Saturday, November 30, 2013

If You Were Negotiating Here Tomorrow You'd Wear A Rolex


If You Were Negotiating Here Tomorrow 
You'd Wear A Rolex
Geneva's Palais des Nations

This vintage Rolex ad showcases what is now referred to as UNOG, which stands for The United Nations Office At Geneva. The "Palace Of Nations" was built in Geneva between 1929 and 1936 as the headquarters for the League of Nations, which later evolved into the Geneva headquarters for the United Nations in 1946. Today, The United Nations In Geneva is busier than ever with international diplomats, and it primarily deals with social issues around the world.

Vintage Rolex Ad Appears Courtesy of The Concannon Collection


The First Rolex President

Former U.S. General Eisenhower was the architect of D-Day, where he assembled the greatest armada in history and successfully set sail to free Europe from Nazi tyranny. 

After World War II, President Eisenhower became the Supreme Commander of NATO in Europe where he oversaw rebuilding many parts of Europe, and that is when Rolex gave him their 150,000th Officially Certified Swiss Chronometer, which was a yellow gold Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet, as pictured below. General Eisenhower returned to the U.S., where he was elected President and served for two very successful full terms.

Back in 2008, I worked with the Eisenhower Presidential Library archivist to dig up all the historical documents that shared the beautiful story of his relationship with Rolex. President Eisenhower was one of the worlds first iconic world leaders, along with Sir Winston Churchill who made the Rolex Datejust "The International Mark Of Success." In other words, when the vintage Rolex ad suggests "The Rolex they wear is the Datejust, in 18ct gold, with matching Jubilee bracelet", they are referring to this man.



Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving from Jake!!!



Happy Thanksgiving from Jake!!!


Hi Everybody!!!

It is hard to believe it is already Thanksgiving again on Jake's Rolex World!!! It has been another absolutely amazing year filled with growth and incredible new Rolex historical content. Since last Thanksgiving I have met many new international readers and made many new and exiting friends, for which I am extremely thankful.

This is a very special Thanksgiving for me for many reasons, and in particular, I am extremely thankful for having Rolex recently invite me to tour all four Rolex manufacturing facilities in Geneva and Bienne Switzerland, as well as visiting Rolex World Headquarters in Geneva.

I am working on a really exciting detailed article about my tour of Rolex in Switzerland, and plan to publish it as soon as I can get it completed. In the meantime, I have a special Thanksgiving experience to share with you which is a special Rolex podcast that Ariel Adams from TheHourTimeShow.comwhich is the Podcast for ABlogToWatchwhich we recorded last week in Geneva, Switzerland after we toured Rolex. Enjoy!!!





Below is a link to the original Rolex Podcast I did with Ariel Adams and John Biggs which originally aired on February 7, 2011, that Ariel and I referred to in the recent podcast above.


If you enjoyed the podcasts above, you can always listen to some of my classic podcast interviews by clicking on the Podcast tab located on the far right side of the navigation bar located above.

As you can imagine, I have so much to be grateful for and I wish all my readers a happy Thanksgiving!!!!


"The First Thanksgiving" painting by Jean Gerome Ferris (1863-1930)

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because it gives us a chance to pause and reflect on how fortunate we all are to be able to experience this amazing miracle, known as life, on this spinning marble we all share–named Earth.

Of course I realize Thanksgiving is a U.S. holiday, but I believe it's as timeless and universal as a sunset or a smile :-)))

Once again, Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Warmest regards,

Jake

Roy Clark Country Guitar God



...Rolex Super Coolness...

Roy Clark
Country Guitar God
Keeping The Time Of His Life With A Rolex Day-Date

I figure since we are headed into the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., it would be appropriate to start out with some good old down home country music. Roy "Lightning Fingers" Clark is an National Treasure, and is considered to be one of the greatest Country music guitar players in history. Roy Clark is also a five time Grammy Winner.




Clark is not only a renowned "Superpicker" guitar player, but also a master banjo player, and his playing style has had an enormous influence on bluegrass and younger country musicians.


Roy Clark is probably best known for staring on the major American hit TV show which debuted in 1969 named Hee Haw. Roy Clark hosted Hee Haw for 25 years, and I have fond memories of watching Hee Haw in my grandparents home when I was a small child.  

In the photo below we see Buck Owens and Roy Clark on Hee Haw, and Roy Clark is wearing his trademark yellow gold Rolex Day-Date. Earnest Borgnine is sitting behind Roy and Buck and he also appears to be wearing a Rolex Day-Date.








In this video of Roy Clark performs Under The Double Eagle,a dn you can see him wearing his trademark Rolex Day-Date.





I normally would not publish two versions of the same song, but the version of Yestersday featured above was the original hit version from the 1970s, and the one below was recorded in 2007 at The Grand Ole Opry. What a hauntingly beautiful song...







Friday, November 22, 2013

1950 Star Dial on a Jubilee Bracelet


...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Year...

Pink Gold Rolex Moonphase
1950 Star Dial on a Jubilee Bracelet
Reference 6062

This is one of the most beautiful Rolex models ever made. It is an annual calendar "triple-date" moon phase with star indices that was made 64 years ago in 1950. It is simple yet sophisticated, and in like-new condition. This beauty was auctioned five years ago by Christies in Geneva, Switzerland on November 16, 2005 for $594,155.


...Rolex Coolness...

Nicolas Cage
Rolex Triple Date Moonphase
Reference 6062

I thought I would share the photo below of Nicolas Cage with his then wife, Lisa Marie Presley, and if you look closely, Nicolas Cage is rockin' his Rolex Moonphase 6062. This is one of the most beautiful watches ever made in history and I genuinely hope Rolex has the wisdom to bring this model back to life.





Christies Lot Notes offer a beautifully written definition:

Launched in 1950, reference 6062 is seen as the pinnacle for the savvy Rolex connoisseur since it combines all key elements a demanding watch collector could expect: a sporty yet distinguished look, a complicated movement with full calendar and moon phases indication housed in the purist of all Oyster designs. Together with reference 8171 (see the following lot) it is one of only two Rolex models to show the date, the weekday, the month and the moon phases. It was also the first Rolex ever to be fitted with the so-called Super-Oyster Crown.

Reference 6062 was made in very few examples, mainly cased in yellow gold or even more rarely in pink gold or stainless steel. To further enhance the model's individuality and exclusivity, a variety of dial designs were available - the rarest however with the most popular star-shaped numerals.

The present watch, offered by a private collector, is one of the most beautiful and desirable examples of this legendary reference: made in 1950, cased in pink gold and fitted with the highly sought after "star" dial, it also still retains its original Jubilee bracelet, a rarity by itself. Preserved in outstandingly original and unspoilt condition, the dial shows an incredibly charismatic, ivory-coloured grainy patina which has formed naturally over the years. Another particularly appealing feature is the harmoniously discoloured luminous material to numerals and hands, now displaying a highly attractive, uniform cream tone. The case, possibly only once polished, impresses with its full bodied proportions, sharp angle to the bezel and original satin-finish underneath the lugs.

In 30 years of international watch auctions, only a small handful of pink gold star-dialed references 6062 of such quality have appeared. All of them have always caused sensational response from the market and are now cherished trophies in the world's most distinguished private collections. The present example can comfortably compete for a place on the podium in an all-time 6062 competition.

For a virtually identical example, sold by Christie's Geneva in May 2004, see 100 Superlative Rolex Watches by John Goldberger, pp. 142 & 143. It is very interesting to note that the latter reference 6062, serial number 788'617, is only 20 numbers apart, underlining the extreme rarity of these watches. 

Saturday, November 16, 2013

...Rolex Outdoor Shot Of The Day... Rolex Submariner On An Orange Nylon Strap


...Rolex Outdoor Shot Of The Day...

Rolex Submariner
On An Orange Nylon Strap

I took this photo years ago, and I was just looking through my archive and came across it. I have always really liked the whole safety orange strap look on a Rolex Submariner.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Stainless Paul Newman Daytona Shatters Auction Record


...Rolex Super Coolness...

The World's First 
Million Dollar Rolex Daytona

Stainless Paul Newman Daytona 
Shatters Auction Record
Christies Auction House Sells For $1,089,186
37.5MM 1969 Reference 6263/6239: Case Number 2,197,870

It is awe inspiring, and I imagine it was bound to finally happen. An extremely rare stainless steel Paul Newman Daytona, with an exotic dial sold last night for over One Million Dollars in Geneva, Switzerland at the Christies Rolex Daytona Auction. This watch is considered to be one-of-a-kind, and it is the only authentic Daytona with a a black exotic "Paul Newman" dial, with screw down pushers. This represents the first time in history a Rolex Daytona has sold for more than a million dollars! 


The Wold's First Million Dollar Rolex Daytona


That's pretty amazing, if you think about it, that a Rolex watch that sold for under $500 forty four years ago, increased in value and sold for more than 2000 times its original retail cost. Think about that for a second, over a Million dollars for a stainless steel watch! Wow!!! Pretty mind-blowing!!! I think it goes to show the value vintage Rolex collectors place on aesthetic beauty coupled with superb condition and magnificent timeless design. I mean if you look at the Daytona, it is stunningly good looking...

Pictured below is a photo of Paul Newman sporting his "Exotic Dial" Rolex Daytona, which today is considered mythical among vintage Rolex collectors. Just to be clear, the watch that sold, which is pictured above, is really kind of a 'reverse' Paul Newman, in the sense that its dial colors are inverted from the one Paul Newman wore, which is pictured below on a FatStrap. 

Also, Paul Newman's exotic dial Daytona did not have screw down pushers. The term "Paul Newman Daytona" really connotes an "exotic" dial, with the outer track that is the same color as the subdials.


Eric Ku, vintage Rolex dealer and collector extraordinaire, and owner of the Vintage Rolex Forum took the photo seen below as the Exotic Dial Daytona rocketed-up quickly in price last night in Geneva, Switzerland to blast past the million dollar mark at Christie's Auction last evening.



Sunday, November 10, 2013

Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann: Rolex Daytona...



Lamborghini
50th Anniversary Celebration

60 Minutes Retrospective

Scott Pelly from 60 Minutes just published this great retrospective on Lamborghini's 50th Celebration. In the story we see Scott Pelly rocking' the recently launch Aventador model, and if you look closely, you will notice Scott is sporing his trademark Rolex Daytona.












Lamborghini CEO
Rolex Coolness: Stephan Winkelmann
Patrizzi Dial Stainless Steel Daytona

Update: Tricia, who is a reader of Jake's Rolex World posted a question in the comments section and she asked "What is a Patrizzi dial?" If I understand it correctly, Osvaldo Patrizzi began his career in Milano, Italia and went on to become the founder of the Antiquorum Auction House. Osvaldo Patrizzi is recognized as the first person to recognize watches as real objects of art, and was responsible for creating the fine watch auction marketplace.

The term "Patrizzi Dial" was originally coined because Osvaldo Patrizzi was the first person to recognize that some vintage Rolex watches had dials where certain parts of them developed a brown patina over time that gave them a beautifully aged character.




It turns out that there was a black dialed stainless Rolex Daytona model (Zenith Movement: Reference 16520: Black Mark IV dial) whose rings that surround the 3 sub-dials had turned a beautiful shade of light brown, because of the material Rolex used.

Osvaldo Patrizzi was a collector of rare Rolex models and in 2006 he put up his collection for sale which included one of these rare Daytona watches. Osvaldo Patrizzi's Daytona sold for twice as much money, and people started referring to them as Patrizzi Dial Daytona models.



So if you look closely at Lamborghini CEO, Stephan Winkelmann's Rolex Daytona, you notice it has the brown colored sub-dials, commonly referred to as a Patrizzi Dial. Rolex watches that have dials that develop beautiful patinas are sought after by collectors and typically sell for a premium.

Vintage Rolex watches that have discolored dials that have developed a beautiful patina are typically referred to as "Tropical" dials and if the dial is original, they typically sell for a huge premium. Here is an example of a beautiful tropical dial Rolex.







Friday, November 08, 2013

Institute of Submarine Research 1953 Diving Trials



The Greatest Rolex Explorer


I was recently having a conversation with a good pal of mine who is a complete watch nut, and he asked me who I thought the greatest and most iconic figure was who ever wore a Rolex. Many great people popped into my head, but after I thought about it for a few moments, I said, "Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Unequivocally, Jacques Cousteau was the greatest man to ever wear a Rolex and he was also the greatest explorer that ever lived!!!" This made me think about this story I published earlier on Jake's Rolex World, and just how profound this finding was, so I thought I would share it with you again!!!





Institute of Submarine Research

1953 Diving Trials

Rolex Submariner Prototype 
Extreme Testing In Mediterranean Sea
Report from Cannes, France

Here is a newly discovered Rolex history document from October 1953, which chronicles extreme diving trials for the Rolex Submariner in the Western Mediterranean Sea by the Institute Of Submarine Research!!!

Rolex formally introduced the Submariner in 1954 at Basel Fair in Switzerland. In the future, I will add this document as an update to my 18 part series named The Complete History Of The Rolex Submariner & SEA-DWELLER. Rolex's Conquest Of The Ocean.




World renowned aquatic expert Dimitri Rebikoff conducted the waterproofness research and concluded the Rolex Submariner:


"Represents a considerable progress in the deep sea diving equipment." 

Dimitri Rebikoffand was a close friend and associate of Jacques Cousteau. Below is a photo of Jacques-Yves Cousteau wearing his Rolex Submariner while filming The Silent World in 1953. Dimitri Rebikoff was an inventor who held more than 60 patents, among which was the remote controlled underwater camera, which facilitated Jacques Cousteau's ability to film underwater for the first time, thus resulting in Jacques-Yves Cousteau's seminal, Academy Award Winning documentary, The Silent World, which for the first time in history showcased underwater life.


In effect, this 60 year old document provides a highly significant missing piece of the Jacques-Yves Cousteau Rolex Submariner prototype testing connection puzzle, because it has Jacques Cousteau's head technology expert, Dimitri Rebikoff conducting extreme testing on Rolex Submariner prototypes in early 1953 in the Mediterranean Sea in the same place and time Jacques Cousteau was filming "The Silent World". C'mon and say it out loud with me, B-I-N-G-O!!!




My pal Auro who is one of the leading vintage Rolex collectors from Italy wrote in to share the photo below of his 1953 Rolex Submariner and he said:

"This very early Rolex Submariner [Reference 6404] has the serial number of 949,140, which is even earlier than the 1953 Rolex Submariner you showed in the photo at the top of this story. Rolex does not have early watches in their museum, the real Rolex museum is in the safes of collectors!"

Notice the very unusual "Submariner Perpetual" dial designation on this watch...





Pictured below is a 1957 Rolex magazine ad that cites "D. Rebikoff, Vice-President of the Institute of Submariner Research" as saying the Rolex Submariner has "proved an indispensable accessory for all diving." The is also an earlier 1955 Rolex magazine ad that also cites Dimitri Revikoff.



Friday, November 01, 2013

Hugh Laurie Espresso Rolex GMT Master


2 Time Golden Globe Winning Actor

...Rolex Coolness...

Hugh Laurie
Espresso Rolex GMT Master
[Reference: 1675]

The Doctor Is In the House

Hugh Laurie played Dr. Gregory House on the very popular TV show named House. Hugh is pictured below sporting his trademark Espresso Rolex GMT Master, which is a very cool vintage Rolex.