The James Bond film “No Time to Die” finally on the screens. How did the partners adapt?

The film, whose world premiere was initially scheduled for 31 March 2020 in London, will finally hit the screens on 28 September. Swiss fans will be among the first to see it, as the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) has managed to schedule it on the same day as the London premiere. This is a huge relief for Bond's partners, whose planned marketing activities will have undergone some strategic changes in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Aston Martin didn't wait for the release of “No Time to Die” to market its DBS Superleggera several months ago, and took the next step this summer by revealing the latest version of its Valhalla hypercar, already shown at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, but now powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 hybrid engine supplied by Mercedes-AMG and therefore different from the model that appears in the film. With an estimated price tag of over 1 million euros, this brief appearance will no doubt boost interest in the car among wealthy customers.

As for Omega, the launch scenario for the Seamaster Diver 300M 007 edition has not deviated. Unveiled in December 2019, the watch has even found a new platinum variant in the summer of 2020, the brand having taken advantage of yet another postponement to bring a new version of the model to market. For its President and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann, the successive delays have not really impacted the brand, on the contrary: "The Seamaster Diver 300M is now part of our permanent collection and is selling extremely well, despite the delays. In a way, the delays have made it more attractive, more likely to be collected. We will certainly see a renewed interest in the watch when the film is shown worldwide. The quality of the watch itself has mitigated the dependence on its release coinciding with the launch of the film. It is a beautiful, timeless piece of titanium with a great vintage look. It has generated its own momentum, its own fan base." As for the impact the watch may have on the media, Raynald Aeschlimann adds: "No Time To Die is definitely the most anticipated James Bond movie, so I expect a lot of buzz on social media, especially during the first screenings.”

If an Omega model has been on Bond's wrist for more than two decades (since 1995), what does his most famous agent think of his watch? Daniel Craig answers exclusively for Luxury Tribune.

James Bond's watches have constantly evolved in line with the character. Did you talk to the Omega team about what you wanted before you started shooting?

Yes, always. You don't want to arrive on the first day of shooting and be told, 'Here's your watch'. I'm not made that way. I want to know what the watch is from the start. I want to know what I'm going to wear and what it's going to look like. Omega has always been enthusiastic about bringing something new. It's been six years since the last film, which has given them enough time to develop something. Additionally, as it's the 25th Bond film and 50 years since the moon landing, it all fits together perfectly. This partnership between Omega and Bond is beneficial for both.

What were the aspects discussed with the designers?

In "Spectre", we really went into detail on the watch and its design. This new watch is also the result of a lot of discussion and that's what I like about Omega. That said, Raynald Aeschlimann, the president of Omega, really let the design team free to create. When they showed it to me, I sincerely said "you did it"! In the end, I had nothing to add. There's the style, of course, but also the inspiration, taken from military watches. The brand has this heritage that goes back to the timepieces for the British army in the Second World War. All these aspects that I wanted to recover in the new watch, they did.

The use of titanium has obviously made it lighter than previous watches. Was the weight important to you?

Omega had shown me titanium watches in the past, and indeed, the lightness of the feel is pleasant. We're talking about a few grams difference, but it's an incredibly comfortable watch to wear. And the fact that it's a Seamaster Diver 300M, a dive watch, is very much in line with the beginning of the film "No Time To Die". Bond is more or less retired. He's in Jamaica. He's on his boat. The fact that it is a Diver watch suggests that he is diving in the first part of the movie. Also, the strap was really thought out in a vintage 70s style, I really like that kind of touch.

Does the vintage style match your personal taste in watches?

My first Omega watch was given to me by my father on my 18th birthday. It was a gold watch. I wore it so much that unfortunately one of the arms broke and I lost it. It was my first real watch, and I've always had an attachment to the old Omega watches. I think the designers intended to go for a vintage look watch, but it's true that I didn't hesitate to hint at them either. As for the NATO strap, it's also a style I really like. I have been used to putting a NATO strap on my watches for a long time. It's an interesting way to change their look. Many of the brand's models have them now. The only problem is that I'm always nervous to have this tool designed to change a strap in my hands, I'm too afraid of damaging the watch. So I take it to a watchmaker, it's safer.