50th Anniversary Rolex LV Submariner

...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day...

50th Anniversary

Rolex LV Submariner

People have been asking me for decades now: “What’s your favorite Rolex watch model of all-time?” In all this time, my answer has remained the same. My favorite Rolex remains the LV Submariner ;-)

Harrison Ford & Rolex...

Harrison Ford

Reelin' In the Years...

Looking back in the rearview mirror at a brilliant career...

Rocking Rolex Datejust @ SAG 

What's more iconic that a Rolex Datejust? Harrison Ford rocking Rolex: Nick "Eagle Eyes" Gould noticed Harrison Ford rocking what appears to be a newer Rolex Datejust (not his trademark Buckley dial Datejust) while receiving a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime achievement award.

Harrison Ford, at age 83, gave a highly emotional acceptance speech that left many people in tears as he reflected back on his life journey in a way that only he could articulate...

It appears Harrison Ford is rocking a vintage 36MM White Gold Rolex Datejust with a fluted white gold bezel on a Black Crocodile strap with a white stick dial which carries a Rolex Reference of 116139 WHTSS as pictured below. This model was likely made around 2011.

...Rolex Super Coolness... 

Harrison Ford

Greatness Endures

It seems like it was just yesterday Harrison Ford returned to the Star Wars franchise to once again reprise his role as Hans Solo in Star Wars The Race Awakens back in 2015...Then, just a few years later, Harrison Ford returned to play Decker in the Blade Runner 2049 movie.

Harrison Ford, at 80 years young reprised his role  Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny movie which debuted in movie theaters back in July of 2023. Above is the official trailer for his most recent Indiana Jones movie.

The $10 Billion Man

Who is the coolest guy who ever wore a Rolex? Some would argue Steve McQueen, some would say it was Paul Newman or Robert Redford. Some would say it would have to be Sean Connery or Daniel Craig. Others might insist it was, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Chuck Yeager or Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

I would say, Harrison Ford may be the single coolest guy to ever wear Rolex, and if he is not, he would definitely be in the top pantheon of Rolex wearers. In my opinion, Harrison Ford is probably the greatest actor who ever lived, with the exception of Cary Grant. Harrison Ford's movies have grossed close to $10 Billion to date!!!

Frank Sinatra put it best when he said: "There is something to be said for things that endure." One thing Harrison Ford and Rolex have in common is they are Legends that have both endured quite well with common adjectives coming to mind like rugged, masculine, handsome, timeless, and charismatic–just to name a few.

We see Harrison Ford pictured above wearing his Stainless Steel Rolex Datejust with a Jubilee Bracelet, and White Porcelain Dial with black  Roman Numerals as seen below. This dial is commonly referred to today by Rolex enthusiasts as "The Buckley Dial", which was named so based upon John Buckley who was a vintage Rolex dealer in New York that had an affinity for this rare dial that was produced back in the 1980s.

If you think about it, this cool dial kind of gives the Rolex Datejust a Cartier kind vibe.

Harrison Ford has played some of the most iconic characters in modern movie history, and as I write this he is preparing to resurrect at least two of them, including Han Solo in Star Wars 7, as well as starring in another Indiana Jones movie!!! 

Ridley Scott, the director of Blade Runner recently announced he is planning to direct Blade Runner 2, and they are currently working on developing the script. Who knows, but Harrison Ford may play Rick Decker in Blade Runner 2, which would be really cool!!!

American Graffiti

1973

Han Solo

Star Wars 1977

Star Wars

Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo

The Original Star Wars Cast

In the photo below we see Harrison Ford (Han Solo) kissing Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), as he pushes away Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) in a promo image. Notice Harrison Ford is wearing his trademark Rolex Datejust which has a Jubilee bracelet.

Return Of Han Solo

In 2014 Lucasfilm announced they were preparing an all-new Star Wars trilogy, directed by J.J. Abrams, who, ironically directed two recent, ultra-succesful Star Trek Movies!!!

The photo below shows original Star Wars Trilogy cast members Billy Dee Williams (Age 76), Carrie Fisher (Age 56), Harrison Ford (Age 71), Peter Mayhew (Age 69)[Chewbacca The Wookie], and Mark Hamill (Age 61).  Yes, you guessed it! They all returned to their roles in the Star Wars trilogy, which began with Episode 7. Filming began in 2014, for a Summer 2015 release... And yes, John Williams (Age 81) once again was selected to create the soundtrack for Star Wars Episode 7...

Speaking of Star Wars, the video below shows Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, being interviewed, and he does a great Hans Solo impression. Mark also talked about the then upcoming Star Wars movies. It is amazing how charismatic and entertaining Mark Hamill is. What a fascinating dude!!!

Indiana Jones

Raiders Of The Lost Ark
1981

In 2008 Harrison Ford reprised his role as Indiana Jones, in the movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The four photos below are from the 2008 movie, and it seems like Harrison Ford had not even aged. 

The movie was not great, but it was great to see Harrison Ford as Indian Jones again, on the big screen.

You must admit Harrison Ford looked Great at 66 Years old!!!

If you think about it, Indiana Jones is really to closest thing there is to an American James Bond.

Blade Runner
1982

I always loved this Polaroid selfie image of Sean Young and Harrison Ford which she took on the set of Blade Runner.

Below is a photo of Harrison Ford rocking his Rolex Datejust while he was shooting Bladerunner.

The photo above and the two photos below of Harrison Ford were taken in 1990 and we wee him wearing his stainless steel Rolex Datejust. The two photos below show Harrsion Ford with Ray Liotta in 1990, which was the years that Ray Liotta starred in the seminal gangster film, Good Fellas.

Harrison Ford is pictured below with Brad Pitt in 1997, and we see Harrsion Ford wearing his trademark Rolex Datejust.

The Most Beautiful Complicated Rolex

...The Most Beautiful Complicated Rolex...

1952 Rolex Moonphase

36MM Yellow Gold: Reference 6062

People ask me all the time which Rolex I think is the most beautiful? I would say the 1950 Rolex Oyster Moonphase triple-date pictured below is definitely one of the most beautiful complicated Rolex watches ever made! This model is ULTRA-RARE for many reasons. First and foremost because it has a black dial with star and pyramid indices. This beauty is also in flawless New Old Stock (NOS) condition. What a magnificent work absolute work of art!!!

Rolex Hotness...Diana Krall

...Rolex Hotness...

Diana Krall

Stainless Steel Rolex Datejust

Vintage Rolex Submariner Brochure [Reference 5513]

Vintage Rolex Submariner Brochure

[Reference 5513]

"In the twilight of the deep waters one of the most vital items of a diver's equipment is his watch. The "Submariner" was the world's first watch designed especially for skin and deep sea divers, 100% waterproof to a depth of 660 feet, is has a calibrated outer bezel which allows the accurate and correct timing of decompression periods."

Supreme Court Overturns Trump Tariffs

 

Supreme Court

Overturns Trump Tariffs 

Much Ado About Nothing

President Trump’s announcement of international tariffs sent shockwaves across the globe. In a sudden move, he imposed 35% tariffs on Switzerland, causing significant disruption to the Swiss watch industry. This unexpected action prompted Rolex’s CEO, Jean-Frédéric Dufour, to attend a meeting in President Trump’s Oval Office, accompanied by other prominent Swiss business leaders.

It’s intriguing to note that according to the Federal Reserve, Goldman Sachs, UBS, and Deutsche Bank, approximately 85-90% of the tariff costs are borne by American consumers. I recall when President Trump, during his initial administration, imposed tariffs on China, he expressed his determination to exert pressure on the Chinese economy. He suggested that the Chinese companies would be adversely affected by having to pay the tariff. However, the reality was that the Chinese economy remained largely unaffected, as the burden was passed on to consumers and manufacturers who had to bear the cost. In essence, tariffs act as an invisible tax on American consumers, significantly increasing the prices of goods.

Tariffs are a form of Taxation

As we recently learned, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned President Trump’s tariff scheme, resulting in companies being refunded $133 billion. This begs the question: what is the impact of this on the price of Rolex watches? While it’s uncertain, it seems unlikely that new Rolex prices will be significantly affected. President Trump initially reduced Swiss tariffs to 15%, but these have been overturned. If his new tariff scheme is successful, Switzerland will end up imposing a 10% tariff on all imports, which is favorable news for Rolex brand purchasers.

My Favorite Novelty from Watches & Wonders 2022

 

My Favorite Novelty

from Watches & Wonders 2022

DATEJUST 41

Oyster Bracelet, Oystersteel and White Gold

I can't stop thinking about a super cool Rolex model launched at Watches & Wonders 2022. This beauty came and went without major fanfare and its the 41MM Datejust with a Bright Blue Fluted Motif dial, with a fluted white gold bezel. 

The second Rolex I ever owned, when I was 18 was a stainless steel Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet with a blue dial with baton markers and a fluted white gold bezel. I updated it to a white porcelain dial with white gold san serif markers, which you can see in the photo below that was taken 39 years ago!?!! My point is I have never been into the Datejust since then, but I have to admit I LOVE this new 41MM with the crazy-beautiful blue dial!!!! What a Magnificent design Rolex! Man it kind of freaks me out when I look at this photo of myself from close to 42 years ago wearing my second Rolex I ever owned and wore. Talk about a Rolex Time Machine!?!!

1964 Rolex Swinging Ad...

1964 Rolex Swinging Ad

You're Going Into A Deep, Deep Rolex Sleep. A DEAPSEA Sleep ;-0

Adam West: The First Batman...

Adam West

1928-2017

One of the Greatest Super Hero's

Rolex Day-Date

For many people, including myself there is only ONE TRUE Batman, and that was Adam West. Adam West passed away back on June 10, 2017 at the age of 88. As we will see and learn in this story, Adam West wore a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date for many decades as we see on his wrist in the photo below that shows him sitting on his mid-engine 1973 Dino Ferrari 308 GT4.

When I was kid, I LOVED watching Adam West as Batman on TV, and today Adam West remains a significant piece of the collective cultural consciousness of humanity as one of the leading super hero's and pop culture icon. 

I recently discovered and watched an amazing eye-opening documentary on the life of Adam West named "Starring Adam West" which was released in 2013 and featured many candid interview scenes with Adam West. Learning Adam's history, told by him and his close family members blew my mind.

The Dynamic Duo

In the photo below we see Adam West, playing the role of the Caped Crusader, Batman, with his costar, Burt Ward, who played his loyal sidekick, Robin.

The Batman TV Series was a cultural phenomenon that ran from January 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968. The LIFE Magazine cover below was part of an enormous marketing campaign for the Batman TV show, and featured Adam West on the cover.

Batman was kind of like the Apple story, long before Apple stores existed, in the sense that Batman had the coolest toys and tools, and had an app for everything. Think about it, he had a BatMobile, a BatPhone, a BatCave, a BatCopter, and a BatCycle. Perhaps the most iconic Batman tool was the Batmobile, as seen in the photo above and below.

Adam West played the ultra-handsome, distinguished eccentric, multimillionaire Bruce Wayne, who lived in Wayne Manor, and was extremely well tailored, as we see in the photo below that shows Adam West wearing a sports coat with slacks and an ascot. Of course, Bruce Wayne was Batman's alter-ego.

Iconic Characters

Batman took place in the fictional Gotham City, and there were so many iconic characters that were part of the Batman TV show. In the photo below we see Commissioner Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department who was played by Neil Hamilton.

In the photo below we see Alfred the Butler of the stately Wayne Manor, with Bruce Wayne. I have so many childhood memories of Alfred calling Batman on the red Batphone. Adam West's Bruce Wayne really was kind of like a young Cary Grant character, who wore aristocratic Ralph Lauren clothing as we see with Bruce Wayne wearing his family crest on his sports coat in the photo below.

In the photo below we see Adam West in between Van Williams and Bruce Lee, who starred on the TV show, The Green Hornet. Van Williams and Bruce Lee played the roles of The Green Hornet and Kato. The Green Hornet and Kato appeared in an episode of Batman which aired on September 28, 1966, as well as on a another later episode of Batman which aired on March 1-2 of 1967. 

One of the part I remember the most about the Batman TV show, were the four key villains which consisted of Catwoman, played by the gorgeous Julie Newman; The Riddler, played by Frank Gorshin; The Penguin Played by Burgess Meredith, and The Joker who was played by Cesar Romero.

Catwoman was certainly one of the most interesting characters on Batman, as we see in the photo and video below.

As we see in the photos below, Adam West wore a Yellow Gold Rolex Day-Date in real life, as well as on-screen. In this first AP photo taken by Wally Fong on August 10, 1983, we see Adam West hanging out at he Beverly Hills Hotel.

Typecast

In some ways, Adam West's story is a sad story of attempted reclamation. The photo below was shows Adam West and Burt Ward dressed in their Batman and Robin costumes in 1989. 1989, was the year the first Batman movie was came out that starred Michael Keaton. Basically, Adam West and Burt Ward had stayed in great physical shape so they could reprise their roles as Batman and Robin, which unfortunately never happened. 

Adam West said he was typecast as Batman, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not break out of the typecasting. Another actor, who was also typecast in a similar fashion was Max Baer Jr., who played Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies.

Adam West definitely had an interesting vibe which made him the King of Kitch. The Campy video below is an example of his unique sense of humor that combined serious with funny.

Mark Hamill who plays Luke Skywalker in Star Wars posted a photo on Twitter, of himself with Adam West in a recent photo before Adam West passed away which you can see below. Talk about two icons!!!

#AdamWest was such a wonderful actor & so kind, I'm so lucky to have worked w/ him & tell him how much he meant to me & millions of fans. pic.twitter.com/Bu0OOaRgX9

— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) June 10, 2017

You were the grooviest & kitschiest cat around Adam West. Cheers to your long life, but tears for your loss. xo #Batman #AdamWest pic.twitter.com/c6VxuDHygJ

— Yesterday Once More (@RecollectedDays) June 10, 2017

 

Then The Very First BATMAN Comic 

Sold For $1,075,000 Million Yesterday
Setting Another All-Time Price Record

Back in 2010 I published a story about Heritage Auctions setting a new all-time record when they sold a number 27 Batman Comic from May of 1939 which was the very first Batman comic ever printed. This ultra-rare issue is in very good condition. The collector who put this ultra-rare comic up for sale purchased it more than 40 years ago for $100!!!

The BATMAN

Rolex GMT-Master

Back in 2013 Rolex surprised the world when they introduced an all-new Rolex GMT-Master color combination with a "Night & Day" Ceramic bezel that is black and blue.

Rolex collectors and enthusiasts love to use nicknames for different Rolex models, like The Pepsi, or Coke GMT-Master or the 7up Submariner for the original LV Submariner. The all Green LV Submariner is nicknamed The Hulk, and Rolex collectors have affectionally nicknamed the new Night & Day Rolex GMT-Master as "The Batman" since it is silver, black and blue like Batman's uniform. Very cool!