Monday, October 31, 2016

Rolex Wrist Shot of the Day: GMT Pepsi


...Wrist Shot Of The Day...

Quentin's Ice-Cold Pepsi GMT


We are headed into Winter in the Northern Hemisphere again, and soon we should see some snow. I have to say I am still really surprised that Rolex discontinued such an iconic Rolex model as the Pepsi GMT? I don't understand why Rolex does not still offer the red and cobalt blue bezel insert on the newer model stainless Rolex GMT. This is one good looking, sporty Rolex, and a great hand-in-glove Rolex wrist shot photo from Quentin!!!


Rolex figured out how to make a red and blue ceramic dial and they offer it on the newer white gold Rolex GMT-Master, but we probably won't be seeing it on the stainless steel version as it is really, really costly to make. 

I think Rolex should bring back the aluminum Pepsi bezel on the current GMT Master. It is a fact the Rolex Submariner is the most iconic sports watch in history, but the Pepsi GMT-Master is not far behind it, as far as being iconic and recognizable as a trademark Rolex look. Who knows? Maybe Rolex will surprise us in the future by bringing this superb piece of Rolex design heritage back to life...They really should!

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Leonardo DiCaprio Presents 'Before The Flood' Documentary...



  NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC  


...Rolex Coolness...

2016 Academy Award Winner For Best Actor

Leonardo DiCaprio

Presents 'Before The Flood' Documentary

Early in October I published a preview of this stunning upcoming National Geographic documentary. Of course, Rolex has been a huge supporter of National Geographic for many decades.

Leonardo DiCaprio who won the Oscar for Best Actor at the 88th Academy Awards this year pictured below wearing his stainless steel Rolex Daytona with a black dial, but that is not what this article is about.



Leonardo DiCaprio has been working with the folks at National Geographic on this amazing film about Climate Change, which is beyond fascinating. Nat Geo aired this amazing full length documentary today in in 171 countries. You can view the entire documentary, commercial-free by hitting the play button above.

If there is ANY question in your mind about whether climate change is real, or if you believe it is an elaborate hoax dreamed up by tree-huggers, I would beg to differ with you! If you don't believe me, watch this documentary, then publish your comment in this story. I think any rationale human-being would recognize this as being scientifically objective and sound reality.

If you want to learn more about this issue and the ultimate solution to this global challenge, look no further than Elon Musk's solution Tesla announced just a few evenings ago in California. Just visit Jake's Tesla World and click on the first video titled "Tesla Powerwall 2 & Solar Roof Launch."


Counterpoint

I received an email today from a reader in response to this article who wrote:

I used to enjoy visiting your blog/s, but your post on Leonardo DiCaprio/National Geographic turned me off to the point that I am not visiting any of your blogs.

You turned what was an otherwise cool blog on watches into something political -- and that's where you lost me. 

I know you're a climate change true believer, but you should try looking at the facts/objective data/evidence.  As an attorney, that is what I am trained to do.  After doing so -- objectively -- I have no doubt that man-made climate change is a lie.

Tens of Thousands Of Scientists Declare Climate Change A Hoax

So instead of writing back to the reader, I thought I would respond here. The reader sent in his name, but I respect his privacy and will not publish his name without his permission. Instead, I will address him by his initials, which are VM.

First point, VM: I am happy to learn you have enjoyed visiting my blog/s over the years. They contain more than several thousand articles I have personally researched and written. Like you, I follow many, many blogs on a daily basis, and constantly come across things I disagree with, or that turn me off. So if I came across an article on a blog with more than 3000 articles, and I happened to disagree with one, that would not stop me from enjoying the rest of the content :-)

Aristotle, the Greek philosopher put it best when he said:

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought, without accepting it." –Aristotle

My next question VM, is did you even watch the Leonardo DiCaprio documentary, which was produced by Martin Scorsese? If you did not watch it entirely, it would be difficult for us to discuss its content intelligently.


Martin Scorsese is pictured above wearing his Rolex Day-Date. Martin Scorsese has directed some of the most classic and seminal films in a career that has spanned the past five decades. This list of profound films includes Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Color Of Money, Cape Fear, Good Fellas, Casino, The Aviator, Gangs Of New York, and The Wolf Of Wall Street.


Martin Scorsese's films that he directed, to date, have received a total of 80 Academy Award nominations, of which they have won 20, including Best Director. His films have also been nominated for 56 Golden Globe nominations, of which they have won 11. He has received 84 British Academy Of Film and Television Arts nominations, of which his work has won an astounding 23 Awards!!!


Martin Scorsese has also been a proponent of the Rolex Mentor and Protége Arts Initiative, as well as a direct participant.

VM, you said:

You turned what was an otherwise cool blog on watches into something political -- and that's where you lost me. 

So VM, please tell me about my politics since you assume to be an expert on them? The truth is that I am and have always been politically agnostic. I have never been affiliated with ANY political party in my life. 

That being said, I have been a fan of many American presidents, including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, JFK and Ronald Reagan. I even had the chance to sit down with Ronald Reagan and tell him that I was a big fan of his. I was a fan of Reagan, purely as an American who was proud of his country. 


If you want to learn more about my meeting with President Reagan, you can read about it in my story about my personal Rolex History. In the photo above and in the photos below, you can see me many years ago with President Ronald Reagan.


In these photos you see me chatting with President Reagan, and we discussed a whole host of fascinating topics. Does this make me a staunch Republican? Nope! So if I am not a Republican, does that make me a Democrat? Nope! I am simply a human being who was extremely fortunate to be born and raised in  the United States, and I care very deeply about the world we live in. 


I care not only about The United States, but about the world, and every human being on earth. For years, I have been deeply concerned about the impact we as human beings have on earth. I have personally witnessed many thing occur that are terrible for earth and many of its inhabitants.

For example, when I was a boy, in the United States, we used to use LEAD as an additive in ALL gasoline. In other words, the entire American fleet of hundreds of millions of cars in the U.S. used to all pump lead into the atmosphere. As a result, all humans regularly breathed-in that super-toxic lead. So VM, if I told you today, I believe I think we should start putting lead back into gasoline, you would probably think I was crazy, but in 1972 If I told you I thought we should remove lead from gasoline because it was so toxic, you would have probably told me I was crazy.

Even though there is no longer lead in gasoline, I am still completely apposed to vehicles that run on fossil fuels and petrol. Put aside global warming for a minute. Cars that run on fossil fuels are super toxic. Don't believe me VM? Try this experiment: Take a Tesla, or any all-electric car and put it in your garage at home. Let is run for five minutes in your garage with the door closed, and take deep breaths. You should notice no change in air quality. Now try the same thing with a gas or diesel burning car, which are super toxic. They will literally choke you out with super unhealthy toxins. Now multiply what is coming out of that exhaust by 1 Billion cars daily, and you understand the silent killer better.

People don't typically notice how toxic petrol exhaust is, as they drive around outdoors, but the typically invisible toxins are still there. In other words, out-of-sight is out-of-mind. Today the worldwide fleet of cars has more than 1 Billion cars pumping toxins into the atmosphere daily. The truth is we live in a world that is full of dangerous toxins. Don't believe me? Visit a tire store, any tire store. Go in and take deep breaths, and you will see how toxic the air is from the metro-chemicals used in making tires.

So once again, you said:

"You turned what was an otherwise cool blog on watches into something political -- and that's where you lost me."

I have zero intention of turning Jake's Rolex World into Jake's Climate Change Blog. I also don't intend to publish anything more on the subject, and I agree Jake's Rolex World is a 'cool blog'.

Next VM you said:

"I know you're a climate change true believer, but you should try looking at the facts/objective data/evidence.  As an attorney, that is what I am trained to do.  After doing so -- objectively -- I have no doubt that man-made climate change is a lie."

I have spent a tremendous amount of time investigating climate change, and I have looked at the facts and objective data, as well as a great deal of evidence, and it strikes me that even if Climate Change is a great hoax, our world would be FAR better off and less toxic running on solar power than on burning coal and other fossil fuels.

You mentioned you are an attorney and that is what you are trained to do. I am not an attorney, but I come from a long line of ultra-successful lawyers, and I also went to law school. Thus, I believe you could say I tend to think or reason like an attorney. I certain I.R.A.C. all issues :-)

As the world's leading Rolex historian, not only do I think like a lawyer, but I also use scientific methodology to research all my stories. So what makes me 'the world's leading Rolex historian"? I have personally separated the fact from the fiction on just about every Rolex Myth that has ever been perpetuated. 

For example, I dispelled the myth that the Rolex Day-Date was dubbed "The Rolex President" because U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower wore one. I did this by working with the Eisenhower Presidential Library archivist, who gave me access to all of President Eisenhower's correspondence with Rolex. The result of this research lead to my 11 part series titled, "The Complete History Of The Rolex President."






I also separated the fact from the fiction on the supposed "Steve McQueen Rolex Explorer", which never existed.



I also separated the fact from the fiction around the myth that said that Rolex developed the Rolex SEA-DWELLER with COMEX. I separated the fact from the fiction on that one from personally interview Henri-Germain Delauze, who was the founder of COMEX, and is pictured below.


I also dispelled the myth that Rolex never went to the moon, and the list goes on and on and on...

So to conclude VM, I have some questions for you?

1. Did you watch the entire Leonardo DiCaprio documentary, so you can make an informed decision?

2. Have you ever driven a Tesla?

3. Do you have an open mind?

4. Do you promise to keep enjoying my writing and research on Jake's Rolex World, if I promise not to write more about climate change ;-)

Jake

Update

I followed up with VM and let him know I responded on Jake's Rolex World. He was kind enough to get write back to me, and he shared his perspective as seen below.

Mr. Ehrlich,

It wasn't my intention to engage in a debate on climate change -- it was simply to voice my frustration with having to read a controversial subject, when I simply wanted to read about Rolex watches (or Panerai watches on your blog: http://PaneraiMagazine.com. BTW, I own a Rolex DeepSea Sea-Dweller and a Panerai PAM 00359 -- the latter, which I wore today).  Needless to say, I am exasperated by the constant barrage of politics (and make no mistake, much of climate change is politics), which has permeated even casual reading (such as your blogs).  I can -- and do -- respect your passion for watches, and even your views on climate science; however, my work-life is stressful enough without having to be inundated with political messages (which is one reason I have "tuned out" of television, and mainstream media).  It's your blog and you're certainly entitled to post your personal views.  I was simply voicing my frustration. 

It was never my intention to hurt your feelings (not that I think they were), nor "ridicule" you in a public forum (again, which is why I sent a private e-mail).  I simply thought that you might like to hear the voice of a frustrated reader.  Yes, I have watched "Before the Flood" on National Geographic, and my views on the subject remain unchanged.  Nonetheless, my love of nature (I hike the beautiful mountains near my home every weekend, and hit a national park every chance I get) is the impetus for my wanting a cleaner earth, and I sincerely try to do my best to be a good steward of this earth, and to leave a very small carbon footprint (which, I am sure, is less than one tenth of Mr. DiCaprio's) -- even if I don't believe in man-made global warming/climate change.  We can agree to disagree -- amicably.  And, if electric cars evolve to the point (and price-point) of gas-powered vehicles, I will certainly consider purchasing one.  One thing that precludes me from doing so is that I frequent the mountains and I use four-wheel drive often -- sometimes, all weekend -- out in the wild (meaning, no access to a charging station, etc.). 

Thanks again for reaching out; for your efforts on your various blogs; and for your passion. 

Warm regards,

VM



EARTH

I would like to thank VM for graciously taking the time to write back in with a thoughtful response.

VM, I genuinely understand your perspective, and in many ways feel the same way about political messaging. I also agree with your notion of good stewardship. My personal belief is that the ultimate measure of success in any persons life is whether or not we leave the world having made it a better place than when we entered it. In other words, if we contribute more to life and people than when take, that is true achievement. 

 To use a Barack Obama-ism, 'I respectfully disagree without being disagreeable.' In other words, when mankind drives more that 1 Billion cars—that burn fossil fuel—around the world every day, those cars all emit serious levels of carbon monoxide, which has a serious net effect on the earth's atmosphere. The ever increasing levels of carbon built-up in the Earths outer atmosphere stops heat from being able to escape, and thus warms the earth. The Earth's atmosphere is all we have to protect us from the heat of the sun and the cold of space. If we lose or do irreparable damage to the atmosphere, it is game-over for Earth and all of its inhabitants. Life, in all forms, is fragile...

When I look at Leonardo DiCaprio's Herculean effort in making this documentary, or Elon Musk's effort with Tesla, Solar City, Hyperloop, and SpaceX, I don't see greedy men trying to make a bunch of extra cash, or playing political games. I see intelligent men who genuinely care about the future of humanity, that are trying to make this world we all share a better place. 

Warmest regards,

Jake :-)

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Simon Garfield's titled, "Still ticking. The improbable survival of the luxury watch business.




I have a confession to make. I typically don't like reading long articles with pages and pages of words, without any photos. Despite having tried many times to enjoy magazines like The New Yorker and The Economist, I can never seem to last very long with reading them. This is due to the fact I am so visual and photo-centric. I definitely subscribe to the school of thought that says a photo is worth a thousand words, which should come as no surprise to any reader of Jake's Rolex World.

This being said, I just finished reading one of the best written, most enjoyable watch articles I have ever read, and no I am not referring to Jack Forester's Brilliant Article On The Rolex Day-Date that was recently published on Hodinkee.com.

Instead, I am referring to Simon Garfield's article he wrote for the Guardian titled, "Still ticking. The improbable survival of the luxury watch business." In this amazingly well written article Simon asks: "In an increasingly digital world, people are still willing to spend huge amounts on analogue timepieces. The question is, why?"

Simon's article is highly educational, insightful and offers a super historical perspective, to which I would like to add a few key points the author did not elaborate upon:

The first point is that the United States before World War II was a huge producer of timepieces, but the war caused many of the watch factories to be converted to making armaments and munitions, which in turn contributed to Switzerland becoming the world leader in watchmaking.

Secondly, while Simon briefly mentioned the Quartz Crisis, he completely glosses over Beta 21 movement, and how it was really the Swiss who figured out how to produce accurate and productionable quartz based wrist watches. Basically, the Swiss consortium named Centre Electronique Horolger (CEH), which included, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, Piaget, Longines, IWC, Zenith, Bulova and Bucherer, developed the quartz watch technology, which ironically was based upon an earlier American design, but stumbled with being able to introduce it succesfully into the internatoinal marketplace. Instead, the Japanese successfully figured out how to capitalize on the opportunity, with brands like Seiko and Casio, which largely decimated the Swiss watch industry in the 1970s.

In an ironic twist of fate, Rolex and Patek Philippe  were largely the primary beneficiaries of this Quartz Crisis.

Rolex made many Quartz watches, as did Patek Philippe over the decades that followed, but Rolex stopped altogether. One of the questions I have always wondered about is, if Hans Wilsdorf, the Founder of Rolex, who died in 1960, had lived another 20 or 30 years, what would he have thought about Quartz technology? His predecessor, André Heiniger was the head of the Rolex ship during that time period, and did many great things to further Rolex's lead in the Swiss watch industry, but he was also the person who was largely responsible for the failure of the Quartz technology. 

In other words, I think he was confused by how to handle the Quartz juggernaut. In the final analysis he did not encourage  his salesmen to sell Rolex Oyster Quartz watches. He also priced them slightly less than mechanical movements, despite the fact they were technically more sophisticated that their mechanical counterparts in many ways. Thus, he positioned the quartz technology as being inferior to mechanical.

This is the story I have learned and am passing on from many old-timers in the watch industry. The greatest question one can ask, is how this will eventually effect Rolex in the future? In other words, Rolex basically, invented the SMART Watch, whether it was creating and bringing to market the first waterproof watches, as well as the first automatic Perpetual models, through the 1950s with the advent of the Datejust, Day-Date, Submariner, GMT-Master, Explorer, and Milgauss models.

If Rolex had maintained Hans Wilsdorf's innovation trajectory, would they have beat Apple to the punch in the 21st century? Or was it inevitable that somebody else would have to do so. 

OK. So now I am starting to write a long-read diatribe, but this is a question I intend to explore more in the future. In the meantime, I VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading Simon Garfield's amazing article from The Guardian titled, 'Still Ticking: The improbable survival of the luxury watch business." Enjoy and savor it like a great piece of Swiss Chocolate!!!

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Saint Francis Yacht Club Rolex Clock


...Rolex Clock Shot Of The Day...

Saint Francis Yacht Club Rolex Clock
San Francisco Marina

I was at the Saint Francis Yacht Club in the San Francisco Marina and I took this photo of the classic Rolex clock. Notice it says "EST 1927", which ironically was the exact same year Rolex established the Rolex Oyster case.


Monday, October 17, 2016

Niall McCann Royal Geographical Society Explorer



Biologist and Royal Geographic Society Explorer Niall McCaan, along with his amazing team just won the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival Award for Best Endangered Species Category for their episode of Biggest and Baddest which featured the Mountain Gorilla. If you live in the New York Area, you can catch the screening on October 18th and 20th, 2016, which will feature both the Mountain Gorillas and Tree Lions documentaries. Congratulations Niall!!!





...Rolex Coolness...

Niall McCann
Royal Geographical Society Explorer

The Biggest and Baddest

This is a fascinating story about a modern day Royal Geographical Society Explorer who has his own TV show named Biggest and Baddest, which airs on the Animal Planet/Discovery International channel.

Below is a special video which tells the story of how Niall's grandfather, Patrick Baird, an arctic explorer received a special Rolex in 1953 to commemorate an expedition he oversaw, which climbed Mt. Asgard in the Baffin Island in Canada. His grandfather, Patrick Baird was awarded the prestigious British Royal Geographical Society "Founders Medal" for Exploration in 1952.



Patrick Baird's 1953 Rolex Oyster Perpetual is pictured below and it appears to be very similar to the Rolex Sir Edmund Hillary wore when and Tenzing Norgay were the first to conquer Mt. Everest in 1953.


Niall McCann is a Canadian born- British schooled Biologist whose personal adventures include crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat in 63 days, crossing Greenland's Polar Icecap and helping to create wildlife conservation areas in the jungles of Central and South America.  He's also in the Royal Geographical Society.



Be sure to check out all the fascinating videos and you can learn much more about Naill McCann on his website.


Friday, October 14, 2016

Rolex Macro Shot Of The Week: Greg's GV 50th Anniversary Rolex Milgauss


Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day
Greg's GV 50th Anniversary Rolex Milgauss

Monday, October 10, 2016

Battle To Be The Next Rolex President: Clinton v. Trump...[Part 13]



Battle To Be 

The Next Rolex President

Last nights U.S. Presidential Debate was OVER-THE-TOP!!!! Like most American's I am almost at a loss for words!?!! It almost seems like all hell broke loose!!!! The theme of the second 2016 Presidential debate almost seemed to be, 'Anything Goes', or, now that I think about it more, 'The 1980s v. the 1990s'. It has been a while since we had an American President who wore a Rolex President model, but that will be changing soon. So Who is it going to be? The Donald, or Hillary?




Donald Trump

If owning and wearing the right Rolex model is any indication of who the next U.S. President will be, it would go to The Donald as he wears a Rolex 'President' Day-Date model in Yellow Gold, as seen below.







Hillary Clinton

But wait a minute, Hillary Clinton also wears a two-tone Ladies Rolex Datejust as seen in the photos below.




It's been a while since we had a U.S. President who wore a Rolex President, while in office. President Dwight Eisenhower was the first as he wore his yellow gold Rolex Datejust while in office from 1952 to 1960, then Lyndon Johnson wore his Rolex Day-Date while in office from 1965 to 1968. Also, Vice President Dick Cheney wore his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date while in officePresident Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton (pictured below in this article) both wore Rolex Day-Date models, but only after they retired from office. I heard Richard Nixon may have worn a Day-Date, but I have not been able to prove it with photographic evidence. That leaves Jimmy Carter, and both the Bush's, as well as Obama who did not wear Rolex. This means it's high time we have a President who wears Rolex, and as we see above, both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both wear Rolex watches, thus guaranteeing the next President of the United States will be a Rolex President!!!


The photo below shows Hillary Clinton with President Obama early in his first administration, when after she had been appointed Secretary Of State.














A Rolex President

Bill Clinton

A President Wearing A Rolex President

[42nd President Of The United States]

The history of the Rolex President is absolutely fascinating, and what is more interesting than seeing a U.S. President wearing a Rolex President? Bill Clinton is pictured below wearing his platinum Rolex President.


Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is a hardcore watch collector and enthusiast. In the photo below we see a U.S. President, wearing a Rolex President, with trays of Rolex President models in front of him.







Bill Clinton 
Pro-Hunter

In the following photos from years ago, former U.S. President, Bill Clinton is seen meeting with the former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. Former U.S. President Clinton is wearing a Pro-Hunter Rolex. If you are not familiar with Pro-Hunter's, the are made be a company that takes standard Rolex watches and modifies them for professional hunters by converting them with PVD to make them black and they also put a non-reflective coating on the crystal. It appears Bill Clinton's Pro-Hunter Rolex is being worn on a blacked out NATO strap.





So if you are wondering if I am making any kind of political statement or endorsement with this article, the answer is NO. I, like many people and just sitting and watching history unfold with a bucket of popcorn and a coke in my hand, with a Pepsi on my wrist :-) That being said, I will point out the Kennedy's tried it and almost pulled it, so did the Bush's, and now the Clinton's. 





Back in 2008, I published an 11 part series titled, "The Complete History Of The Rolex President", which is a fascinating read.






The Donald


So what about "The Donald" and Rolex? Wait a minute, I almost feel like I am stuck in a 1980s flashback!!?! Is that Duran Duran's Rio playing in the background? In the photos below we see Donald Trump in 2014 sporting his Rolex President / Day-Date in yellow gold.







Donald Trump is pictured below at his Mar-A-Largo resort in Florida, at a Rolex Awards Dinner reception where he presents golfer, Lorena Ochoa with a trophy. We see Rolex U.S.A. Vice President, Peter Nicholson standing next to Trump holding a Rolex which is part of the prize for winning the the LPGA Player Of the Year Trophy.




In the photo below we see Donald Trump with Mark Bellissimo and Shelia Johnson attending the Central Park Horse Show which was presented by Rolex, on September 18, 2014 in New York City.





Bill Rancic
The First Apprentice
Stainless Steel Rolex Daytona

I have a confession to make. I remember being a big fan of the first couple of seasons of Donald Trumps, 'THE APPRENTICE' reality show. Bill Rancic was the very first candidate to by hired on by Donald Trump in the first season of The Apprentice, and in the photo below we see him sporting his stainless steel Rolex Daytona.








1966 Rolex President Ad




It is amazing when you think about it, how remarkably timeless this vintage 1966 Rolex Day-Date ad is. It features a wrist shot of a man wearing a yellow gold Day-Date holding a red phone in his hand. Kind of reminds me of Commissioner Gordon talking on the red Batphone ;-) 






It is interesting to note, in this 1966 Rolex Day-Date watch ad, how the title says "The presidents' watch." This of course, is referring to then elected, U.S. President, Lyndon Johnson. This moment in Rolex history represented a high-water-mark–having the sitting U.S. President wearing Rolex's flagship watch model. So pretty soon a new chapter in The History Of The Rolex President will be written, and I am certain it will be fascinating!









THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ROLEX PRESIDENT

Table Of Contents



Part 16: President Trump - The Newest Rolex President


Part 18: The Rolex Precedent by Jake Ehrlich