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- Swiss watch brand OMEGA has confirmed actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson as its newest brand ambassador.
- The announcement is fuelling speculation that Taylor-Johnson will soon be named as the next James Bond actor.
- OMEGA has been the official watch partner of 007 since 1996’s GoldenEye.
Swiss luxury watch brand OMEGA has no shortage of celebrity fans and famous patrons. From Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne to the ultra-sophisticated and debonair George Clooney, the maison’s rolodex is a proverbial who’s who of the Hollywood elite. However, despite dominating the wardrobes and wrists of A-list actors the world over, it seems the world is not enough. One name that continues to elude the Swiss watchmaker is that of British super-spy James Bond.
Following the 2021 release of No Time to Die, the final film to feature Daniel Craig in the iconic role, the hunt for the next James Bond has dominated film circles and internet forums. Fan casts have tipped everyone from Idris Elba to Nicholas Galitzine for the much-coveted part. However, franchise owner Eon Productions, which sold the rights to Bond to Amazon earlier this year but still retains creative control over the next instalment, has remained tight-lipped over who is destined to take up the mantle. Long-time partner and official Bond watch producer OMEGA, on the other hand, may have just let the cat out of the bag.
In a blockbuster announcement straight from its Biel headquarters, OMEGA confirmed British actor and current Bond frontrunner Aaron Taylor-Johnson as its newest brand ambassador. Ruggedly handsome, quick-witted and with an undeniable sense of screen presence, the 34-year-old rising star looks to be the perfect replacement for Daniel Craig. Now, he has the watch to back it up.
“I place significant value on relationships that are genuine and built on mutual passion and respect. With that, it’s a tremendous honour to be selected as a brand ambassador,” Taylor-Johnson said in a statement confirming the partnership. “My interest in watches first began with my dad, who introduced me to OMEGA, if you can believe it. He was working class and saved his earnings to purchase an OMEGA watch.”
As fans of the Ian Fleming franchise will know, OMEGA has been the preferred timepiece of Bond since 1996. The Swiss watchmaker first appeared in the Pierce Brosnan-led hit GoldenEye and has been a staple in the series since then. Famously, Sean Connery’s Bond were a Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538 from his own personal collection for the first few films in the series, followed by a string of unusual and eclectic timepieces that ranged from Gruen Precision 510 to a Seiko M354 Memory Bank Calendar, but for the past three decades, Bond has been staunchly brand-loyal.
Both Brosnan and Craig-era Bonds favoured OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M models, renowned for their robust case design, resistance to pressure and, much like 007 himself, hard-nosed good looks. The connection between the film franchise and the watchmaker has been a marketing masterstroke, not only spurring a number of special edition models, such as the 60 Years of Bond release from 2022 or the Platinum-Gold Seamaster from 2020, but also helping to bring the collection on par with its much-loved Speedmaster range. However, it’s not the only tactic that OMEGA HQ has used to great effect.
In recent years, the brand has become remarkably adept at guerrilla-marketing efforts, tapping outgoing Bond actor Daniel Craig for a string of well-orchestrated product leaks. Whilst attending the 2024 Paris Olympics, Craig was spotted wearing a mysterious, silver-toned OMEGA sans date window that many fans speculated was a then-unreleased prototype. Two months later, the Swiss luxury brand officially announced the Seamaster Diver 300M No-Date.
It was a similar story in March 2024, when fans spied a never-before-seen Speedmaster on the Bond actor’s wrist; a timepiece that would ultimately become the Speedmaster Moonwatch with Lacquered White Dial. With OMEGA no stranger to getting ahead of the news, the announcement of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as brand ambassador feels very much like a sign of things to come.
“Aaron is such a versatile actor, with a range that covers action, thriller, romance and much more,” OMEGA president and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann said. “At OMEGA, we’ve always been impressed by that all-around quality, and his pioneering approach to so many roles. His passion for watches is also clear, so we’re delighted to welcome him as a new ambassador and share the excitement of our latest creations.”
In a post confirming the new ambassadorship, OMEGA published a series of images showing Taylor-Johnson exploring the renowned watchmaking facilities and heritage museum. Most importantly, the images depict him wearing a Speedmaster First OMEGA in Space on a brown leather strap, a timepiece that celebrates heritage, tradition, and new beginnings. While not the traditional Bond Seamaster 300, you could argue that the First OMEGA in Space model is a subtle reference to Bond’s 1979 celestial escapade, Moonraker, but that may be reading a little too deep.
While there is still no clear indication of who will slip into the British super-spy’s crisp Saville Row suit, the latest news out of Switzerland bodes well for the future of the franchise. The 007 throne is crying out for a fresh new approach, one that is younger, bolder and built for longevity. Whether you like it or not, you can’t help but acknowledge that Aaron Taylor-Johnson looks good in OMEGA.
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