License to Shill: Unearthed 'Thunderball' James Bond Wristwatch Expected to Fetch $90K
By Mike Krumboltz | Movie Talk – 2 hours 2 minutes ago
The famed 'Thunderball' watch is seen here (Photo: Everett Collection)
(Photo: Christie's)The Breitling Top Time, worn by Sean Connery in the 1965 James Bond adventure "Thunderball," is going up for sale at Christie's auction house.
It's expected to go for about $90,000.
More amazing than the expected price is the manner in which the watch was discovered. The U.K.'s Independent reports that several years ago, a bargain hunter spotted the timepiece at a yard sale. It was purchase for less than $40.
The buyer, who asked Christie's to remain anonymous, knew the watch was worth something but had no idea just how much, according to the U.K.'s Telegraph.
An expert examined the find and confirmed that it was the same wristwatch agent 007 wore in his battle against the evil organization SPECTRE in "Thunderball." It had been missing for many years.
The Telegraph reports the watch "is thought to have been passed on by someone who worked at Pinewood Studios where the film was shot."
The watch played a pivotal role in the action flick. After being modified by gadget guru "Q," the Breitling was able to act as a kind of geiger counter and detect nuclear radiation. It helped Bond track down the missing warheads and (spoiler alert!) save the day.
Wanna feel like 007 whenever anybody asks you the time? Start saving your pennies. The Christie's auction is set for next month.
