SPOILER ALERT!

Pulsar II Model 2900

Made by Time Computer, circa 1972

“Pulsar II” and “P2” appropriately, interchangeably identify the same wristwatch. The slightly bulbous, somewhat rectangular James Bond watch case was always worn on its model-associated stainless steel bracelet. In place of a traditional dial, the top of its solid-state timekeeping module was visible beneath a deep red crystal. The only text, impressed into the case and filled with black paint read: “Pulsar.” Its otherwise static dark display was energized to show time-of-day by pressing a “command button” on the side of the case.

See link to “Exclusive Images” and “Video,” below.

James Bond’s Watch

One or more screen-worn wristwatches were provided by Time Computer during the last days of production on Live and Let Die (1973) [1-2]. Time Computer was specifically acknowledged among a limited number of partners on the credit roll for that motion picture.

The P2 displayed time as three or four numbers: The first one or two for hours, and the second two for minutes, separated by a colon. The leading number contained two segments; the remaining three, seven. When all were activated, the first showed a “1,” and the others showed rectilinear “8” digits. Each segment, then, was made up of five light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) [3].

There does not appear to be any serious controversy with regard to the model or markings on this James Bond watch or about its appearance in canon.

The large majority of writing about this wristwatch has named Hamilton as either watchmaker or parent company of The Time Computer — and it is the position of James Bond Watches that neither was the case [a].

As Seen in the Movie

Worn on-screen by Roger Moore as Agent 007 in one EON Productions motion picture, Live and Let Die, 1973.

Development / Technical / Retail

The Time Computer started production of its Pulsar II in 1972, with the first 3,500 out of an estimated 433,500-piece total model line run that ended in 1977 [4].

Clues to design philosophy very much evidence form following function. For example, the standing dark-display setting allowed the timepiece to run at an electrical current consumption that was one-tenth of what was required to illuminate the display to be read in full light [5]. This meant that the two batteries, called upon to additionally show the time for approximately 1¼ seconds, for an average twenty-five times per day, would last “about a year” [6].

For its appearance in Live and Let Die, James Bond briefly pressed the command button on his watch twice, conspicuously releasing it. between the two presses, to see a time of 5:48 in the morning. Had he instead maintained his press, the P2 would have cycled to its only other available function, switching its display to have shown running seconds.

Similar consideration was given to caseback design. Rather than simply screw onto the case, it was keyed so that it would only properly seat in one specific orientation; a separate retaining ring was then screwed-in to secure attachment. This arrangement ensured that the hour (“HR”) and minute (“MIN”) indentations on the caseback aligned with module circuitry within that facilitated time-setting effectuated by introduction of magnetic fields.

Print advertising that ran during the same month that Live and Let Die premiered expansively detailed the technical specifications of model 2900 and its siblings [7].

… we can guarantee that Pulsar will gain or lose no more than five seconds per month or one minute per year ….

As long as the case and time screen remain intact, Pulsar is water resistant up to a depth of 100 feet.

It didn’t miss a second in tests when subjected to shocks and vibrations up to 2500 times the force of gravity. High magnetic fields won’t permanently damage it.

It also listed $275 as the MSRP for this 007 timepiece. For perspective, a Rolex Submariner with date complication sold for $230 during that same period [8].

Observations

Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz [9] recalled the Live and Let Die digital in his commentary on the motion picture [10].

This watch, of Roger’s, was at the time, the newest, hottest thing in the world. It was a light-up digital watch, and everybody was sure that everyone in the whole world would be wearing light-up digital watches. I remember we all got a free watch — for putting it in the film.

In 1974, Luisa Mattioli [11] was seen wearing a Time Computer reference 2900, while visiting her husband Roger Moore on the set of The Man with the Golden Gun.

Most visibly, of course, was the Pulsar II worn by Albert R Broccoli in a 1977 photograph taken during the production of The Spy Who Loved Me, which appeared on the front of the dust cover for his autobiography, published posthumously in 1998 [12].

On March 26, 2011, an original photograph of a screen-correct Pulsar by James Bond Watches was run in the then-combined local Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era [13]. This marked the first time since Christmas season 1973 [14] that an image of this model had appeared (with its original red-dot, light-emitting-diode screen lit to show the time) in a newspaper that had originally covered its hometown watchmaker Time Computer.

Insights

I’ve regularly worn a wristwatch for as long as I can remember. A Pulsar II wasn’t just my first James Bond watch, but was among my first wristwatches, ever.

But the P2 wasn’t an easy watch to keep on the wrist for daily wear even back then in its heyday. I was blessed to have a dad to back mine in those days, which included his having fabricated some replacement parts and even engineering at least one improvement. I doubt that my challenges were anything out of the ordinary; I also suspect that the OEM anticipated such failures, based advertising that mentioned “entire solid-state Time Computer module” replacement [15]. And that is undoubtedly the reason their “Service Center” was created and survived beyond its own manufacturing operations, and why the original three-year Pulsar warranties were reduced to just one year [16].

Very few Mark I modules survived through the 1970s, and a small percentage of those remain functional.

According to the Old Pulsars website, two type 357 button batteries are the current proper substitute for originally designated energy cells which are now longer available to power this wristwatch [17]. However, due to the substantially smaller diameter of the 357s, spacer rings must be obtained or created to keep each in place within the P2 module battery compartments. Spacers created from rubber tubing stock will measure approximately 9/16″ OD, 7/16″ ID, at a 5/32″ thickness.

Notes

  1. This page supersedes any and all prior references by James Bond Watches itself to Hamilton as Pulsar II watchmaker.
  2. Videos listed under stand-alone section with off-site links are provided solely for their value in showing active watch functionings.
  3. In the “James Bond watches 2015 exhibit teaser video,” recording of the seconds-function on that Pulsar Time Computer was shown in reverse, depicting a count-down effect that was not native to the watch itself. This was not ever, and is not a capability available on this wristwatch.

James Bond Watches Blog™

— Dell Deaton
Updated: January 29, 2025
April 21, 2008

off-site

Exclusive Images

Video [b]

References

  1. Roger Moore’s James Bond Diary / 1973 / Roger Moore (page 164; Fawcett Publications: Greenwich, Connecticut).
  2. “Roger Moore on the ‘Live and Let Die’ Pulsar wrist computer” / April 21, 2008 / Dell Deaton / James Bond Watches Blog (via Internet Archive, accessed January 8, 2024).
  3. Watch: History of the Modern Wristwatch — Design 1950 – 1983, Electric 1950 – 1993 / 1994 / Pieter Doensen (page 156; Snoeck-Ducaju & Zoon: The Netherlands).
  4. “Hamilton – Pulsar – Time Computer” / 2010 / Dennis L Klein / Old Pulsars (via Internet Archive, accessed June 18, 2024)
  5. Watch: History of the Modern Wristwatch.
  6. “The first completely new way to tell time in 500 years … invented and made in U.S.A.” / May 7, 1973 / Time magazine (page 5; via The Vault, accessed July 1, 2024).
  7. Ibid.
  8. “History of Time: The Rolex Submariner Price History” / Paul Altieri / Bob’s Watches (accessed January 21, 2025).
  9. “Tom Mankiewicz (1942-2010)” / IMDbPro (accessed June 20, 2024).
  10. Live and Let Die: Commentary 3 / 1973 / EON Productions.
  11. “Luisa Mattioli (1936-2021)” / IMDbPro.
  12. When the Snow Melts: The Autobiography of Cubby Broccoli / 1998 / Albert R Broccoli with Donald Zec (Boxtree: London).
  13. “Explore the World of James Bond through Watches: At NAWCC Museum’s ‘James Bond Watches’ Exhibit” / March 26, 2011 / Rochelle A Shenk / Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era “BooMers” (page 3; via LNP Media Group, accessed July 6, 2024).
  14. “Pulsar The Solid-State Time Computer” / December 16, 1973 / The Sunday News (page 8-A; via LNP Media Group).
  15. Time magazine.
  16. “Hamilton – Pulsar – Time Computer.”
  17. “Pulsar II” / Dennis L Klein / Old Pulsars (via Internet Archive, accessed July 5, 2024).

© 2025 – 2005 Dell Deaton, All Rights Reserved. USA

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