Watch of the Month #7 James Bond "Meet me at the rock"

[phillip ridley]

This month W.I. is showcasing a 1959 6538 Rolex Submariner, commonly known as the “James Bond” watch. The identifying features of the 6538 are the Brevet Crown which was created to insure seal integrity for deep water dives and the Radium Dial with a Chapter Ring.

Due to its diving depths, in 1955 the British Royal Navy selected the 6538 as its official watch, followed by the Royal Canadian Navy in 1956. The military version has an identification number and a service number engraved on the case back. In 1959, the wording “Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified” was added to the dial (shown in the photos below). The term “Brevet”, in short, is a military term meaning “a military commission for outstanding service”.

It was Ian Fleming’s decision that the Rolex Submariner was the “James Bond “watch of choice. “He could not just wear a watch” wrote Fleming in his book Casino Royale, “it had to be a Rolex”. In 1962 with the release of “Dr. No” with Sean Connery in the lead role, did the 6538 become a fashion icon and true collector’s piece.

At the end, you will see a couple 6538's with different fonts.

In memory of Sir Roger Moore