Welcome to a NEW and IMPROVED Bond Lifestyle newsletter!

A new name, but this newsletter will still give you the latest from the Bond Lifestyle website, auction news, Bond-related product announcements, watches, cars, apparel, high-value giveaways, discount coupons, affordable alternatives, books and travel tips.

In the EYES ONLY newsletters I will add more exclusive content, Q&As with Bond community members, and highlight items from the website that you might have never seen or forgotten about.

EYES ONLY will help you to get inspiration, grow your collection, improve your style, upgrade your life and connect with the Bond community.

As always, if you have any suggestions, questions… or compliments, just shoot me a message.

Thank you for being a part of Bond Lifestyle!

Remmert van Braam
founder BOND LIFESTYLE

AUCTION

Aston Martin V8 "The Living Daylights"

An Aston Martin V8 used in the filming of the 1987 James Bond movie The Living Daylights will be offered at the RM Sotheby's Monterey Sale with an expected sale price of between $1,400,000 - $1,800,000.

CONTEST

Win Vuarnet sunglasses!

Win a pair of Vuarnet Edge 1613 or Vuarnet Legend 06 sunglasses! Answer the trivia question and select which pair you would like to win.
Enter before midnight on 18 August 2023.

AUCTION

Roger Moore’s personal collection

On 4 October 2023, Bonhams will offer lots from Sir Roger Moore's personal collection in a dedicated sale at 101 New Bond Street, London. Lots include an engraved Omega Seamaster Limited Edition watch, Douglas Hayward dinner suit made for Sir Roger Moore in Octopussy, Lamborghini skis, neckties, cravats and more.

COLLECTIBLES

1:8 Scale Aston Martin DB5

Agora Models has released the James Bond No Time To Die Aston Martin DB5 1:8 Model Kit subscription.

The large-scale model is loaded with features, most notably rotating and ‘firing’ mini guns behind the headlights, digital licence plates, lights and remote control for some of the gadget functions.

You have to put it together yourself and will receive a package each month for 12 months. Cost: £115 or $150 per month, approx. £1400 / $1800 in total, excl. shipping. A Collector’s Edition is also available which includes a display case.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

S.T. Dupont 5166 Cufflinks

The S.T. Dupont “Bullet’ cufflinks were one of the first products I ever added to the Bond Lifestyle website, in October 2005. They represent the style and direction I wanted to take the website: stylish luxury James Bond-related products. Since day 1 they have been prominently featured in the navigation bar of the website, next to Pierce Brosnan, Omega, Aston Martin, Vesper Martini and James Bond Island - all symbols of the ultimate Bond Lifestyle.

APPAREL

Orlebar Brown Octopussy Capsule

Orlebar Brown has released a new James Bond-inspired collection, celebrating 40 years of Octopussy, using original artwork for the film. The collection also includes 007-branded items without Octopussy artwork.

or shop now at Orlebar Brown

AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE

Vague Watch Co. Diver’s Son

A great looking alternative for the TAG Heuer watch worn by Bond in The Living Daylights is the Vague Watch Co. Diver's Son. This black diver's watch has a similar full lume dial, diver’s bezel, Mercedes hands, date window and it also has a Quartz movement.

The watch has a small 36mm case, similar to the TAG Heuer watch (but note that it’s smaller than most modern Bond diver’s watches). It comes on a black rubber strap and is provided with an alternative black Nato strap. To make it more like the TAG Heuer watch, you could try to find a Black Jubilee strap on eBay (you need one with an 18mm width and rounded link ends).

Available at Uncrate ($250)

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Shirley Bassey & Yello

Do you need some inspirational Bond music?
Follow the Bond Lifestyle EYES ONLY playlist on Spotify.
This list will be regularly updated with new Bond-related songs, selected by the Bond Community. If YOU have a suggestion, send me a message!

First song: The Rhythm Divine - Yello, Shirley Bassey

Listening to an 80s radio show, I came across this song from 1987, which has a great Bond vibe. Shirley Bassey is of course famous for singing many official Bond theme songs. The Swiss band Yello is best known internationally for “Oh Yeah" which prominently appeared in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and The Secret of My Success (1987).

Q. Which three Bond clothes or accessories do you wear the most?
A. The Liverpool FC Daniel Craig Cap (DC wore religiously leaving the theatre in Broadway NYC)
Sunspel Riviera - Casino Royale
N.Peal NTTD Military Sweater - (It's cold as balls in the UK 9 months outta 12).

Q. If you could keep only 1 item of your Bond collection, what would it be?
A. I'd run into a house fire, bypass all the cats and grab my bespoke screen-accurate Live and Let Die shirt by Frank Foster (the one he jumps over the Crocodiles in). It's made from the same bolt, by the same seamstress and is worn in my favourite Bond scene.

Q. What is your most popular post/video?
A. I've just had a quick count up and I've published close to a 1000 blogs, podcasts and YouTube videos combined. Don't call me a hero. My most popular video is my tutorial on repairing a pair of Adidas Gazelles from Skyfall. They really don't last those trainers. I think my favourite podcast episode was one I did with Matt on the Towels of James Bond. It was a slow news week ok?

Q. Which Bond location do you still want to visit?
A. I'd like to get to the rooftop in Skyfall where Bond got given M's Royal Doulton Bulldog by Moneypenny. I can't think of any Bond fans that have done that one. Although I'd probably get up there one day and find David Zaritsky taking a selfie. Whenever I tumble down a Bondian Rabbit hole, David is invariably already there to greet me at the end. He closes a dusty book, leans back in his chair and says whilst grinning, 'knew you'd come.'

Q. If you could meet any Bond actor (even if they’re no longer with us), who would that be and why?
A. I met George at the BFI and he only grunted when I complimented him on his tie. Which was understandable, it was a long day for everyone. Timothy Dalton lives one street over and although I've never met him, I rehearse my opening gambit every day on the off-chance. 'Hey Tim!! I live over the road, can I show you my James Bond collection? I have many drawings of you. An entire wing-full actually.'

Q. Which Bond-related song do you want to add to the Bond Lifestyle Spotify Playlist?
A. Supremacy - Muse. Apparently was in the running for Skyfall but lost out, obviously.

Q. Rolex or Omega?
A. I don't own either. But I'd go for a magnetic Rolex like Rogers in LALD. Only so I could ping the teaspoons across the room to annoy the missus.

TRAVEL NOTES

Diamonds Are Forever in Amsterdam