On-screen, James Bond is most commonly associated with stainless steel cases for sports watches. But that hasn’t always been the choice, starting with Dr No in 1962 and on through No Time to Die in 2021.

And even when his timekeepers were made of stainless, that wasn’t the end of the story [1].

GOLD

Contrary to what may be believed to have been the thinking of Ian Fleming, both gold has appeared on James Bond watch cases more than once.

In 1961, for example, he put on “a solid gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual Chronometer” in the later part of Thunderball [pages 90, 191]. And the first on-screen timekeeper was undoubtedly meant to appear as gold in 1962 [2]. The last, at least insofar as the Albert R Broccoli era was concerned, provided Agent 007 with a two-tone [3] (or “bimetal”) for wear during his cover at Château de Chantilly in A View to a Kill.

— gold filled

“A large proportion of movements are housed in gold-filled cases. These cases are made of a sheet of inexpensive, ‘composition’ metal (brass), sandwiched between two thinner sheets of gold by applying heat and pressure. This produces a much heavier layer of gold than electro-plating, typically 1/10 the weight of the case material …. Stiffened gold is another term for gold-filled …” [4]. The terms “gold filled” and “gold capped” are often used interchangeably [5].

— gold plate

“What is the difference between a ‘gold plated’ watch and ‘gold filled’ watch?

“A gold filled watch has a thin layer of karat gold ‘fused’ to the outer layer of the brass watch case. Gold filled processes are usually reserved for ‘die stamped’ watch cases with simple design shapes. They are normally marked with a designation of ‘G.F.’ In contrast a gold plated watch has a layer of gold ‘electrolytically’ deposited onto the watch casing. Goldplated watches usually have complex watch case designs which need a layer of gold deposited in tight recessed areas and contours. Gold filled processes are unsuitable for watch cases with complex design contours …[6].

— rolled gold plate

“Rolled gold plate cases are made in the same manner as gold-filled cases, the difference being in the amount of gold used. It is said that at one time use of the term ‘gold-filled’ was restricted to articles of which 1/10 of the weight or more was gold of the stated karat, while use of the term ‘rolled gold plate’ was applied to articles of which only 1/20 of the weight was gold …” [7].

— “solid” gold

  • 18 karat
    / “Is 18ct gold the purest form of gold in watches? Yes … and No. The purest form of gold is 24ct gold. This consists of nothing else than just pure gold. The problem with this however, that it is too soft, and malleable to use in watches. That is why the purest carat of gold you might see in watches is 18k gold. 18ct gold consists of 75% gold and 25% of other metals. The reason gold is often mixed with other metals, is because of the softness, and the sheer cost of gold. 18ct gold also goes under the name 0.750 gold” [8].
  • 14 karat
    / “14ct gold was the popular choice for years. Because of the lower percentage of gold, 58.5%, the strength of this composition was perfect for watchmaking. 14ct gold, recognized by its 0.585 hallmark, can still show a rich colour of gold, but is sturdy and durable enough for the common use of watches. In older and vintage watches, the low- and mid-range watches were often produced with 14ct of gold …. Brands like Rolex, Omega and Patek Philippe sold watches with 14ct cases till the end of the 1970’s ….”
  • 9 karat
    / “… 9ct gold is a composition which only consists of 37.5% … pure gold. In countries like The Netherlands, and the United States, watches could only be sold as ‘Gold Watches’ from 10ct gold and upwards …. In Germany, the UK, and other European countries 9ct watches could be sold as gold watches …. Watches that consist of 9ct gold often have a faded pinkish colour of gold, and are not as bright as higher carat gold composites.”

Given ubiquitous references to Rolex viz James Bond from 1954 on into the 1970s, it should be noted that The Crown produced a number of gold-over-stainless-steel-cased models throughout this period, and beyond [9]. They even went so far as to coin the label “Gold Shell” in support of marketing their works. Rolex was at the forefront of two-tones as well, notably having introduced the stainless steel and gold Datejust circa 1962 — “proven to be one of the most popular models Rolex ever produced” [10].

Tangentially, it appears that James Bond wore gold watch with silver dial on a gold three-link bracelet in official (painted) movie posters for Octopussy [11]. Curiously, the Thai version (with Seiko tie-in) featured a main James Bond character graphic that differed only in the color of the watch dial: Black [12].

STEEL

As of the sixty years for James Bond on the silver screen, roughly three-quarters of the watch models worn on his wrist were cased in stainless steel. Mainstream, Chrono24 Magazine labeled it “the standard material in the watch world” [13]. Its feature went on to provide a good 101 history for underpinning.

While the use of regular steel can be traced back to at least 326 BCE, stainless steel only dates back to the early 20th Century. … steel is actually an alloy of iron and carbon ….

Stainless steel’s [emphasis added] resistance to corrosion comes from the addition of chromium. You can also add different materials like nickel, molybdenum, titanium, niobium, and manganese to further increase its corrosion resistance, while giving it additional material properties. The end product is a steel that is known for its strength, resistance to corrosion, and ability to be cleaned and polished.

Introduced in the 1910s, its initial viability as a replacement for established brass, gold, and silver in watches was inhibited by challenges inherent in its value: Hardness presented challenges to machining. In a separate analysis, Gear Patrol hung as much as a half-century delay on steel having been “just too hard (literally) to work with,” thus relegating steel “to rugged tool watches for so long” [14].

With the help of mavericks like Rolex, machining techniques and new stainless steel formulas emerged after WWII that began to make steel a more viable material for watchmaking. However, it would take some time for steel watches to shed their cultural baggage as workwear and come into broad enough demand that other companies would jump on the trend. As was typical, Rolex was at the front, setting the pace.

See for example the 1966 Submariner print advertisement that asked, “How come it’s seen so much where the wettest thing around is a dry martini?” [15].

In the 1980s, then, further nuances among “stainless steel” variations would become relevant to understanding and even identifying specific James Bond watch models. Once again, EON Productions movies would prove historically significant. Agent 007 wore a Rolex Submariner Date with gloss dial and gold marker surrounds in Licence to Kill: If one or more of the watches worn for filming was a Reference 168000, then the bracelet was made of 316L steel; if currently available Reference 16610 was featured, then it was made of 904L steel [16].

— 316L steel

“316L stainless steel is an austenitic alloy commonly known as ‘marine grade stainless steel’ because it can be used for nearly 90% of marine applications …. In addition to metals like iron and nickel, 316L contains 16-18% chromium and 2-3% of molybdenum. These elements are important because they increase the alloy’s corrosion resistance; the chromium interacts with oxygen in the seawater to create a protective layer of chromium oxide, and molybdenum improves the metal’s ability to resist pitting corrosion. Additionally, 316L has lower levels of carbon (hence the ‘L’ in its name), which gives it greater protection against corrosion” [17].

— 904L steel

“Like 316L, 904L stainless steel is a low-carbon austenitic stainless steel. However, its chemical composition includes greater numbers of chromium (19-23%) and molybdenum (4-5%), which gives the alloy greater corrosion resistance than 316L …” [18]. In 2019, Ball Watch Company produced “one of the very few watches other than Rolex to advertise use of 904L” [19].

TITANIUM

The first titanium James Bond watch appeared on-screen in For Your Eyes Only during dive work on the St Georges sunken wreckage. That timekeeper was produced in Japan and came a decade after the first-ever titanium wristwatch, launched in 1970 — by Citizen [20].

Lightweight and strong, titanium has been used for everything from armor plating and alloy wheels, to replacement hips and Russian subs. But for more than a century after its discovery by a Cornish vicar, the metal was little more than a name on the periodic table with no real practical use … in 1791 ….

It was heat resistance that made titanium a favorite for the aerospace industry, but its corrosion resistance also means it is useful at sea …. Titanium is also non-toxic ….

Confirmed appearance of a titanium Omega Planet Ocean in Skyfall [21], however, presented somewhat of a sticky wicket, given that the on-screen watch was “officially” identified “steel on steel” [22].

— Dell Deaton
Last updated: April 9, 2024
Published: September 6, 2012

OFF-SITE REFERENCES
  1. “Watchmaking Materials: A Historical Primer”
    July 2018 / Dominique Français / europa star (accessed March 14, 2024).
  2. “Case Material”
    August 27, 2020 / National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors (NAWCC), Case Material (accessed March 16, 2024).
  3. “The rise and fall of two-tone watches”
    August 25, 2020 / Russell Sheldrake / A Collected Man (accessed March 16, 2024).
  4. “Case Material” NAWCC, Ibid.
  5. “Watches in Gold: From 24ct to gold plated, What are the differences?”
    December 14, 2024 / Kas Klerx / Wristler (accessed March 16, 2024).
  6. “FAQ – Watch Plating”
    The Time Preserve (accessed March 16, 2024).
  7. “Case Material” NAWCC, Ibid.
  8. “Watches in Gold” Ibid.
  9. “The Rolex Metals Series: Gold Shell”
    October 20, 2020 / Andy Callan / BeckerTime (accessed March 17, 2024).
  10. The Best of Time: Rolex Wristwatches – An Unauthorized History, Revised & Expanded 3rd Edition
    2006 / James M Dowling & Jeffrey P Hess, pages 233-234 (Schiffer Publishing Ltd: Atglen, Pennsylvania).
  11. “1983: Octopussy”
    2002 / Tony Nourmand / James Bond Movie Posters: The Official Collection, pages 2, 132-134, 138, and 140-141 (Chronicle Books: San Francisco).
  12. Ibid, page 139.
  13. “Durable, elegant, timeless: What’s the story behind stainless steel watches?”
    September 15, 2023 / Jorg Weppelink / Chrono24 Magazine (accessed March 17, 2024).
  14. “Why Stainless Steel is an Ideal Watchmaking Material”
    May 6, 2022 / Allen Farmello / Gear Patrol (accessed March 17, 2024).
  15. “The Making of a Legend”
    Cédric Widmer / The Rolex Magazine, Issue #06, page 64 (Rolex SA: Bienne, Switzerland).
  16. “The Battle of the Steels: 316L vs 904L”
    March 13, 2023 / The Moore You Know (via YouTube, accessed March 18, 2024).
  17. “316L vs 904L Stainless Steel: What’s the Difference?”
    May 27, 2021 / Filtersafe (accessed March 18, 2024).
  18. Id.
  19. “Until Now, Only Rolex Regularly Used This Type of Stainless Steel”
    August 21, 2019 / Zen Love / Gear Patrol (accessed March 18, 2024).
  20. “What’s the story behind the use of titanium in watchmaking?”
    March 25, 2023 / Top Gear (accessed March 18, 2024).
  21. “Christie’s Bond-Themed auction first to identify watch worn by James Bond in Skyfall”
    September 6, 2012 / Meehna Goldsmith / Longitude: Christie’s blog for collecting watches (via Internet Archive, accessed January 21, 2024).
  22. “232.30.42.21.01.001: Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m – 42 mm, Steel on Steel”
    2012 / Omega (accessed March 18, 2024).