Aurel Bacs "This is what happens when you love billiards, Rolex and Paul Newman"

 

Aurel Bacs

"This is what happens when you

 

love billiards, Rolex and Paul Newman"

Aurel Bacs is the most famous auctioneer in the horological world and he is most famous for successfully auctioning Paul Newman's trademark 'Paul Newman Daytona' which features Paul Newman's personal Rolex Daytona with an exotic white dial, which went for close to $18 Million.

Aurel Bacs (pictured below in a photo that appears courtesy of Hodinkee.com) just published a fascinating article on the Phillips.com website about the influence of a different Rolex Paul Newman wore in the Academy Award winning blockbuster named "The Color of Money". 

Aurel Bacs, who to my way of thinking is a horological poet laureate (right up there with Wei Koh) who is always a fascinating storyteller shares the story about how he fell in love Paul Newman's 36MM Rolex Datejust and then he goes into detail on his passion for his modern 41MM Datejust, both of which are pictured below.

The Hustler

Since I am so familiar with the backstory behind The Color of Money Rolex which I published a dozen years ago, I thought now would be a great time to dive deeper into the background of Paul Newman's Rolex Datejust.

Paul Newman co-starred with legendary fellow actor, Jackie Gleason in The Hustler which debuted in 1961 and told the story of a small-time pool hustler named "Fast Eddie" Felson who wanted to become a player in the "major league" of high-stakes wagering of professional pool hustling. In The Hustler Paul Newman plays Fast Edie, and he goes up against the most legendary pool shark named "Minnesota Fats, who is played by Jackie Gleason.

Jackie Gleason was one of the most loved and famous and beloved actors of all time. Jackie became a superstar when he played Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners which ran 39 episodes from 1955 to 1956. Jackie Gleason is pictured below in the 1960s rocking his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date which was discovered by Nick Gould.

Jackie Gleason and Paul Newman are pictured below in the 1961 movie named "The Hustler".

Paul Newman reprised his role as Fast Eddie Felson in 1986 in the movie named 'The Color of Money' in which he costarred with a young Tom Cruise as well as his stainless steel Rolex Datejust.

In a bizzare twist of fate, in 1984, when I was 18 years old, which was two years before Paul Newman showed up on the big screen wearing his stainless steel Rolex Datejust in The Color of Money, I had purchased the exact same stainless steel Rolex Datejust model as you can see in the photo below of me wearing it. It's funny, because my young Elvis lid at the time was similar to Tom Cruises hairstyle in The Color of Money, but I wore the same watch as Paul Newman!?!! I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I remember when I saw The Color of Money in the movie Theaters in 1986, I remember tripping on the fact that Paul Newman was wearing the same stainless steel Rolex Datejust I was wearing :-0

The Money Shot

Tom Cruise Holding Paul Newman's Rolex Datejust

In the next photo we see a screen-shot taken from the The Color Of Money, that shows Tom Cruise playing with Paul Newman's Rolex Datejust in the movie. Of course this close-up helps making a solid positive I.D., as a stainless steel Rolex Datejust. Notice the bezel has no fluting, thus making it a straight stainless steel bezel.

Paul Newman is pictured below in 1986 with his two costars from The Color Of Money, Tom Cruise and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantinio. Marin Scorsese who directed the movie is pictured on the far right. Paul Newmans is wearing his trademark stainless Rolex Daytona on his wrist on a Fatstrap.

Paul Newman won the Academy Award for best actor for his 1986 performance in The Color Of Money. After he won the Oscar he said "It's like chasing a beautiful woman for 80 years. Finally she relents and you say, "'I'm' terribly sorry, I'm tired."

Paul Newman also received another Oscar as the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, that was presented by Tom Cruise in 1994.

1986 Academy Award

Winning Performance For Best Actor

Paul Newman Daytona

Accepting An Academy Award On The Set Of The Color Of Money

This first image was taken on March 24, 1986 and shows Paul Newman accepting an Honorary Oscar via Satellite on the set of The Color Of Money. Notice Paul Newman is wearing one of his trademark Paul Newman Rolex Daytona watches on a FatStrap.  Ironically, Paul Newman would go on to win another Academy Award for Best Actor later that year, for his role in The Color Of Money!!!

This next image taken on the set of The Color Of Money, show Paul Newman with his co-star, Tom Cruise. Notice Paul Newman is sporting his same black dial Rolex Daytona on a FatStrap. What makes these two images interesting is that Paul Newman wore a stainless steel Rolex Datejust in the movie, but you see that when he was not acting he was wearing his trademark Paul Newman Daytona. In the future, I will add these image to The Complete History Of The Paul Newman Daytona Story on Jake's Rolex World.

Dominic Thiem Wins First Grand Slam Title @ 2020 U.S. Open

Dominic Thiem
Wins First Grand Slam Title 
@ 2020 U.S. Open

The Complete History Of The Robert Redford Submariner [Part 1 of 4]

...Academy Award Winning Director & Actor...

Robert Redford

Rolex Submariner: Reference 1680

The Complete History Of The Robert Redford Submariner

[Part 1 of 4]

Robert Redford is one of the most successful and iconic actors in Hollywood history. Robert Redford is an Academy Award winning Director and actor, and I thought it would be a good time to explore his amazing career achievements.

On Jake's Rolex World I created a series named Profiles In Coolness which covered The King Of Cool, Steve McQueen, and Paul Newman, today we are going to take a look at another super-cool guy with an amazing career—Robert Redford.

Robert Redford was born Charles Robert Redford Jr., on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California and he has been in many famous classic films. When you think about it, Robert Redford is about as classic as it gets, and it should come as no surprise that he wears a Rolex Submariner.

Single Red Submariner 
[Reference 1680]

Robert Redford wears a Single-Red Submariner [Reference 1680] which was the first Rolex Submariner model to come with a date. It was COSC certified and essentially replaced the Reference 5512. Rolex made the Single Red Submariner from 1967 to 1976. The Single Red designation came from the Single Red SEA-DWELLER which was developed to be tested in prototype for early 1967.

Robert Redford

The Candidate
1972

Robert Redford starred in the 1972 political movie titled, The Candidate, in which he plays a lawyer who decides to run against an incumbent Senator. In the movie, Redford deals with the challenges of trying to be himself, while trying to satisfy his political party.

Justin Timberlake

The Candidate
2011

The photo below is from a W Magazine photo shoot in 2011 that Justin Timberlake posed for, in which he was paying homage to  Robert Redford, from the 1972 movie, The Candidate.

Somebody once offered Robert Redford a yellow gold Rolex Submariner as a gift and he refused it by responding, "I am not a gold kind of guy." This is kind of interesting because I think that a yellow-gold Submariner would have looked great on Robert Redford because it would match his hair.

One of the obvious questions, is why does it say ROLEX on the front of the newscaster desk that Robert Redford is sitting in front of in the picture below from the movie The Candidate? I have no idea. I assume it was obviously some kind of Rolex advertisement.

1972 Cannes Film Festival in France

In the photo below we see Robert Redford with fellow actor and director Sydney Pollack and Polish pianist Arthur Rubenstein and his wife Aniela Mlynarska to promote the movie Jeremiah Johnson in 1972 at the Cannes Film Festival. Sydney Pollack directed the movie Jeremiah Johnson which is considered to be one of his best films.

Arthur Rubinstein is considered to be one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.

Three Days Of The Condor (1975)

All The President's Men (1976)

Robert Redford costarred with Dustin Hoffman in All The President's men which was about the Watergate conspiracy that ultimately forced U.S. President Nixon to resign.

It is interesting to note that Robert Redford's Rolex Submariner pictured above and in the next two photos from the movie, All The President's Men has the winding crown completely unscrewed and pulled out all the way!!! I have no idea why?

Update: Tim Parker-Chambers is a reader of Jake's Rolex World and he wrote in and said:

"Hi Jake,

I was reading your fantastic articles on the watches of Steve McQueen, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, and saw a comment you made about the crown of Robert Redford's Submariner being fully extended while filming a scene.

Something I have read elsewhere, which might be applicable to that situation, is that for continuity and editing ease, in some close up shots, or multiple takes, sometimes the director has the actor pull the crown on his watch, so the hands remain static and constant in all takes. 

Just thought I'd pass on what I'd heard, thanks for taking the time to put together such fantastic articles, they're a pleasure to read."

Best regards,

Tim

Tim's points make perfect sense!!!

1981

Next we see Robert Redford at the 33rd Annual Directors Guild Awards, which took place on March 14, 1981 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel located in Beverly Hills, California.

Table Of Contents

Chapter 1: Robert Redford's Submariner 1680

NEXT>>> Chapter 2: Iconic Redford Style

Chapter 3: The Sundance Kid

Chapter 4: The Way We Were

New Rolex Sky Dweller: 42MM 18 ct Gold on an Oysterflex Bracelet...

 

New Rolex Sky Dweller

42MM 18 ct Gold

Rolex recently introduced a new yellow gold Sky-Dweller for 2020 which comes on an Oysterflex bracelet that features an Oysterclasp with a Rolex Glidelock extension system for the first time. 

The innovative new Oysterclasp can be easily adjusted in 2 MM steps up to 15 MM, which significantly enhances comfort as the user can instantly increase or decrease the size without a tool. Doing so is about as easy as changing a belt to the next size up or down. The Sky-Dweller features a bright-black sunray-finish dial...

The new Rolex Sky-Dweller features a Caliber 9001 Movement which features remarkably state-of-the-art technology. 

Rolex also offers this the Sky-Dweller model in rose gold as seen below.

Detailed Analysis of New Submariner Dimensions

Detailed Analysis of New Submariner Dimensions

All-New for 2020 Rolex Oyster Perpetual

 

All-New for 2020

Rolex Oyster Perpetual

Last week when Rolex introduced their new models for 2020, and the response has been amazing! One of the interesting new models that people have been asking me about is the new Oyster Perpetual series. The all-new Rolex Oyster Perpetual epitomizes the 3 classic pillars of Rolex which are:

• Accuracy
• Waterproof Oyster Case
• Automatic Perpetual Movement

Rolex introduced the new Oyster Perpetual in 3 sizes which could be considered small, medium and large with 31MM, 36MM and 41MM. Rolex surprised many people with their nod to their heritage with the unusual 41MM Rolex Oyster Perpetual model pictured above. What is so unusual about this model you ask? Rolex design language for many decades never mixed gold markers or hands with an all stainless body. In other words, it was a steadfast Rolex rule that a stainless steel body would never have gold markers or hands, but Rolex dove deeply into their heritage by giving this new model an almost vintage gilt dial vibe.

Rolex also introduced a black sunburst dial model version of the 41MM Oyster Perpetual which is pictured below. One of the unique features of the new 41MM model is the double baton markers. I don't recall Rolex every doubling up markers like this before, but it gives the watch a unique visual signature which kind of reminds me of a Rolex Explorer, with regards to being iconicity steeped in 1950s late art-deco populuxe design language.

"The purest expression of the Oyster concept, the Oyster Perpetual provides a clear and accurate time display."

—Rolex

The Return of the Stella dial

Another surprise was that Rolex is offering the new "OP" with many different colorful dial combinations as seen below. This is highly reminiscent of the Rolex Day-Date models from the 1970s as seen below in the photo from Bob's Watches.

The Rolex green dial on the Oyster Perpetual is bound to be a huge hit with collectors as seen below.

Here is a close up of the pink dial Oyster Perpetual which has a really fresh vibe, and is certain to be big hit with the ladies...

The pale blue Rolex Oyster pictured below reminds me of Tiffany & Company.

The guide below shows the entire new range of Oyster Perpetual models which Rolex is offering in 28MM, 31MM, 34MM, 36MM and 41MM (Think S, M, L, XL, XXL)

The new Oyster Perpetual incorporate the Caliber 2232 (28MM, 31MM, & 34MM) and Caliber 3230 (36MM & 41MM).  Rolex also is offering a Rolex green dial in 41MM which is certain to be a big hit. The 41MM should offer a lot of wrist presence as it is the diameter of the all new 41MM Submariner. All in all, I am impressed with Rolex's new 'OP' line. 

Ya Down Wit O.P.P.?

Whenever I hear the term "O.P." is reminds me of the really catchy 1991 hit song named O.P.P. by Naughty by Nature :-)