The Last Man On The Moon

Eugene Cernan

Apollo 17

The Last Man On The Moon

Discovering new revelations in Rolex history is always exciting, especially when it involves NASA Apollo Astronauts wearing Rolex!!! Apollo 17 Mission Commander Eugene A. Cernan is pictured below in his official NASA Apollo 17 portrait. Eugene Cernan flew in the Gemini IX mission as well as on Apollo 10 and as part of Apollo 17 would be the last man to walk on the Moon.

A decade ago I published the mysterious photo below of Eugene Cernan rocking a Rolex GMT-Master on the outside of his Space Suit on a velcro strap. This photo just added to the Rolex Moon Watch Mystery because the obvious question was, if Omega was "the official watch" of NASA then what is an Apollo astronaut doing wearing a Rolex on the outside of his spacesuit!?!

New photographic just came in from Moon Watch Universe that shows Apollo 17 Commander Eugene Certain conducting lunar EVA training wearing David Scott's Moon Flown Apollo A7lB spacesuit while sporting a Pepsi GMT-Master wristwatch taped on his left strap with yellow tape!?!!

Moon Watch Universe is gathering information in order to complete this exquisite story Rolex GMT-Master pilot's watch used during lunar surface EVA training at the Cape by the Commander of the last Apollo crew taken on June 8, 1972.

Each EVA training was broken down in specific sessions simulating actual planned lunar surface operations.

This next NASA photo [5-72-39922] shows Eugene Cernan of Apollo 17 inspecting rocks during a geology filed trip and notice he is wearing his Pepsi GMT.

The Saturn Rocket that would take the Apollo 17 prime crew to the moon is pictured below on its launch pad.

Apollo 17 was the first mission to be launched at night.

Harrison Schmitt took the photo below on December 13, 1972 of Apollo 17 Astronaut and Mission Commander Eugene A. Cernan as he salutes the deployed United States flag on the lunar surface during Extravehicular Activity (EVA).

Eugene Cernan's last words as he left the Moon were:

"As I take man's last step from the surface, back home for some  time to come–but we believe not too long into the future–I'd like to just [say] what I believe history will record–that America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow. And, as we leave the Moon at Taurus-Littrow, we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17."

A plaque left on the ladder of the descent stage of Challenger reads: 

"Here Man completed his first explorations of the moon. December 1972 AD. May the spirit of peace in which we came be reflected in the lives of all mankind."

The Apollo 17 capsule splashed down on December 19, 1972 and the U.S. Navy SH-3A Sea King helicopter combat support squadron HC-1 Pacific Fleet Angels were sent from the deck of the USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) to recover the Astronauts as pictured below.

The image above shows Apollo 17s Eugene Cernan exiting his spacecraft just after splashdown and if we look closely is sure does appear he is wearing his Pepsi GMT on his wrist as evidenced below in the close up where we see what appears to be his Rolex Oyster Bracelet!!!

1958 Rolex Submariner Brochure

Newly Discovered

1958 Rolex Submariner Brochure

This is such a cool find! I recently discovered this 1958 Rolex Submariner brochure which features the Reference 6536 and 6538, but the most exciting detail may be on the back page as seen in the last image in this story.

I say it may be on the last page because after careful reading I discovered a fascinating discovery! Notice at the end of the last paragraph in the section on the left with white background the second to last words says "The SUBMARINER is a strong and reliable wrist-watch the importance of which has already been recognized by those concerned in sea-going or sub-marine activities." What is significant about sub-marine'? There has always been a debate about whether Submariner was pronounced Submeriner, or Sub-mariner? My take is that according to this brochure that back in 1958 it was pronounced Sub-Marin-ER. Also, on the cover of the brochure, as seen above it says "A watch specially designed for all SUBMARINE and aquatic activities." This would ad further support to the fact the proper name is pronounced Rolex Sub-marine-er, not Sub-marin-er!!!

(Update: Nick Gould sent me a message and pointed out: "Did you noice the brochure shows a 6536 with no depth rating? Also, the brochure says the 6538 was the more heavy duty version. Makes sense as the 6538 has a big crown.")

In 2013 I discovered and published this same letter, which proves that Jacques Yves-Cousteau was testing Rolex Submariner watch prototypes in 1953, but I have never seen it printed on the back of a Rolex Submariner brochure as we see below!!! To learn much more about Jacques Cousteau and Rolex's conquest of the Ocean, be sure to check out my story on the Three Generations of Cousteau's!!!

Pepsi GMT-Master Reference 6542

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

 Pepsi GMT-Master

Reference 6542

Banzaff's took this great photo of this Rolex Pepsi from the late 1950s. Notice it has no crown guard and a red date wheel.

Eisenhower Rolex Datejust President...

Eisenhower Datejust

"V" For Victory

I just added this image to The Complete History of The Rolex President, which shows U.S. President Eisenhower sporting his yellow gold Rolex Datejust. What a Great photo!!!

Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day: David's Super Simple Submariner

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

David's Super Simple Submariner

[Reference 5513]

Jack is Back @ The 2019 U.S. Open

Jack is Back

@ The 2019 U.S. Open

Pebble Beach, California

The sun never sets on the World of Rolex, and every week there is a fascinating event occurring somewhere on earth that is sponsored by Rolex and this week we have the Le Mans Formula 1 race in France as well as The U.S. Open taking place at Pebble Beach in California.

47 Years ago, the first time the U.S. Open was played at Pebble Beach, Jack Nicklaus upstaged his rivals, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer to won the 1972 U.S. Open. This years U.S. Open is unusual as Jack Nicklaus' Rolex Day-Date has been making the rounds. The fascinating back story is that Rolex, under the leadership of André Heiniger gave Jack Nicklaus a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date in 1967. The photo below is the oldest photo of Jack wearing his Day-Date I have been able to find and it was taken in 1968.

Jack Nicklaus

Winning The 1972 U.S. Open Golf Tournament

Pebble Beach, California

Rolex Day-Date

Jack Nicklaus is pictured below with Tiger Woods at the 2012 ATT National Tournament where Tiger passed Jack to the 2nd Place on Career List with his 74th victory.


Jack Nicklaus has been wearing his same Day-Date for 52 years straight and he recently decided to put it up for auction with Phillips Auction House, the benefits of which will all go to the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation (@anchcf). Jack's watch can be viewed in-person by contacting @pboutros on Instagram.

Rolex Datejust ad from July 1995

Arnold Palmer & Jack Nicklaus

Two Golf Legends

Jack Nicklaus was the second Rolex Golf Ambassador appointed just after fellow legendary golfer Arnold Palmer and along with Gary Player make up Golfs Big 3.

The photo above of Jack Nicklaus was taken in 1972 and the one below was taken recently.

Reggie Jackson "Mr. October"

...Rolex Super-Coolness...

Reggie Jackson


"Mr. October"

Legendary Baseball Player

Pepsi GMT-Master

Paul Boutros from Phillip's Auction House is at the U.S. Open Golf Tournament and he snapped this super picture of baseball legend Reggie Jackson (Mr. October) rockin' his vintage Pepsi GMT-Master [Reference 1675].

Seeing Reggie at the U.S. Open reminded me of this vintage Rolex ad from 1969.

As a child, Reggie Jackson was one of my heroes and great role models.

Reggie Jackson is a renowned car collector and obviously a big Rolex collector as we see him sporting many different Rolex watches. In the photos below we see Reggie waring a white gold Rolex Submariner with a blue dial and bezel.

In the two photos below we see Reggie rockin both a white and yellow gold Rolex Daytona.

1980 Rolex Brochure featuring Rolex Daytona and Explorer

1980 Rolex Brochure

Rolex Daytona and Explorer

I have known of the existence of this super-cool brochure for many years and have seen it in very low resolution, but I finally found it!!! The image below is from the inside of a 1980 Rolex Daytona [Reference 6265] brochure. Man, it's old in Brazil!!!

Oyster Perpetual Datejust Lady 31 with Floral Motif Dial in Everose Rolesor

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

Oyster Perpetual Datejust Lady 31

with Floral Motif Dial in Everose Rolesor

904L Stainless Steel and 18 ct Everose Gold

Legends of the Deep: Celine and Fabien Cousteau - New Series Debuts Tonight on Science Channel

Legends of the Deep

Celine and Fabien Cousteau

New Series Debuts Tonight on Science Channel

I very fondly remember gathering around the TV when I was a child with the family on Sunday evenings to watch The Underwater World of Jacques Cousteau. Tonight two of his grandchildren, Celine Cousteau and Fabien Cousteau are debuting their new series on the Science Channel named Legends of the Deep, so be sure to check it out!!!

Céline Cousteau is pictured below with her legendary grandfather, Jacque-Yves Cousteau when she was a little girl. After having interviewed Céline I could not help but notice she shares her grandfather's Spirit of Inquiry and Exploration.

 Céline Cousteau 1982-1983 Piloting Zodiac on the Amazon River 
on Expedition with her father and grandfather

In the photo below we see Céline and her brother Fabien with their father Jean-Michel Cousteau who is Jacques-Yves Cousteau's son.

''From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to the Earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free. Buoyed by water, he can fly in any direction—up, down, sideways—by merely flipping his hand. Under water, man becomes an archangel.'' 

—Jaques-Yves Cousteau