As speculation rages about who will succeed Daniel Craig as the next James Bond, we thought it would be a timely moment to pay homage to the style of MI6’s most famous recruit.
Every Bond would not be complete without his arsenal of gadgets, but there is one in particular which has always caught our eye here at Engravers Guild.
While every secret agent needs discretion, not even James Bond can resist carrying a personalised gift.
In the 1989 film Licence To Kill, Timothy Dalton receives a Dunhill lighter from his friend Felix Leiter and wife Della on their wedding day. Engraved on the lighter reads the message:
James,
Love Always
Della and Felix
Bond takes the engraved gift with him on his mission, and eventually uses it to avenge the death of Felix by igniting his killer, Sanchez, who is doused in petrol.
The actual lighter seen in the film was donated by Cubby Broccoli to the ‘Children In Need’ campaign. The final price of the lighter is not known, but two days after the start of the auction the bidding had risen to £3,000.
Of course, it was a beautiful lighter. But it was the story attached to the lighter that lived through the engraving which really created the value.
At Engravers Guild, we invite you to create your own stories with our engraved gifts. Engraved cufflinks for men, and engraved bracelets and engraved necklaces for women are the perfect gift for all occasions.