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Bowers & Wilkins and James Bond have banded together to celebrate 60 years of British style, performance and music, with a set of “custom PX8 007 Edition” headphones specially made to celebrate the midnight blue tuxedo worn by Bond in 1962’s Dr. no.
It may seem like an odd partnership, but both companies assure you that their intentions are purely honorable (imagine our best Connery voice). Bowers & Wilkins has just become an official partner of the James Bond film franchise, but this is just the next chapter in its lasting relationship with Bond’s music.
To go back for a moment, every world-famous film release you can think of has its own uniquely recognizable music – but in the entire film world there are few better examples than the music that propelled James Bond movies forward for the past six decades. From Monty Norman’s signature theme (“Dum duhduhduhdum, dum dum dum”!) to each of the iconic title songs, music is inextricably linked to 007.
And Bowers & Wilkins’ relationship with the James Bond film franchise is closely intertwined with its 40-year relationship with Abbey Road Studios, London, where its flagship 800 series loudspeakers have been used to monitor the shooting of numerous film scores, including Skyfall (2012) and Specter (2015).
More recently, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, the engineers at Abbey Road Studios used Bowers & Wilkins speakers to help create Bond 25, an album featuring all 25 iconic Bond themes with brand new arrangements recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studio One.
“Were you expecting an exploding pen? We’re not going to get into that anymore” – Q (Skyfall, 2012)
So to help Bond celebrate the 60th anniversary of the release of Dr. To celebrate, Bowers & Wilkins has created a custom version of its already stunning Bowers & Wilkin’s PX8 wireless headphones, the PX8 007 Edition, with a Midnight Blue finish inspired by the dinner jacket worn by Bond (played by Sean Connery – the original and still the best) during his first on-screen appearance.
I loved the new brown colorway on these flagship wireless over-ears when I first saw them, and I love this finish just as much.
As elegant and timeless as James Bond himself, these special edition headphones deliver all the premium wireless sound synonymous with Bowers & Wilkins, combined with details that offer a subtle nod to 007 style.
The new PX8 007 edition will be available from October 19 through the Bowers & Wilkins website and 007Store.com and will cost $799 / £699 / €799 (around AU$1,252).
“A gun and a radio. Not really Christmas, huh?’ cried 007 in Skyfall. How about a nice set of Bowers & Wilkins over-ears made especially for you, Bond? While he would probably say about the release, “Don’t bother at my expense” (as he did in 1962), I suspect James is this…