Cool and Sexy James Bond Watches

I like to think of myself as being more immune to advertising than most other people. I rarely buy things just because I see the item featured in commercials or magazine ads, and product placements in movies tend to annoy me more than pique my interest. Nevertheless, I do occasionally succumb to temptation, particularly when it comes to something that I've wanted for a long time anyway. That's why I started shopping for James Bond watches after recently seeing the latest 007 film.

As you would imagine, the suave, sophisticated super-agent chooses timepieces that not only look good, but are highly functional and durable as well. After all, he's more likely to take a beating than your average Joe, and he definitely needs his watch to keep on ticking no matter what! But unlike all of the other toys MI6 provides him with, James Bond watches are not only available to the general public, some of them are even affordable, making it relatively easy to emulate the agent in this respect.

Most hardcore fans of the film franchise know that there have been several different James Bond watches over the years. The current choice happens to be the Omega Seamaster, which has been in use since 1995. The Seamaster is a very distinctive timepiece, with an immediately recognizable face, unique dial, and elegant bracelet. This is undoubtedly one of the most popular James Bond watches around, as evidenced by the number of folks sporting this particular model on their wrists. The Omega Seamaster usually retails for around $2000, but it's possible to find better deals by shopping with online retailers.

If you prefer old school James Bond watches, then you'll want to check out the latest Rolex line instead. That's because in the earliest films (and in the original novels) Bond's preferred wristwatch was the Rolex Submariner. The agent can be seen wearing a Rolex Submariner in all 007 films made from 1962-1974, and again from 1987-1989. And since this was the exact timepiece mentioned in Ian Fleming's books, most purists believe this is the best of all the James Bond watches ever featured. Unfortunately, it's also the priciest, and will cost you in the neighborhood of $5,000 (on the low end).

And of course who could forget Bond's digital wristwatches during the 1977-1985 film period? Yes, surprising as it seems, Seiko holds just as important a place in the line of James Bond watches as Omega or Rolex. The most memorable model from this era is the Seiko G757, which is no longer produced, but is available from various collectors -- at premium prices.

After evaluating all these James Bond watches from over the decades, I ended up buying a refurbished Submariner and a brand-new Seamaster. They are both terrific timepieces that instantly ratchet up my "cool" factor to an insanely high degree, and identify me as a connoisseur of sorts. Who could ask for anything more out of a watch?