Bowers & Wilkins and James Bond have united to celebrate 60 years of British style, performance and music, with a set of “bespoke PX8 007 Edition” headphones, specially created to celebrate the Midnight Blue tuxedo worn by Bond in 1962’s Dr. No.
It might seem a strange collab, but both companies assure you their intentions are purely honorable (imagine our best Connery voice there). Bowers & Wilkins just became an official partner of the James Bond film franchise, but this is merely the next chapter in its enduring relationship with the music of Bond.
To backtrack just a little: every world-famous movie release you can think of has its own uniquely identifiable music – but in all of cinema, there can be few better examples than the scores that propelled James Bond films over the past six decades. From Monty Norman’s signature theme (‘Dum duhduhduhdum, dum dum dum’!) through each of the iconic title songs, music has been inextricably linked with 007.
And Bowers & Wilkins’ relationship with the James Bond film franchise is firmly interlinked with its 40-year relationship with Abbey Road Studios, London, where its flagship 800 Series loudspeakers have been used to monitor the recording of countless film scores – including Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015).
Even more recently, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, Abbey Road Studios engineers used Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers to help create Bond 25, an album featuring all 25 iconic Bond themes with brand new arrangements recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Abbey Road Studio One.
“Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don’t really go in for that any more” – Q (Skyfall, 2012)
So, to help Bond celebrate the 60th anniversary of the release of Dr. No, Bowers & Wilkins has created a bespoke version of its already stunning Bowers & Wilkin’s PX8 wireless headphones, the PX8 007 Edition, featuring a Midnight Blue finish inspired by the dinner jacket worn by Bond (played by Sean Connery – the original and still the best) in his first on-screen appearance.
I loved the new tan colorway of these flagship wireless over-ears when I first laid eyes on it, and I love this finish every bit as much.
As elegant and timeless as James Bond himself, these special-edition headphones deliver all the high-performance wireless sound synonymous with Bowers & Wilkins, coupled with detailing that offers a subtle nod to the style of 007.
The new PX8 007 Edition will be available from the Bowers & Wilkins website and the 007Store.com from October 19, priced at $799 / £699 / €799 (which is around AU$1,252).
“A gun and a radio. Not exactly Christmas, is it?” uttered 007 in Skyfall. How about a nice set of Bowers & Wilkins over-ears made especially for you, Bond? Although he’d likely say of the release, “Don’t go to any trouble on my account” (as he did in 1962), I suspect James would enjoy these…