Back on the big screen as it turns 20, Casino Royale is a seminal film, not just for reviving the James Bond series but by enduring as one of the greatest action movies of all time.
Daniel Craig’s debut as Bond, it was a turning point in 007 history as the world’s favourite secret agent received a bit of modernisation without losing his old age cool. There’s at least three all-timer action sequences, a villain for the ages and probably the best Bond girl of them all. Throw in a Chris Cornell theme song, a globetrotting adventure and a screenplay with real emotion and you get to the best Bond there ever was.
And, of course, there’s the watches. Casino Royale took Omega’s relationship with the franchise to a whole new level but they are not the only brand represented in the film. With audiences flocking back to cinemas to see Casino Royale again, we’ve taken a look at all of the watches featured on screen throughout the film. Check them out below.
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m
“Rolex?”
“Omega.”
“Beautiful.”
One of the most iconic watch moments in all of film, it’s the train journey that meant James Bond and Omega will now be forever held close to each other. Continuing the Pierce Brosnan trend of having Bond in a Seamaster, Daniel Craig wore one in all of his outings as Bond but real fans will forever have the fondest of feelings for this one.
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean
The other Omega Craig wears in his initial outing as 007, the Planet Ocean is what’s clasped to his wrist in the earlier stages of the film, most noticeably during the epic parkour chase across a building site. Omega later released a 007 edition of the watch that came with the iconic gun barrel logo on the caseback. Rather cheekily, only 5,007 were manufactured.
Longines Evidenza
Bad guys don’t get to wear Omega, they get to wear Longines instead. Still under the extensive Swatch portfolio, the Longines is hardly a runner-up to the Omega and is seen prominently on Le Chiffre’s wrist throughout the high-stakes poker game in Montenegro. Noticeable for its distinctive oval/rectangular shape, the Evidenza is the only non-Omega watch around the table, highlighting Le Chiffre’s role as chief antagonist throughout the film.
Hamilton Khaki Field
Giancarlo Giannini’s Mathis has all the suave you’d expect from an old school, silver-haired Italian star of the 70’s and while Hamilton don’t have quite the same level of luxury as some brands, it makes sense that the secret agent also needs something that is practical. The silver dial on Mathis’ version elevates the Khaki Field into more of a dress watch and of course, Bond himself wore a Hamilton back in the Roger Moore days. Giannini would also wear a Hamilton in Quantum of Solace as would Jeffrey Wright.
Omega Constellation
A villain that does get to don an Omega is Alex Dimitrios, an arms dealer/middle man who works with Le Chiffre on a bombing plot in order to make a fortune on the stock market. Played by Simon Akbarian, his Constellation is dressy and subtle, unlike many of his other moves such as speeding an Aston Martin DB5 around the Bahamas while wearing almost absurdly garish shirts. It’s a shame that when Bond won his Aston in a game of poker he didn’t get his watch to add to his collection of Omegas.
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