Wednesday afternoon, President Donald Trump announced an initiative to “rectify trade practices” via regulation of imports to the United States through reciprocal tariffs” [1-3].
Presently, there are only two James Bond watches available new for purchase. The titanium Omega Seamaster Diver 300m featured on-screen in No Time to Die, with a $10,000 price tag [4]. Additionally, the Swiss watchmaker lists its stainless steel “James Bond 60th Anniversary” Seamaster Diver 300M released in 2022, currently at $8,300 [5-6] [a].
For a bit more perspective on Swiss offerings, add the latest iteration of the Ian Fleming Rolex Explorer reissue (reference 124270), $7,350 MSRP [8].
Referencing the lead chart held up by the president, then, Switzerland was ranked among the first ten for complaints related to “Tariffs charged to the USA,” including “currency manipulation and trade barriers” [9]. Based on a calculation of its 61% imposed, Swiss manufacturers should anticipate tariffs of 31% in response, effective 12:01am tomorrow.
On the other side of the world, Seiko remains relevant as the only other James Bond watch brand affected by this global commerce constricture. Its $525 reissue of the diver featured in A View to a Kill (1985) [10] — and, yes, more commonly associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger movies of the 1980s [11] — looks to fall among those pieces produced in Japan, which placed four spots above Switzerland, in fifth place.
Japan is said to impose a 46% tariff on the United State of America. Consequently, it will be subject to a 24% tariff starting on April 5, 2025.
With Watches and Wonders Geneva [12] having opened on April 1 then on through April 7, access to leading watchmakers for real-time reactions has not only been convenient but inescapable. Day-of reporting by Hodinkee characterized the Swiss watch industry as shocked [13-14], which I question [15-16]. President Trump highlighted concerns about trade policy in his inaugural address; less than a month later, on February 13, he announced a forthcoming plan to bring U.S. tariffs up to levels that would match the rates charged by those countries on imports from the United States.
The next day, WatchPro opened a feature with reporting that Omega parent “Swatch Group shares were down by 5% in morning trading, extending a sell-off that has now seen the company’s value drop by 20% in the last month” [17].
Switzerland, contributor Rob Corder continued, was highlighted as “one of the worst culprits” in need of tariff parity. He further noted: “From total global Swiss watch exports worth CHF 26 billion last year, the United States accounted for almost 17%.”
If the new 31% tariff had been in place last year, … it would have raised CHF 1.36 billion ($1.56 billion) for the US Treasury.
Business Insider advised: “If you’re thinking of buying a Rolex watch, you might want to act now to avoid potential price increases [18]. Yet, in seeming contradiction, the piece went on to assert that “Rolex, along with its Swiss competitors, will be faced with few options to offset the cost of selling their products to the US. Like many retailers … it’ll have to adapt swiftly.
If Rolex raises its prices in June, it’ll be the second time the watches have gone up in 2025. As the price of gold surged [b], certain Rolex models made of gold increased in price by as much as 8% in January.
In an April 3, 2025, feature for Hodinkee, Andy Hoffman mused, “Whether the Trump administration follows through on the tariffs remains to be seen” [20].
While such thinking is not without merit, I’ll say as someone who covered the president during his first term that I would not count on it this time, in this case [20-23].
Notes
- I would be remiss not to at least mention that the 42mm, Canopus Gold™ on Canopus Gold “James Bond 60th Anniversary” watch seems to remain available at this time as well, with a recommended price tag of $157,800 via Boutiques [7].
- As of this posting, the price of gold is $3,037.65 per ounce [19].
— Dell Deaton
off-site
References
- “Regulating Imports with a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits” / April 2, 2025 / The White House (accessed April 3, 2025).
- “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Declares National Emergency to Increase our Competitive Edge, Protect our Sovereignty, and Strengthen our National and Economic Security.”
- “A timeline of Trump’s tariff actions so far” / April 3, 2025 / Wyatte Grantham-Philips / PBS News (accessed April 4, 2025).
- “Seamaster Diver 300M: 007 Edition” / Omega.
- “Seamaster Diver 300M: James Bond 60th Anniversary” (42mm, steel on steel).
- “Hands-On Omega Seamaster James Bond 60th Anniversary” / September 11, 2024 / One Man Reviews (via YouTube)”
- “Seamaster Diver 300M: James Bond 60th Anniversary” (42mm, Canopus Gold on Canopus Gold) / Omega (accessed April 5, 2025).
- “Explorer 36: Oystersteel” / Rolex (accessed April 4, 2025).
- “Trump’s tariffs: the full list” / April 3, 2025 / Seán Clarke and Ana Lucía González Paz / The Guardian.
- “Prospex SNJ025 $525” / Seiko USA (accessed April 4, 2025).
- “Seiko SNJ025 Arnie: Pretty HIgh Tech” / WatchCrunch.
- Watches and Wonders.
- “Business News: Swiss Watch Industry Shocked by Trump’s 31% Tariff Threat” / April 2, 2025 / Andy Hoffman / Hodinkee.
- “Swiss Indignant to Make the Top 10 of Trump’s Tariffs List” / April 4, 2025 / Liz Alderman and Melissa Eddy / The New York Times (accessed April 5, 2025).
- “Donald Trump Teases a President Bid During a 1988 Oprah Show | The Oprah Winfrey Show | OWN” / June 2015 / OWN (via YouTube, accessed April 5, 2025).
- “Tariffs On Swiss Watches: What It Could Mean for U.S. Consumers” / January 22, 2025 / Garth Friesen / Forbes.
- “Corder’s Column: What do Trump’s tariffs mean for Swiss watchmakers and American Jewelers?” / April 3, 2025 / Rob Corder / WatchPro (April 2, 2025).
- “Buying a Rolex is about to get more expensive” / April 3, 2025 / Jordan Hart / Business Insider.
- Gold Price.
- “Business News: Swiss Watch CEOs Plot Next Move As US Tariffs Threaten Industry” / April 3, 2025 / Andy Hoffman / Hodinkee.
- “Grand Rapids rally for President Donald Trump appeared to put Michigan front and center of 2020 re-election campaign” / March 29, 2019 / Dell Deaton / Saline Journal.
- “What to Know about the Trump Tariffs Upending Global Trade and Markets” / April 3, 2025 / Breitbart.
- “Breitbart Business Digest: The Market Finally Realized that Trump Really Meant It” / April 4, 2025 / John Carney (accessed April 5, 2025).