Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Mr. Wonderful... Goes Gaga for Red Rubber Bands



Mr. Wonderful 

Goes Gaga for Red Rubber B Bands

Kevin O'Leary, AKA, Mr. Wonderful is not only a Rolex fanatic, but a huge fan of Rubber B, but he only wears Red Rubber B straps as we see in this fascinating video.



Sunday, July 28, 2019

Rolex Super-Coolness: Tenzing Norgay


...Rolex Super-Coolness...


Tenzing Norgay


Mountain Climbing Legend

Conquerer of Mount Everest




Back in 2009 I wrote an 8 part series named, "The Complete History of Rolex Conquering Mount Everest, and in that series I documented how both Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary might have worn Rolex watches when they were the first humans to successfully climb to the top of Mount Everest in 1953. The photo below of Tenzing Norgay was taken on October 31, 1957 wearing a Rolex on an Oyster Bracelet.



The super iconic photo below taken by the Royal Geographic Society shows Tenzing Norgay with Sir Edmund Hillary on their way establishing Camp 9 as they head to the summit of Mount Everest.



In the photo below taken in 1953 by the Royal Geographical Society we see Tenzing Norgay with Sir Edmund Hillary and they both might be wearing Rolex watches. Tenzing received a Rolex as a gift from Swiss climber, Raymond Lambert after he and Lambert almost reached the summit of Everest the year before on a Swiss Everest Expedition in 1952. 



The photo above shows Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 25th, 1953 during the Mount Everest Expedition as the duo prepares their oxygen systems just before they set off from Camp 9 for the summit of Everest. If you look closely you will notice Tenzing has their Summit flags wrapped around his ice axe which he is holding like a cane.

This next photo of Tenzing Norgay was taken by Sir Edmund Hillary on the summit of Mount Everest. Tenzing offered to take a photo of Hillary on the summit but Hillary refused the offer.




The Rolex advertorial seen below was published 3 days after Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary conquered Everest.







1957 Rolex Mount Everest Ad



This next two photos below show Tenzing Norgay at  Rolex International Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland taken on July 5, 1953 and he is wearing a Rolex on his wrist. 




The photos above and below were recently discovered by our super-talented researcher, Alan who is located in Hong Kong. The next photo shows Tenzing Norgay examining a Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee Bracelet in Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf's private office at Rolex Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.




It is believed Hans Wilsdorf traded Tenzing Norgay a Rolex in exchange another Rolex which is now in the private Museum collection. 



The photo above and below appear courtesy of Rolex Passion Report who first discovered this historical yellow gold Rolex Datejust that apparently was a gift from Rolex to Tenzing as a memento for the 1952 Swiss Expedition to Everest.













Monday, July 22, 2019

Founding NASA Flight Director Christopher C. Kraft Jr.





Founding NASA Flight Director

Christopher C. Kraft Jr.

Belongs To The Ages

1924-2019

Two short days after the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon, NASA Flight Director Chris Kraft passed away. 



According to NASA "Chris Kraft created the concept, and developed the organization, operational procedures, and culture of NASA's Mission Control, which was a critical element of the success of the nation's manned spaceflight programs." The photo above was discovered by Nick Gould and when we zoom in close we see it's the same Rolex in the photo he wore for 6 decades!!!



The photo below was taken at the Gemini-Titan V Flight Simulator back in the early 1960s and notice he was wearing the same Rolex pictured above!!! 




In the photo below we see Chris Craft's Rolex up close and I believe he is wearing a stainless steel Rolex Reference 1003 or Reference 1007 on a Jubilee bracelet. 




In the photo below we see Chris Kraft with President Kennedy and Mercury Astronauts John Glenn and Alan Sheppard.



Next up we see Chris Craft with President Reagan.



Tuesday, July 16, 2019

HODINKEE: HANDS-ON WITH Marlon Brando's 'GMT Apocalypse' Rolex Watch



HODINKEE


HANDS-ON WITH


Marlon Brando's

'GMT Apocalypse' Rolex Watch


I realize there are many readers of Jake's Rolex World that are awaiting my definitive upcoming story on Marlon Brando's story, which I hope to publish this weekend. This story will contain a tremendous amount of significant historical research, findings and insight into the Marlon Brando's watch he wore during the epic movie "Apocalypse Now."


In the meantime, Hodinkee's James Stacey just published an excellent article titled "HANDS-ON: Marlon Brando's Rolex GMT-Master From Apocalypse Now." James Stacey from Hodinkee showcased the first photos of Marlon Brando's Apocalypse Now Rolex GMT-Master on the wrist and they are superb, as is his story, so be sure to check it out!!!

Monday, July 15, 2019

Rolex and The Open



Rolex and The Open

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Marlon Brando Rolex GMT-Master From Apocalypse Now...




Marlon Brando's

'Apocalypse Now'

GMT-MASTER 

Discovered!!!


This is such epic news that I had to borrow Hodinkee's "Breaking News" moniker again for this story!!! I can't believe I am writing this, but at the same time I am not surprised: The GMT-Master Marlon Brando wore in "Apocalypse Now" was recently discovered and surfaced at Philipps auction house, which will offer this amazing historical watch in December!



Marlon Brando's Rolex GMT-MASTER he famously wore in the 1979 movie "Apocalypse Now" is pictured above and below.



Marlon Brando gave the watch to his adopted daughter who gave it to her husband years ago, and they just discovered it in a dresser drawer. Marlon Brando hand-etched his name on the back of the watch as seen in the photo below. 





I have written extensively about Marlon Brando and the many different Rolex watches he wore throughout his life, which you can learn far more about below:





...Profiles In Coolness...


Marlon Brando

The Wild One

The Greatest Actor In History

An Amazing Life with Rolex Keeping His Time
1924-2004

Marlon Brando is considered by many to be the greatest actor that ever lived. In his amazing career he won two Academy Awards. One for Best Actor in the 1954 movie "On The Waterfront" and in 1972, another for Best Actor in "The Godfather."






Not only was Marlon Brando a pioneer of cool, but he was also a lifetime Rolex wristwatch wearer. In this article we will see him wearing five different Rolex watches.








Marlon Brando's First Rolex


Marlon Brando was born in 1924, and received his first Rolex in 1943, at age 19 from his parents, and it is seen below. It was a Rolex Oyster Royalite Observatory model.





In the photo below we see Marlon Brando with his dad and notice he is wearing his Rolex Royalite which is pictured abovel.




The inscription on the back of the watch reads, "To Bud, from Mother & Dad. 1943" "Bud" was Marlon Brando's nickname his parents gave him when he was a child.






The Fugitive Kind (1960)
All The Crazy Moonphases

John Goldberger, the author of 100 Superlative Rolex Watches pointed out that in the 1960 movie, The Fugitive Kind, starring Marlon Brando and Joanne Woodward, that Marlon Brando mentions his Rolex Moonphase 6062. John also points out that he thinks the watch is a chronograph, but I can't see it well enough to tell. I definitely see the moonphase on the dial of the watch when Marlon hands it to Joanne.

John Goldberger pointed out to me in an email, "I think this is the first Rolex advertising in the movies, because I bet the original book or script by Tennessee Williams didn't mention the words Rolex Chronometer."

Update: In a follow-up email, John mentioned "Tennessee Williams wrote the script for The Fugitive Kind in 1937, at which time Rolex had NEVER made a Moonphase of any kind. This means that in 1960, the screenplay authors added the words Rolex Chronometer as well as the description for the Moonphase. Also the description is too precise for the knowledge of a film-maker, and the supreme irony is that the model was out of production in 1960!!"



Marlon Brando is pictured below in 1962 with his fellow Hollywood leading men including Rock Hudson, Cary Grant and Gregory Peck.








The Godfather (1972)
Don Vito Corleone

Marlon Brando starred in The Godfather in 1972, which is considered to be on of the best films of all time.











Last Tango In Paris (1972)


Marlon Brando starred in The Last Tango In Paris in which he wore a yellow gold Rolex Datejust as seen in the photos below.





In the next three photos, all taken in 1975 we see Marlon Brando sporting his Pepsi GMT Master on an Oyster bracelet.

The first photo below shows Marlon Brando with famous rock and roll promoter, Bill Graham.









Marlon Brando is pictured below in 1977 sporting his Rolex GMT Master.




In the photo below, Marlon Brando is pictured with his secretary, and he is wearing his Rolex GMT Master.







Superman

In 1978 Marlon Brando played Superman's father Jor-El in Superman: The Movie.








Apocalypse Now (1979)
Rolex GMT Master

In this next set of photos we see Marlon Brando wearing his Rolex GMT Master in the movie Apocalypse Now. Apocolypse Now was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and Marlon Brando played Colonel Walter Kurtz. Notice his Rolex GMT Master is missing its bezel. The following set of photos were taken by Mary Ellen Mark from Apocalypse Now.













In this next photo, taken in 1982, we see Marlon Brando pictured with Native American activist and leader of the American Indian Movement, and Brando is wearing his Rolex GMT-Master on a Rolex Oyster Bracelet.








Connie Chung Interview

The two next photos are screen grabs from the 1989 Connie Chung interview, which can be seen below. The photos show that for some reason, Marlon Brando was wearing two watches. A Pepsi GMT as well as a Tag Heuer which I originally mistook for being a two-tone GMT, as it looked similar.





In this next photo, taken toward the end of Marlon Brando's life we see him wearing a two-tone Tag Heuer.