The world of Bond watches welcomes a new member today with the release of the Seamaster 300M Chronograph 007 First Light. This is a watch that we’ve seen before, as it was teased with the reveal of the latest Bond video game, 007 First Light about one year ago. However, with the release of the video game just around the corner, and the watch looking to play a prominent role within, Omega has given us our first official look at the watch, which looks about as we expected. While the design is new, the underlying framework remains unchanged, meaning this is not a watch for the faint of heart.
The James Bond franchise might be just as, or perhaps even more famous for its video game entries than its cinematic ones for anyone under the age of 40. This is thanks in large part to the cultural phenomenon that was GoldenEye 007 released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997. Plenty of additional games have been produced in the years since, but none have managed to capture the same magic. Developers IO Interactive (Hitman series, Kane & Lynch) look to change that with a new entry that delivers an origin story of the character not associated with any Bond that we’ve seen on the silver screen. The game is called 007 First Light, and it will be released on May 27.
Footage from the game reveals gadgets aplenty, as you’d expect, and one is front and center throughout: an Omega watch. Omega has been a part of the franchise since the Pierce Brosnan era, while some of the most compelling Bond watches would appear during the subsequent Daniel Craig era. Plenty of other watches have appeared on the wrist of the famous British spy, but Omega has had a generation on lockdown, and that looks to continue here. Just how the watch is put to use in First Light will be explored in a future review of the game, so stay tuned for that.
The newest Bond watch is a Seamaster, as it’s always been, but not the regular 300M as we’ve come to expect. Rather, for the first time, it is set within the Diver Chronograph range. This family of watches is the most niche of the collection, though it first appeared in 1993 alongside the first Seamaster 300M references (in quartz form). The current Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph is, in technical terms, a beast. The watch measures 44mm in diameter, 52.8mm from lug to lug, and a very healthy 17.2mm in thickness. Not exactly inconspicuous.
This is the framework being used for the newest Bond watch, and it’s a statement about the bold, brash, and young new Bond character being depicted in the game. It’s also bristling with buttons and crowns just waiting to be used in unexpected ways. Given the general functionality that Q is able to pack into the watch, the robust measurements may actually make a good bit of sense in the game. In the real world, it may be a bit tricky to get along with on your standard adventures.
What is welcome is the black, gold, and silver colorway represented on the dial and strap. The base black ceramic dial uses a gold timing hand, and a gold outline for the hour and minute totalizer, separating the chronograph complication from the timekeeping in the process. The single ‘golden eye’ appearance is on the nose, but a fun nod to the series that feels right at home with the broader design of this watch. There is nothing subtle going on here, and Omega lean into that fact.
Inside sits the Omega caliber 9900 (certified master chronometer) which is visible through an exhibition back that bears the mark of the game with “First Light” written out in full. This is the only acknowledgement of the game or Bond you’ll find on the whole watch. Omega have kept the price in check here, at $9,400, though the watch does not ship on a steel bracelet, and the dimensions will ultimately limit the potential buyer pool.
With casting for a new Bond for the cinematic universe currently underway, and Denis Villeneuve slated to direct, the future is looking bright for the franchise. Given that this watch is being made for a video game, I wouldn’t put too much stock on it creating a trend for what to expect when the films arrive, and that’s a good thing. Omega
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