How Seiko Watch Saves the Day for James Bond
Tuesday - 19 February 2013
MI6 agent James Bond is renowned for only being satisfied with the latest gadgets he can get his hands on.
In the 1970s and 80s, his watch of choice was the Seiko, and with some of these watches including iPhone like features, it's easy to see why.
Let's take a look at how 007 used his watches to complete his missions during the Seiko era.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1974)
In the 1974 movie The Spy Who Loved Me, Bond wears a Seiko 0674 'Ticker Tape' Wristwatch.
In the movie, Bond receives a ticker tape message printed from the watch, calling him back to headquarters. Bond has to abandon his 'mission' of being shacked up in a log cabin with a gorgeous blonde KGB agent.
Moonraker (1979)
Bond's Seiko M354 Memory-Bank Calendar in the 1979 movie Moonraker features handy built-in plastique explosives and a detonator.
Trapped with Holly Goodhead in the bunker of a space shuttle launch pad, the rocket launchers about to blast them to ash, Bond uses the watch's secret explosives to blow a hole in the wall and run for safety.
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
The Seiko H357 featured a scrolling LED message bar, allowing Bond to receive updates from MI6.
It also included a built-in satellite phone; not much use when Bond hands the watch to a parrot so he can go for a midnight swim just as MI6 wants to check in.
Octopussy (1983)
Octopussy, released in 1983, features two different Seiko watches, both of which pushed at the boundaries of 1980s technology.
The Seiko G757 5020 Sports 100 had a built-in GPS tracking device, which helped Bond track down a lost Fabergé egg.
Meanwhile, the Seiko Liquid Crystal TV Watch allowed Bond to take video calls on his wrist anywhere in the world using satellite technology. That's a big advance from the voice link watch in For Your Eyes Only.
A View to a Kill (1985)
In this movie, Bond, played by Roger Moore, wore the Seiko SPR007. This was the world's first quartz chronograph.
Bond frequently changes his watch in this movie, but he always chooses a Seiko.
Image Credits
Daniel Craig-James Bond by ercansebat.
