Far from second guessing, the following observations are presented for what they reveal in terms of what authors appear to have valued in terms of attention to detail — and maybe even as spotlights on passages where foundational histories of “James Bond watches” might otherwise have disappeared altogether.

MOONRAKER /1955

The action took place during a six consecutive days in May {pages 52 and 96} of 1952 {pages 20-21}, the same year as Live and Let Die. Yet at the close of Moonraker, Bond took delivery on a “new” 1953 Bentley Mark VI {pages 252-253} — which could not have occurred in May of 1952. That one-year discrepancy would have to be considered viz dating his wristwatch for this novel, as well as in (continuity) for further publication references.

ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICEa /1963
  1. As part of his elaborate “Sir Hilary Bray” cover, James Bond was provided with “a gold watch and chain with the Bray seal” {page 89}. Yet, later, in the field, when “Bond surveyed his weapons,” he noted among them “his wrist-watch, a heavy Rolex Oyster Perpetual on an expanding metal bracelet” {page 166}.
  2. On pages 153 and 154, while in bed with Ruby, James Bond “softly eased his right arm from under the sleeping girl, took a lazy glance at his left wrist. The big luminous numerals said midnight” [emphasis added]. In the Uncorrected Proof, his watch had been his “right” wrist [1]. It was also described as having been on his right wrist at page 100 of the original typed manuscript for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service [2].

a Without this Rolex Oyster Perpetual, of course, there never would have been a “knuckleduster” {pages 166, 177-178, and 196}.

— Dell Deaton
Updated: May 1, 2024
January 1, 2024

REFERENCES (off-site)
  1. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: Uncorrected Proof
    1963 / Ian Fleming / The Alden Press: Oxford (page 154)
  2. “Part III: James Bond-007”
    David A Randall / Lilly Library Publication Number XII: The Ian Fleming Collection of 19th-20th Century Source Material Concerning Western Civilization together with the Originals of the James Bond-007 Tales / Indiana University: Bloomington (pages 31-50)