Rolex TP52 World Championship

Rolex TP52 
World Championship


One of the most enthralling and closely contested regattas on the international sailing calendar, the Rolex TP52 World Championship demands excellence and a high level of performance from supremely talented crews competing on 52-foot (15.85 metre) yachts. Considered a benchmark in inshore yacht racing, the pinnacle event of the TP52 class season makes for dramatic, captivating racing. In 2021, 10 teams from seven countries gathered in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, for the highlight of the annual 52 Super Series. After eight races held over five days, Takashi Okura’s Sled team from the United States emerged victorious to claim a well-deserved title. Rolex supports the TP52 World Championship as part of its wide-ranging support for yachting dating back more than 60 years.

Howard Schultz: Founder & CEO of Starbucks

...Rolex Coolness...

Howard Schultz

Howard Shultz rockin' his vintage Single Red Submariner [Reference 1680]

Starbucks

Founder & Chairman 

Charles Shultz is the Starbucks Chairman Emeritus today with a penchant for collecting and wearing vintage Rolex watch models. Back in 2020 Howard Shultz entered the race for president of the United States and then strangely pulled out citing he thought his campaign would have been decisive which seems ridiculous to me as I think he would have made a good President. There have been many President's that wore Rolex watches throughout history. As a matter of fact the bracelet on the Day-Date is named "The President". If you want to learn more about this subject I recommend reading my story titled "The Complete History Of The Rolex President".

Howard Shultz was interviewed on how he was seriously considering running for President of the United States in the video below: 

Vintage Rolex Keeping The Time Of His Life

Howard Shultz is not only the founder and CEO of Starbucks, but a vintage Rolex collector. Howard is pictured below on the cover of the 2016 Forbes Magazine Special Issue named, "Meet The Richest People On The Planet."

2 Different Black Dial

Paul Newman Daytona Models

This is a really profound!!! In the photo above on the cover of Forbes Magazine we see Howard Schultz wearing a Rolex Daytona Reference 6239, and you can tell it's a 6239 as it has pump pushers and two lines of text under the Rolex Crown on the dial just like in the photo below. It also has a silver bezel.

Rolex Daytona Reference 6239 Pictured Above

Daytona Rolex Oyster Sotto

This is where it gets really profound! In the next two photos we see what at first appears to be the same Paul Newman Exotic Dial Daytona as seen on the cover Forbes Magazine covers, but upon closer inspection it is a Daytona Rolex Oyster Sotto [Reference 6236] Notice it has screw down pushers and a third line of text under the Rolex crown on the dial that has says "Rolex Cosmograph Oyster." This watch is commonly known as the "RCO". If you look closely you will also notice it has a black bezel insert.

For frame of reference I am including the photo below of a very rare Rolex Daytona Oyster Sotto Reference 6236. Notice it has three lines of text under the crown as apposed to just 2, and also features screw down pushers. The 6263 is MUCH rarer than the Reference 6239 and is currently worth around $1.5 Million, as apposed to the Oyster Sotto Reference 6236 which is worth between $150k-$250k—largely depending on condition. 

Rolex Daytona Oyster 'Sotto' Reference 6236 Pictured Above

When you are a multi-billionaire and one of the wealthiest men on earth it makes sense you could own, and most importantly wear two different Rolex Daytona models that look almost identical, but have such a huge market value delta. "Sotto" is Italian and translated into English it means 'under'. Basically a Sotto is a 6262/64 with a Paul Newman dial, where Rolex later added the World "Oyster" under "Rolex" and "Cosmograph".

Phillips recently auctioned a beautiful Rolex Daytona 6239 model with an amazing provenance from LeeRoy Yarbrough, who won it as a prize when he own the Daytona 500 in 1969.

Christie's Auction House successfully auctioned an ultra-rare Rolex "Paul Newman Mark 1 Oyster Sotto Daytona" on December 7, 2017 for around $1.1 Million, and it is worth taking a look at if you want to learn more about the Rolex Daytona Reference 6263.

Big Red Rolex Daytona

In this next image we see Howard Schultz wearing his "Big Red" Daytona [Reference 6263].

Pre-Daytona Chronograph

In the next two images we see Howard Schultz sporting a pre-Daytona Rolex Chronograph on a Oyster bracelet. 

The Rolex Pre-Daytona Chronograph [Reference 6538] differs from the Daytona as it has it's timing track on the outer rim of the dial, whereas the Daytona has the track on the bezel. When George Lazenby played James Bond in the movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" he wore the same model but with a silver dial.

Triple Date Chronograph

In these next images below we see Howard Shultz sportin' a very rare complicated Rolex Triple-Date Chronograph [Reference 6236].

I am including a photo below for frame of reference. This is not Howard Shultz's Triple Date, but a model very similar to it. This photo appears courtesy of Christie's Auction House and the watch was recently sold at auction last month for $87,500.

In this next photo we see Howard Schultz wearing his triple date Rolex Chronogaph on a leather strap. It is interesting to not the Rolex 6236 Chronograph is the most complicated Rolex watch ever made in the history of the company.

This Rolex Triple Date Chronographe was made in 1958 and is a magnificent watch but commonly falsely attributed to Rolex brand Ambassador, Jean-Claude Killy, just like the false association between known as the Steve McQueen Explorer which NEVER existed. 

Explorer II "Orange Hand"

You can learn much more about false Rolex associations in my article named "The Complete History Of Rolex Mythbusting." Ironically, in this next photo of Howard Shultz, he is wearing his vintage Orange Hand Explorer II [Reference 1655], which is the model that Jean-Claude Killy actually wore, but Steve McQueen was falsely attributed to have worn :-)

Espresso GMT-Master

In this next photo we CEO Howard Shultz sporting a vintage Rolex Espresso GMT Master.

Rolex Explorer

In these next photos we see Howard Shultz wearing a vintage Rolex Explorer.

The Starbucks Submariner

With all due respect, I think Howard Schultz would be better-off wearing a Starbucks Submariner or 50th Anniversary Submariner. I created this graphic illustration seen below years ago to illustrate how the LV Submariner reminded me of the Starbucks logo.

In all seriousness, Howard Schultz wrote one of the absolute best and most inspirational business autobiographies I have ever read, which I very highly recommend!!!

The book titled Pour Your Heart Into It tells the story not only of how Howard Schultz built the Starbucks empire, but goes into great detail on his business ethics philosophy. I remember he talked about how he insisted that all Starbucks employees be given health care and I also remember him talking about "the power of Under-promising and Over-delivering." 

CHI Geneva 2021 Highlights Presented by Rolex

CHI Geneva 2021 Highlights
Presented by Rolex

The Rolex Grand Prix at the CHI Geneva is one of the four equestrian Majors that form the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping and is one of the most prestigious Grand Prix on the international circuit. The Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final, also hosted at the CHI Geneva, is an elite competition which invites the top 10-ranked riders in the world to compete to be named among the best among them. Re-live the excitement of both competitions at the world’s leading venue, as the finest riders compete for this prestigious title.

Through its support of the finest international riders, competitions and institutions, Rolex has been a long-standing supporter of equestrianism, encouraging the global development of the sport. This enduring commitment is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 60 years, starting with Rolex’s relationship with pioneering British Olympian Pat Smythe. The brand is a founding partner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, the sport’s ultimate prize, which is awarded to any rider who, consecutively, wins the Grand Prix at three of the four Majors: The Dutch Masters, the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, and the CHI Geneva. Rolex’s partnerships with key figures in the equestrian community – Steve Guerdat, Scott Brash, Kent Farrington, Rodrigo Pessoa and Isabell Werth to name a few – run across generations and span the globe, enabling knowledge and experience to be shared. As part of this perpetual process of growth and constant improvement, Rolex supports the Young Riders Academy which nurtures future talent.

Season's Greetings from Dr. Joe MacInnis

Space Dwelling 

Single RED SEALAB SEA-DWELLER

Season's Greetings from 

Dr. Joe MacInnis

New Image of Single-RED SEA-DWELLER

Floating in Zero Gravity aboard Space Shuttle

Dr. Joe MacInnis just got back from a trip to visit The Crown in Geneva, Switzerland and he sent in this REALLY AMAZING new high-resolution color photo of his Ultra-Rare Single Red SEALAB SEA-DWELLER floating in zero gravity aboard the Space Shuttle which was taken by Canadian Astronaut Dr. Dave Williams. 

Man, is this shot just out of this world or what!?!! It's hard to put into words just how crazy-profound this image is!!! This is arguably the single greatest Rolex tool watch in history based upon where it has been and what it has witnessed.

Below we see a photo of Dr. Joe MacInnis while he was training to be a SEALAB Aquanaut with the U.S. Navy SEALAB III program in San Francisco, California at Hunters Point Shipyard.

Below we see a photo of Dr. Joe MacInnis when he was featured in a Really cool Rolex ad from 1974.

Vintage 1980s Rolex Exotic Dial Brochure

Vintage 1980s Rolex

Exotic Dial Brochure

This 1980s Rolex brochure shows off some fascinating models with equally interesting dials that reminds me of Autumn and Fall.

We see five yellow gold Rolex watches with the following characteristics:

• Day-Date with an Onyx dial
• Lady Datejust with a a blue lapis dial
• Oysterquartz Day-Date with an African mahonany dial
• Lady Datjust with an African mahogany dial
• Datejust with a birch dial.

I'm surprised not to see a bark finished Day-Date bracelet with a wood dial ;-)))

Mario Andretti The Hodinkee Interview

...Rolex Super-Coolness...


Mario Andretti

The Hodinkee Interview

Hodinkee published this super cool interview with Mario Andretti, back April of 2018 and it is AMAZING! The reason I just updated and am republishing the article is because Nick Gould discovered a significant piece of the missing puzzle which shows Mario Andretti rocking his Rolex Day-Date while taking a photo of Lotus Founder and Formula 1 Racing Pioneer, Colin Chapman. Watch spotting is really a scientific process more than anything. 

Colin Chapman with Mario Andretti rocking Rolex Day-Date back in the 1970s. 

I think Mario is holding a Nikon F or a Pentax K1000 35MM Camera.

Once we discover photos of people wearing a certain model we tend to take it for granted, but often times it can take years or even decades to discover a photo of a certain person wearing a certain watch, and that is what we see here for the first time. I would know as I have been searching for a photo of Andretti for decades wearing his Day-Date and this is the first time we see one.

Mario Andretti is considered to be on of the greatest if not the greatest racing legends that have ever lived.

During the video, Hodinkee's Jon Bues discussed Mario Andretti's Rolex Daytona which is seen below close up.

In the photo above of Mario Andretti's watch collection, we see his Rolex Daytona next to a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date which they don't discuss in the interview or in the article for some strange reason!?!!

I assume Mario Andretti's yellow gold Rolex Day-Date pictured above is the same one pictured below in the 1976 Mario Andretti Rolex Day-Date Ad, which is very cool. I further assume it's the same one pictured at the top of this story which Nick Gould recently discovered. Hat's off to Nick "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner" Gould for finally making a positive ID on this previously elusive Rolex!!!

The documentary below on Mario Andretti was filmed the same year as the Mario Andretti Rolex add pictured above from 1976 was originally published.

Paul Newman Rolex Day-Date!?!?!?

I have an interesting story to share with you about the photo below of Mario Andretti with his good friend Paul Newman. Back in 2014, I discovered the photo below of Paul Newman and Mario Andretti which was taken at the 1988 Indianapolis 500, and I noticed Paul Newman wearing what appeared to be a Platinum or White Gold Rolex Day-Date.

I was surprised, as Paul Newman is renowned for wearing at least five different Rolex Daytona models, as well as having worn a stainless steel Rolex Datejust, which I documented in detail in "The Complete History Of The Paul Newman Daytona". 

In the photos below we see Paul Newman wearing his iconic stainless steel Daytona that has a white exotic dial.

If you are a reader of Jake's Rolex World you know that Paul Newman's famous Rolex Daytona recently sold for close to $18 Million.

Late last year, on December 4th of 2017, I published a story that finally solved the mystery of Paul Newman's President bracelet, which can be seen in the photo below. This story revealed that Paul Newman somehow fitted a Rolex President bracelet to his black dial Rolex Daytona, which was fascinating.