm.
Submariner from "License to Kill"
Licence to Kill (1989)
This is a unique film in which James Bond, whose best friend was killed by a drug lord and whose "license to kill" was revoked due to personal feelings, struggles between his mission and revenge. 007 wears a Rolex Submariner (Ref. 16610) , a tradition that has continued since the days of Sean Connery.
*Source: http://nuovo-identita-london-orologi.blogspot.com/2016/11/watch-out-mr-bond-007s-watches-in-review.html
Perhaps to match the serious style of the film, it does not function as a secret weapon.
However, in this film, which has the most underwater and ocean action scenes of the series, it can be said that the Submariner's original functionality as a diver's watch is fully demonstrated.
*Source: https://timeandtidewatches.com/the-complete-list-of-bond-watches/
Even so, it 's been 15 years since Bond last wore a mechanical watch in "The Man with the Golden Gun" in 1974! This may mean that there are signs of a revival of mechanical watches in the espionage world.
*Source: https://screenrant.com/james-bond-how-timothy-dalton-almost-played-007-before-living-daylights/
Timothy Dalton's James Bond was highly praised, with the late Princess Diana saying it was "closest to the original," and the serious style of the film attracted new fans, so the next film was expected. However, after this, a lawsuit over the rights of the 007 series occurred, and production of the series was halted for five years. As a result, Timothy Dalton left the series after only two appearances.
summary
George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton, who succeeded their great predecessors Sean Connery and Roger Moore, unfortunately both left the role after only a few films. However, the wild and human image of James Bond that they both shared is now highly regarded.
Furthermore, the watches that appear in the film are not ostentatious, but rather make their presence known through realistic use that makes the most of the watches' inherent functions and characteristics. Many watch enthusiasts are impressed by the way watches are portrayed as practical watches that support James Bond with their inherent functions, rather than as unique secret weapons.
*Source: http://bondfanevents.com/goldeneyes-pierce-brosnan/
Now, after Timothy Dalton left the series, the relationship between the 007 series and watches has undergone a major change. This is due in part to a certain person who played a key role in the revival of Swiss luxury watch manufacturers since the 1990s. In "007 Watches Part 4," we will focus not only on the fifth James Bond, Pierce Brosnan, but also on people related to him, so please look forward to it.
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