James Bond Watch Exhibit to Showcase Ian Fleming's Rolex Explorer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Aug 21st 2009 at 3:03PM

James Bond creator Ian Fleming's personal 1954 black dial Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer I (right), the inspiration for Rolexes worn by the world's most famous secret agent, will go on display in the U.S. for the first time this summer at the National Watch & Clock Museum in Lancaster, PA.

The exhibit will also feature several watches worn by 007 in both Fleming's novels and the Bond movies, mainly Rolexes including several Submariners, from the one sported by Sean Connery in 1962's Dr. No to the most tricked-out model, the magnetized and built-in rotating saw blade-equipped number from Live And Let Die (1973).

The first and only Rolex Fleming owned, the Explorer I was locked away in a bank vault for 20 years following his death. The watch made its first appearance in Fleming's novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service, published in 1963. Fleming wrote that "[Bond] could not just wear a watch. It had to be a Rolex."

[via Duncan Quinn]

Tags: 007, Ian Fleming, IanFleming, James Bond, JamesBond, Rolex, Rolex Submariner, RolexSubmariner, Sean Connery, SeanConnery

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Dell Deaton Aug 24th 2009 12:10AM

It's great to see the upcoming (NAWCC) National Watch & Clock Museum exhibit, "Bond Watches, James Bond Watches" continue to merit the spotlight among so many online information sources.

The following factual corrections should be made to this as well.

First and most important, the only Rolex owned by Ian Fleming was a model 1016 Explorer, which, of course, did not exist in 1954. In fact, Mr. Fleming's Rolex, which will, indeed, be displayed throughout the June 2010 - May 2011 exhibition, was produced during the fourth quarter of 1960 and acquired by Ian Fleming sometime during or just prior to the period in which he wrote his novel, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," starting in early 1962 (and published the following year).

As we've announced, Mr. Fleming's stepdaughter has generously made arrangements with the National Watch & Clock Museum for the display of this watch here.

Second, no information on any other watch to be display has been released (and I'd know if it had!). So your second paragraph is pure speculation. And, I'd add, be shown quite inaccurate with our next round of announcements. This display of James Bond watches is going to include what I believe will prove the broadest range ever displayed in one place; Rolex Submariners have a place in that history, but so do Breitling, Omega, and Seiko models.

(You have my eMail address with my Luxist registration, so if you'll send me your contact information, I'll be sure you're included directly on future press information distributions.)

And some surprises.

Finally, I'm aware of no 007 story where Ian Fleming wrote, "[Bond] could not just wear a watch. It had to be a Rolex."

On the contrary, in a letter which has survived him, dated June 5, 1958, Mr. Fleming wrote: "I have discussed this with [James Bond] and ... [his] practice, in fact, is to use fairly cheap, expendable wrist watches on expanding metal bracelets which can be slipped forward over the thumb and used in the form of a knuckle-duster, either on the outside or the inside of the hand."

That gives a whole lot of room for a "James Bond choice" in time keepers for the first half of the canon!

Again, thanks for your support in getting the word out!

Dell Deaton
Guest Curator, "Bond Watches, James Bond Watches"
National Watch & Clock Museum, June 2010 - May 2011
http://www.jamesbondwatches.com/index-nawcc.htm