Alright, buckle up, because I’m gonna walk you through how I tackled this whole “Sean Connery in 1966 007 watch” thing. It was a bit of a rabbit hole, but hey, that’s half the fun, right?
First things first: the research. I started by hitting up the usual suspects – Google, forums, watch blogs, the whole shebang. I really wanted to nail down what watch Connery’s Bond was rocking back in ’66, specifically in Thunderball. Turns out, it’s a bit of a debate. Some say Rolex Submariner, others lean towards a Breitling Top Time. The Submariner seemed to be the more popular consensus, so I decided to focus my efforts there.
Next, I needed to figure out the exact model. Vintage Rolexes are a minefield of tiny variations and model numbers. After digging around for a while, I felt like the reference 6538 “Big Crown” Submariner was the closest match to what I saw in screenshots from the movie. It just looked… right.
Finding a real one? Forget about it! Those things go for crazy money these days. So, I started looking at alternatives. I considered some modern Submariners, thinking I could maybe swap out the bezel or something to get closer to the vintage look. But that felt like too much work and potential for screwing things up.
Then, I stumbled upon the idea of homage watches. These are basically watches that take inspiration from iconic designs, without being direct copies (or counterfeits). There are a bunch of companies out there making Submariner homages, and some of them are surprisingly good.
I spent a few days comparing different brands. I read reviews, watched YouTube videos, and generally drove myself crazy trying to decide which one to go with. I eventually landed on one that had a similar case shape, a black dial, and a rotating bezel. It wasn’t a perfect replica, but it captured the overall vibe of the vintage Submariner.
Once the watch arrived, I started tinkering. The biggest difference was the bracelet. The original Bond Submariner had a NATO strap, not a metal bracelet. So, I ordered a black and grey striped NATO strap online. Swapping the bracelet was easy enough with a little spring bar tool.
And that was pretty much it! The final result wasn’t a screen-accurate replica, but it was close enough for me. It’s a cool looking watch, and it reminds me of James Bond every time I wear it. Plus, it was a fun project to research and put together.
The biggest takeaway? Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and experiment. Even if you don’t end up with exactly what you were expecting, you’ll still learn something along the way.
