Monday, May 28, 2018

Free iPad Desktop Wallpaper: 1966 Rolex Submariner Seahorse Brochure Cover...



1966 Rolex Submariner

Seahorse Brochure Cover




Sunday, May 27, 2018

Two John's...One DeLorean...One Rolex President...




...Rolex Time Machine...

Two John's

One DeLorean

One Rolex President


The Return of Magnum P.I. got me in a nostalgic 1980s mood so I thought it would be fun to get in the Rolex time machine and go back to the early 1980s.

This is a story about two John's. John DeLorean and Johnny Carson. It's also about a Rolex Day-Date and DeLorean DMC-12. John DeLorean pioneered the idea of being an iconoclastic celebrity business executive. In other words, a rebellious businessman living like a rock star who would market his last name as a lifestyle brand. Who could iconically better epitomize 1980s excess than John DeLorean? (Donald Trump :-)




Originally this story was going to be about the two photos below of Johnny Carson wearing his Rolex Day-Date while hanging out with John DeLorean on February 8, 1981, at the launch event for the DeLorean DMC-12. Johnny Carson was just one of many Hollywood celebrities that invested in The DeLorean Motor Company...



The more I researched this article the more curious I became about John DeLorean. All I really knew was DeLorean was kind of the Elon Musk of his time, but unlike Elon, DeLorean went down in flames. Interestingly, both DeLorean under John DeLorean and Tesla, under Elon Musk made their first models on Lotus platforms. Also, the Tesla Model X has somewhat similar Falcon Wing doors to the DeLorean's Gullwing doors which were inspired by the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe. All three of these models doors, cause people to stop and stare when in the open position.

The comparison between Elon Musk and John DeLorean stops with the fact DeLorean never made it past his first roadster, but Elon Musk went far beyond with a Model S, Model X and Model 3, not to mention the upcoming Model Y, as well as Tesla Trucks. Also, Elon Musk created Space X which can land flown rockets back on earth. Elon also created The Boring Company, The Tesla Supercharger Network, Solar City, HyperLoop and NeuraLink. 



John DeLorean was extremely charismatic, handsome and intelligent. In the video interview below you really get a sense of his personality.


The video documentaries below offer amazing insight into the fascinating career achievements of John DeLorean.








Back To The Future

The more I explore John DeLorean's career the more confused I get. Was he a victim of happenstance, or was he just too decadent—or both? One thing is for certain and that is that he had a great vision, but wasn't able to execute properly on it. As they say, "If you're a step ahead of everybody you are a genius. If you are two steps ahead of everybody you're a martyr." On a completely unrelated sidenote, the DeLorean always kind of reminded me of a Rolex Submariner or SEA-DWELLER as they both are made of brushed stainless steel...



I remember when the DeLorean cars debuted and being shocked by how cool looking and innovative they were. To my way of thinking it looked like somebody got in a time machine and went 25 years in the future and found the coolest car and brought it back to 1982. Over the years there was much speculation that suggested that DeLorean was framed in the FBI sting, which was being driven by the American automobile manufactures. The idea is that DeLorean was trying to make super high-quality cars that were built to last, which posed a big threat to the American car manufactures that specialized in making cars that had a tremendous amount of planned obsolescence built into them.

The DMC-12 featured many innovative features and was made out of stainless steel, which would not corrode or rust over time. Also, you have to remember at the time, in the late 1970s and through the 1980s, American cars were complete junk, made out of cardboard. How many Ford Pintos or Chrysler Reliant-K cars do you see driving around on the road today? Zero. That is because they were not made to last. In other words, more than 70% of the 8650 DeLorean cars made in the early 1980s are still on the road, but the number of all American cars made at the time that are still on the road is likely less than 1%.





Mr. Detroit

John DeLorean began his career working for big American auto manufacturers as an automotive engineer. in his lifetime was granted more than 200 automotive patents. As a matter of fact, he was the youngest division lead in General Motors history.



John developed a number of very successful American cars, including what is considered to be the very first muscle car—the Pontiac GTO, which he is pictured below standing in front of.




The Pontiac GTO was a big success and received many accolades from customers as well as the automotive industry. In 1968 John Delorean accepted the Car of the year award from Motor Trend.



John DeLorean also developed the 1967 Pontiac Firebird which he is pictured standing in front of in the photo below.



In the video below we get to see just how sharp John DeLorean was back in 1967.


John DeLorean grew weary with the genuine lack of innovation in Detroit, and in 1973 decided to pursue his philosophical ideal by resigning from General Motors to start his own car company named The DeLorean Motor Company (DMC). In other words, he grew weary of living in the Matrix and decided to take the red pill so he could journey through wonderland.




It took John DeLorean 8 years to finally come out with his one and only DMC-12. DeLorean, being somewhat of a rebel as well as a man of his times is pictured below in his New York office in the 1970s. Notice he is wearing his watch on the outside of his cuff.



More than anything it is a shame that DeLorean did not get the critical traction required to succeed.

Viewing all this eighties stuff makes me feel nostalgic so I thought I would share this Julio Iglesias video about Nostalgia from 1983 :-0



88 Miles Per Hour!!!

Speaking of 1980s Nostalgia and DeLorean, The DMC-12 most iconic roles was likely its appearance in Back To The Future which starred Michael Fox.



One More Thing

The video below features an electric DeLorean that has been modified by the current DeLorean company. Also, the reviewer is Matt Farah who is rockin' his original LV Submariner which is one of my favorite Rolex watches of all time.

Friday, May 25, 2018

Mark Webber Test Drives Upcoming Porsche Mission E



...Every Rolex Tells A Story...


Mark Webber

Story Update

Talk about serendipity! I originally published this story three days ago, on Monday, and much to my surprise Rolex.com just added Mark Webber as a testimonee to their "Every Rolex Tells A Story" site. I highly recommend checking out the story...




Original story published Monday, May 21, 2018, seen below:


...Rolex Coolness...

Mark Webber

Test Drives Upcoming

Porsche Mission E

Former Formula One champion race car driver Mark Webber is pictured below wearing his ceramic stainless steel Rolex Daytona. Mark is an incredibly accomplished racecar driver as well as being a Porsche brand ambassador.


In this Official Porsche video, Mark Webber test drives the upcoming all-electric Porsche Mission E. Mark and shares his perspective on it. I have been a fan of electric cars for a long time now, and also publish an online Tesla Magazine named Jake's Tesla World. It is great to finally see the entire automotive industry switching over to electric!



In the photo below taken at the 2017 Formula One Rolex Australian Grand Prix, we see Mark Webber wearing his James Cameron DEEP SEA D-Blue...Mark has a HUGE Rolex collection/harem...


The screenshot below shows Mark Webber flying through the air in 2010 at the Valencia race track in his Formula One Car.




In the photo below we see Mark Webber with fellow legendary race car driver and Rolex brand ambassador, Sir Jackie Stewart.

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Tudor Watch Designer The Hodinkee Interview


...Tudor Coolness...

Tudor Watch Designer

Ander Ugarte

The Hodinkee Interview

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Pivoting to the Vintage Market


Vintage Rolex Special




Pivoting to the

Vintage Market


 By DANNY CRIVELLO   
        

As Rolex fans are getting ready for the release of the new steel Pepsi GMT-Master II, waiting lists have already started to form. It is no secret that most Rolex sports models in steel today require some kind of waiting lists at Authorized Dealers, who, in turn, are reluctant to give any kind of discount. Meanwhile, grey-market dealers, who were once a good source for lower-priced Rolexes, are using their connections to acquire hard-to-get models and selling them above retail prices. 


The high demand for the steel Daytona, the green Submariner, the black-and-blue GMT and the Red-Line Sea-Dweller, for example, made me take a second look at the vintage market. The vintage market has experienced a dramatic increase in prices in recent years, to be sure. But I believe vintage pieces are poised to continue to gain in value, making it almost a less risky proposition than currently paying above retail for a new steel Rolex.


Besides, vintage pieces look cool. Though Rolex has today some of the most modern movements in the world, for the millenials—a generation who was born after the quartz revolution and has grown up during the smartwatch revolution—mechanical movements are synonym with "old school." Most watch brands have tapped into that old-school feel by releasing anniversary editions or modern interpretations of vintage models or even using vintage design cues, like a faux-patina or a big, unguarded crown. Rolex has also given a nod to the past with its new Single Red Line Sea-Dweller, the big orange GMT hand on the Explorer II, and of course, the Jubilee bracelet on a Pepsi GMT-Master II. 


My other reason for exploring the vintage market is a fear that I might soon be priced out of some of the coolest pieces Rolex has ever made, like a Submariner or GMT with a plexiglass crystal and faded bezel. I was on the hunt for a pre-1990 GMT (1675 or 16750; I like the slightly wider bezel) with a nice patina and a case that was not over-polished. Though I was new in the vintage market, I knew some of the basics when it came to case integrity, dials, hands and markers. Still, the vintage path can be fraught with danger, and I decided to turn to my friend James Dellios who lives near Melbourne, Australia, and has been collecting for almost a decade.


After talking to him, I knew I had to completely change the way I thought about shopping for a Rolex. When I bought a new Rolex, I looked for the best deal possible, of course, since the product is essentially the same. But when I shop for vintage watches, James tells me, I shouldn't look for price but for the best condition possible. "If it's cheap, it's cheap for a reason." 

"When you start getting at that level of collecting," James said. "You have to think about value retention. And if you're getting something that is not 100% at that sort of level, you might find some troubles when you're looking at moving it on. Always try to get the best example of whatever it is you're trying to buy."


James has been collecting for just eight years and has over 50 watches.

I could see how vintage collecting could quickly become an addiction—and a money pit. James, like me, is a child of the '80s. He grew up around quartz watches but was quickly fascinated by mechanical movements when he realized he could wind the Omega that belonged to his late grandfather, and "back to life it came," he said. 

While he started to collect pocket watches and dress watches, he researched vintage Rolex sports models. Two years later, he bought his first vintage Rolex Submariner reference 5513. "After that I was hooked," he said. "I simply love Rolex history and the timeless design of vintage Rolex sports watches and the way they patina and age."

Over the years of collecting James has improved his knowledge from handling a lot of watches, doing research, and of course making mistakes. "Don't confuse patina with damage," he told me. "Also, when you see old grime beneath bezels, between lugs and around case backs, it's a good indication of being an untouched example."

James' first vintage Submariner ref. 5513 with Mark 1 Maxi dial, fat-font bezel insert and superdome plexiglass from 1978.

I asked James to write up his top five pieces of advice he'd give an inexperienced vintage buyer like myself. Here are his answers. (Also, be sure to check out his friendly, Aussie-accented YouTube videos.)

1. Buy from a brick-and-mortar business
Buying from a brick-and-mortar business gives you face-to-face interaction with the seller. You can handle the watch, inspect it and try it on. All respected vintage-watch dealers should guarantee their watches to have all original Rolex parts and back the watch with at least twelve months warranty.

2. Patience pays 
When you have zeroed in on the particular model you want, and you find one for sale don't pull the trigger unless it ticks all your personal collecting boxes. For me, it's condition and originality and believe me, it takes time to find a watch with both qualities.



James' recent acquisition: a birth-year Daytona ref. 6265.

3. Ask questions 
Dealing face-to-face with a seller is great for asking tricky questions. If the seller pauses or facial expression changes, and he can't be direct with an answer to a question, such as, "Why are the hands so badly corroded, but the dial is mint?" It could simply mean that he is not sure, but more than likely the watch has been pieced together. I also like to ask about the origin of the watch; sometimes it has an interesting history.

4. Buy a loupe or two
Having a loupe is a must for overall condition. A cheap 5-times magnification is adequate. Then you can inspect dial surface, dial font, lume plots, hands and bezel inserts closely for touch-ups, relumes, scraped lume plots—in short, anything that devalues the watch. l recommend a professional Nikon ten times magnification loupe. Make sure when inspecting the watch that you have plenty of bright light, natural light is best.

5. Buy the best
If your budget is at the low end of the particular Rolex reference you want, say a 5512 Submariner, my advice is to go for a less expensive reference. This will allow you to buy a much nicer condition watch. You could buy a mint 5513, enjoy owning it and continue to save. And when you're ready to aquire that minty 5512, your beautiful 5513 has great tradability. Remember, dealers love getting desirable trades; it effortlessly stocks their shelves.


As for me, I decided to take the plunge, and I bought a thirty-four-year-old Rolex GMT-Master 16750 (pictured above). The watch came on a Jubilee bracelet with original box. It has a service bezel, no doubt, but I love how it pops. I love the markers' patina. I put it on a blue strap—the watch is ready for the summer! 

It was cheaper than a new GMT and, best of all, there was no waiting list!

Sunday, May 20, 2018

1949 Rolex GMT? Rolex Patent Application




1949 Rolex GMT?

Rolex 'Universal Watch' Patent Application


WTCF!?!! This new find is rather shocking as it adds a previously undocumented piece of history to the Rolex GMT-Master history puzzle. Notice the application date is August 29, 1949. This is profound in that Rolex did not launch the Rolex GMT-Master until 1955.





I really don't even know where to begin with this Rolex patent application as is appears to have come out of left field. The fact that it predates the GMT-Master by 6 years is one thing, but the fact it has two dials with one that includes international cities including Geneve, Berlin, New York, and Panama make it even more interesting as it appears to be a hybrid GMT/World-Timer of sorts...



One interesting detail is that the Rolex 'Universal Watch' pictured above features a dedicated 24 hour hand (5) which we see just above the 2 O'clock position. This means that Rolex had the GMT-Hand design complete at least 6 years earlier than anybody ever documented. Clearly, this Rolex watch model never made it to market, but this patented design really illustrates that Rolex was swinging for the fences in watch design...

It is obvious to note the design of this 'universal watch' by Rolex is opposite of a GMT-Master in the sense a GMT has the 24-hour rotating bezel on the outside, whereas this design features it on the inside...



The photo above shows an original 1955 Rolex Pepsi GMT-Master, which is featured below in the 1955 Rolex ad.

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Handsome Harry gets Hitched ...



Handsome Harry gets Hitched 




Prince Harry married Meghan Markle today and you can check out the full Royal Wedding Ceremony in the video below.


I am so stoked to see them married, as you can tell they both adore each other!


Prince Harry wears an Orange Hand Rolex Polar Explorer as seen below, which matches his orange hair.

Friday, May 18, 2018

The Return Of Magnum PI...



The Return Of 

Magnum PI

 2018 Reboot

They say that while history doesn't repeat itself, it sure does rhyme, and that's definitely the case with the reboot of Magnum P.I. Ferrari 308 GTS, Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master and all...I know this may sound weird, but I am actually stoked to watch the reboot of Magnum PI, as this action-packed trailer looks pretty Rad...


Jay Hernandez plays the role of Thomas Magnum, which Tom Selleck so famously played back in the 1980s. In the photo below we see Tom Selleck wearing his trademark Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master in driving his Ferrari 308GT.


The new Magnum P.I. is scheduled to debut this Fall on CBS and will air on Monday evenings at 9/8c.






Even though Tom Selleck is no longer playing the role of Magnum P.I., he still wears his Rolex Reference 1675 Pepsi GMT-Master as seen on his wrist in the recent photo below. I have to admit that seeing somebody other than Tom Selleck play Magnum P.I. is kind of weird, but I would also add that the new show looks great!



History of Rolex & Golf



History of Rolex & Golf


Rolex Founder Hans Wilsdorf



Rolex Time Machine


Hans Wilsdorf

Japanese Rolex Retailer Meeting in Geneva


If you are a regular reader of Jake's Rolex World you know I have been obsessed for a long time about telling the story of Hans Wilsdorf, who founded Rolex.

The photo below was taken sometime in the late 1950s and show Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf with the fourth generation Ryohei president of what is now known as the Hotta Corporation. The photo was taken in Hans Wilsdorf's office at Rolex headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.


If you look at the photo above of Hans Wilsdorf's office, in the upper right-hand corner we see a Rolex ad that features Lord Mountbatten. This add was published in magazines in 1957 and was part of the "Men who guide the destinies of the world wear Rolex watches."



The Hotta Corporation is one of the oldest watch retailers in Japan, and they own and operate multiple freestanding Rolex boutiques in Japan.


It is amazing, if you think about it, that there are many Rolex Authorized retailers located around the world as part of Rolex's network that developed their relationships with Hans Wilsdorf.



Wednesday, May 16, 2018

The Surprising Ultimate Pilot's Watch




Timing is

Everything


The Surprising Ultimate

Pilot's Watch


 By DANNY CRIVELLO           


We are flying across 32°34'06"N, 143°46'01"W at 34,000 feet over the Pacific, and we've just crossed the equal-time point between Seattle and Honolulu. I take a look at my Rolex and note the time. For a pilot to know the equal-time point between two pieces of land is crucial. If there's an emergency, the closest runway in distance is not always the closest runway in time; it is based on the direction and strength of the winds over the ocean that day. 


That's why the equal-time point between Seattle and Honolulu varies every day as winds vary. Today our ETP is 32°34'06"N, 143°46'01"W. At this exact point, we are at two hours and fifty-eight minutes from either Hawaii or the continental U.S. Once passed that point, going West, if there's an emergency we are committed to land in Hawaii because it is faster.

The FAA allows our Boeing 757 to be over water for up to three hours from any runway, which is plenty far if an emergency strikes. So at two hours and fifty-eight minutes, we are butting against that limit. If you think two minutes is no big deal on a six-hour-and-twenty-minute flight, it is for me. And it can make the difference between having to cancel a flight and reaching my hotel layover near Waikiki Beach.  


The other challenge of being a transoceanic pilot is the lack of radar coverage over the ocean. No radar coverage means there's nobody sitting in front of a scope who can provide spacing between aircraft. Instead, we have to report the exact time at which we pass certain geographical points defined by latitudes and longitudes. We communicate that to a radioman in San Francisco, and he plots our location. So my job requires me to rely on accurate time as if my life depended on itbecause it does. It is the only way we assure safe separation between airliners, all rushing at 500 knots to one of the most popular vacation spots in the world.

  
When I click on the hand-microphone and begin to broadcast, I'm required to include the estimated time when my Boeing 757 will cross the next longitude. If I am off by more than two minutes, I have committed "gross navigational error," according to the FAA. I immediately start the chronograph of my Rolex Daytona as we are rushing to the next longitude at 80 percent of the speed of sound across the largest ocean in the world.

One of the big myths about pilots and their watches is that we're obsessed with GMT hands and multiple time zones. In reality, our job is all about timing events to make sure the flight is conducted safely and within the limitation of the aircraft. Time is so crucial that the FAA doesn't allow an airplane to takeoff if it doesn't have a working clock onboard. We worry about the local time zone later. After we land and once comfortably seated in the crew van, I'll pull the crown of my Daytona and coordinate dinner plans with the rest of the crew.  


Timing begins at pushback, when I start the first jet engine. The start sequence of the multi-million-dollar Pratt & Whitney turbofan of the Boeing 757 has to be precisely measured. The time starts when I turn on the engine start selector on the overhead panel. And with a switch on the center pedestal, I open the engine fuel valve when the second stage compressor has reached its maximum motoring speed.

As the chrono hand sweeps onward, I note the time to make sure the engine doesn't "hang," meaning, combustion has occurred and the exhaust gas temperature rises within 20 seconds. If it doesn't, I'll abort the start sequence, and start the chrono again: I have to let the engine cool for no fewer than thirty seconds per each minute it ran. If times are not precisely observed, extensive damage can be done to the starter. 


Finally, if the engine starts properly, I have to time another event: I make sure the engine has its required five-minute warm-up before we advance the thrust levers to full power for takeoff. (During taxi delays, we often start the second engine when we are closer to the runway.)

At cruise, I hack my Rolex Daytona even on flights in controlled airspace: If Chicago Center promises they will clear us to a direct route in five minutes; or if a colleague in a jet ahead warns us of turbulence that will last 15 minutes, I need to track the time.

We track the time because in flight we suffer from temporal distortion; meaning, our idea of time is very unreliable. Ask a teenager to estimate how long he played video games today, and his answer will be off. Anyone who has ever tried to cook while checking Instagram or Facebook knows about temporal distortion. It's no different when you're sitting in front of dozens of instruments, dials and gauges and need to manage the energy of a 240,000-pound aircraft full of people. 


Film director Robert Zemeckis did a good job portraying temporal distortion in his 2012 movie "Flight." The scene [warning, spoiler ahead] goes into slow motion as both pilots exchange looks after clipping a church steeple with their doomed jet. In an emergency, the brain works so fast that time seems to be slowing down. When NTSB investigators ask pilots to estimate the time sequence after an emergencyhow long it took to complete an evacuation, for examplethey're usually off, thinking it took much longer than it actually did. 



Timing for me is everything. All crewmembers live by the clock because our report time changes every workday with each flight. Even for flight attendants, wearing a watch is a required part of their uniforms. The entire preflight sequencefrom crew briefings to safety checks, checklists and ATC pre-departure clearanceis based on a scheduled push-back time. For the U.S. Department of Transportation, a flight can't be counted on time, if it doesn't arrive within 14 minutes of its scheduled arrival time. 

But after all passengers have deplaned, pilots and flight attendants will rush to the crew van, which will take us to our layover hotel. For this 24-hour layover in Honolulu, we'll even put our feet in the sand (and a beer in our hands) and watch the sunset over the Pacific. 

Then time will really have slowed down.