James Bond GoldenEye – Omega Seamaster: Why Quartz?

I’m a huge James Bond and Omega fan. I own four James Bond/Omega models. Three SMP’s: 2541.80, 2531.80, 2220.80; and the 38.5mm blue dial Aqua Terra.

Today I was wearing my 2541.80 quartz SMP that was featured in the 1995 movie GoldenEye and wondered, why quartz? Bond used the automatic 2531.80 SMP in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World is Not Enough (1999), and Die Another Day (2000).

I know the story of how Omega and James Bond became associated. Costume director Lindy Hemming thought the blue Omega Seamaster would pair nicely with Bond’s wardrobe and she thought an Omega would be appropriate for the former Royal Navy Commander turned MI6 agent. Prior to the making of GoldenEye negotiations with Jean-Claude Biver, then the marketing head of Omega, bore marketing fruit that continues to this day.

However, the watch chosen for Bond in GoldenEye was a curious one in hindsight. Why the quartz SMP? I know at the time Swiss watchmaking was still recovering from the 70’s and 80’s quartz crisis. At the time Omega was producing their flagship dive watch in both quartz and automatic versions. But what lead to Omega’s decision to outfit Bond with a quartz watch and not the more prestigious (and expensive) mechanical version? I assume it was Omega’s decision as I can’t believe the Bond producers would care whether Bond used a quartz or automatic watch. I previously thought perhaps the automatic version of the SMP had not been released until after GoldenEye came out, but further research shows that is not the case. Both quartz and automatic versions of the SMP were released simultaneously in 1993.

Does anyone have any insight on this? Was Omega intentionally pushing quartz watches over mechanical watches in 1995? I’m truly perplexed.




And just because no mention of GoldenEye should omit Izabella Scorupco:

The funny thing is that I'm former military (1996-2006) and there's zero chance I would ever have worn a mechanical watch during my time in service. Quartz only. Because it was way more accurate and hassle free and because it was cheap.

Good question! Honestly, I also thought it was because the quartz came out first. But if it's not that, it's probably something mundane like Omega had more quartz easily available at the time they had to provide it for filming, or the quartz was selling better at the time, or some other dreary business decision. They would have needed to provide quite a few for the various Q mods and 006's watch, it could also have just been that the quartz cost less.

Remember the context, Omega had no idea if GoldenEye would be successful or if they'd be asked again for subsequent movies, and the SMP was not synonymous as "the Bond watch" yet - there's no way they put as much thought or care into the arrangement as they would now.

Looks like you've got yours in the Alec Trevelyan configuration!

For years I thought that too but I've found Omega references to the auto being launched in 1993, which is when the quartz model was released. I've also found documentation of auto 2531.80 references that were sold in 1993.

I think your second point must be the correct explanation: Quartz was the better seller at the time so that's the model they chose for GoldenEye. Perhaps by the second Brosnan film they realized the future of high end Swiss timepieces was mechanical and not quartz and so they switched Bond's model to an automatic.

And as for that automatic...

Tomorrow Never Dies




The World is Not Enough




Die Another Day

And yes, I am slightly obsessed with the Omega watches used in Bond movies.

Interesting.

Could it off been quartz the cheaper one to provide for production.

Presume a few were needed and maybe just cost.

I wrongly thought quartz was around first.

The detonator probably needed juice too?