The Business of Bond – Openwork Episode 97

Inside Omega’s 30-Year 007 Partnership

Gabe and Asher break down one of the most successful marketing partnerships in watch history: Omega and James Bond. The story starts in the mid-’90s, when both franchises were trying to reboot. Omega was a struggling asset inside the Swatch Group, and Bond had been off screen for years. Nicolas Hayek tapped Jean-Claude Biver to position Omega against Rolex, and the Seamaster Professional 300M arrived in 1993, two years before GoldenEye. Costume designer Lindy Hemming chose it for Pierce Brosnan because she saw Rolex as too flashy for the new Bond. Biver turned that product placement into a full integrated sponsorship, and Omega’s revenue nearly tripled by the end of the decade.

From there, we trace the partnership through four phases. In the Brosnan era, Omega marketed an existing hero watch through the films. Licensing and limited editions began with Die Another Day, and Casino Royale was used to launch the Planet Ocean. Spectre made the on-screen watch available to buy. With No Time to Die, the titanium Seamaster 300M became a non-limited model that Omega’s CEO says ranks among the brand’s top five sellers worldwide. We also cover the 60th Anniversary Seamaster, the First Light chronograph tie-in, and the new Bond and Spectre editions. These releases show Omega treating 007 as evergreen IP that no longer depends on a film release.

We close on what comes next. Creative control of Bond has moved from the Broccoli family to Amazon MGM, and Tudor is on the rise. Asher offers a theory: Rolex could use Tudor to go after the most valuable partnership Omega has. Plus: why dive watch marketing is still a sea of sameness, and why Omega’s decision to sell a tool watch on pop culture instead of diving credentials still stands apart.

Openwork is a weekly podcast about how the watch industry actually works. An unfiltered look behind the scenes — no press releases, no hype, and no sponsored takes. Hosted by Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, co-founders of Collective Horology. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can find us online at collectivehorology.com. To get in touch with suggestions, feedback or questions, email podcast@collectivehorology.com.