Wednesday, April 28, 2021

50Th Anniversary Apollo Moon Landing Special Announcements








Apollo 11 Astronaut


Michael Collins






Belongs To The Ages

1930-2021

Rolex Day-Date



NASA Apollo Astronaut Michael Collins passed away today at age 90. I originally published this story on July 20, 2019 and thought it was apropos to publish today. Michael Collins took the amazing photo below on July 21, 1969 that shows the Apollo 11 lunar module 'Eagle' as it returns from the surface of the moon to sock with the command module 'Columbia'.




“This trip of ours to the Moon may have looked—to you—simple or easy… All you see is the three of us, but beneath the surface are thousands and thousands of others, and to all those I would like to say, thank you very much." 

—Michael Collins, July 21, 1969


Update July 22, 2019:  Nick Gould discovered the first photographic evidence today that shows Apollo 11 Astronaut, Michael Collins wearing his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date and you can learn more by scrolling down the page:





...It doesn't just tell time

It tells History...







50th Anniversary 

Apollo Moon Landing


Coverage & Special

 Announcements

I remember when I was 9 years old having a conversation with my grandmother Marjorie Ehrlich at her flat in the San Francisco Marina. She was reflecting back on her life and she said, "It is amazing how much the world has changed in my lifetime!?!! I was born in 1897 and when I was your age in 1906, if you had told me that I would live to witness men walking around on the moon I never would have believed you!"

Today, mark the 50th Anniversary of NASA's Apollo 11 landing on the moon and I have some special news to share with you! First, I wanted to share with you that I have been working on new show I plan to launch on YouTube named, The JAKEe SHOW. I am working on a Series named "MANKIND'S GREATEST ADVENTURES". If you want to make certain to be the first to see this upcoming Rolex's Conquest Of Sapce documentary be sure to subscribe to The JAKEe Show on Youtube!!!



My first documentary is named "ROLEX'S CONQUEST OF SPACE: From Switzerland To The Moon & Beyond" as we se in the screenshot below. This series is being filmed in 4K and will offer the first real comprehensive look at Rolex's Conquest of Space.




This upcoming series will offer offer many never before seen photos of NASA Astronauts wearing Rolex watches. Since today represents the 50th Anniversary of men landing on the moon I thought I would share this exclusive photo of Apollo 11 Astronaut, Buzz Aldrin sporting his Rolex SEA-DWELLER which was discovered by Nick Gould.


The photo above of Buzz Aldrin rocking his Rolex SEA-DWELLER is exclusive to Jake's Rolex World and it is interesting to note it was taken 25 years ago at the White House during the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Apollo 11 conquering the moon which you can watch in the C-SPAN video below:




Buzz Aldrin wearing his Rolex SEA-DWELLER is a significant revelation in the sense that it means that at least 2 of the 3 NASA Astronauts from Apollo 11 chose to wear Rolex as their personal watch. Think about that for a second!?!!





The photo below is Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins official NASA photo and if you look closely at his wrist you can see he is wearing his Rolex Turn-O-Graph!!






We can tell Michael Collins is wearing his Rolex Turn-O-Graph in his official Apollo 11 portrait (pictured above and below since we can see the grooves/notches on the side of the bezel, which allows the user to spin the bezel. 





Michael Collins is pictured above and below in between fellow Apollo 11 NASA Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, and in the photo below we see Michael Collins rocking his Rolex Turn-O-Graph! 











In the photo below we get a close-up shot of NASA Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins wearing his Rolex Turn-O-Graph.



Michael Collins is pictured below at NASA on April 16, 1969 during centrifuge training for Apollo 11. Three short months later he would fly into the history books as part of the first team to land on the Moon and return safely to earth.



Michael Collins' Rolex Turn-O-Graph was an early model, which had a gilt dial, and it is interesting to note that these first generation Rolex Turn-O-Graph models looked and functioned similarly to a Rolex Submariner.


In the close-up photo below of Michael Collins' Rolex Turn-O-Graph, we not only see the gilt dial and hands, but also the early models of the Turn-O-Graph featured all 60 second markers on the black bezel insert. This design feature predated the Rolex Reference 5517 Milsub, as well as the Rolex DEEP-SEA, which also have this feature.














1969 Rolex Day-Date





I discovered that NASA Apollo 11 Astronaut wore a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date for 34 years, which is pictured below. The watch was recently auctioned by Sotheby's, and in the description Michael Collins mentioned he wore it for 34 years. This is such an apropos discovery as we are now celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing!!!





The photo above and below are of Michael Collins Rolex Day-Date and we see he had an engraving of his initials. Notice the band has a "69" engraving, which means it was made in 1969.




The photo below of Michael Collins (also seen as a crop three images up) was discovered by Nick Gould on July 21, 2019 who is an amazing horological researcher. This is the first image that gives us a visual confirmation of Michael Collins wearing his Rolex Day-Date!!! This photo was taken by Charles Harrity on June 25, 1970 and show Mike Collins sitting at his desk at the State Department in Washington D.C.








Michael Collins is pictured below as he suits-up to leave for the Moon on Apollo 11.



Michael Collins is pictured below (second in line) as he and his Apollo 11 team members leave for the Moon.



The photo below shows Apollo 11 taking off to head for the moon.

















...The Rolex President...

U.S. President Lyndon Johnson
Apollo 11 Lift-off
Yellow Gold Rolex Day-Date

In this next photo we see U.S. President Lyndon Johnson wearing his trademark yellow gold "Rolex President" Day-Date as he watches Apollo 11 take-off for the moon on July 16, 1969 at 9:32am EDT. U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew is pictured on Johnson's right and Lady Bird is on his left.



Historical Note: The photo above of U.S. President Johnson is a bit ironic because he was no longer President when this photo was taken. At the time Richard Nixon was the President of The United States and he did not attend since he was paranoid the launch might fail. Instead he watched the launch live on TV from the Oval Office.



Another irony, regarding the photo above is that Lyndon Johnson was able to witness first hand, what he had helped develop at the beginning of the Kennedy administration back in 1960, when he served at the Vice President Of The United States. 





...The Greatest Newsman In History...

Walter Cronkite
The Most Trusted Man In America
Two-Tone Rolex Datejust

Apollo 11 Moon Touchdown Coverage


The image below is of major historical significance. We see Walter Cronkite on July 20, 1969 as he keeps his eyes glued to his monitor as NASA's Apollo 11 Mission touches down on the Moon for the fist time, and notice that Walter Cronkite is wearing his trademark two tone Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee Bracelet.



Monday, April 26, 2021

Bryan Cranston Rolex Stainless Steel Datejust

 

2021 Academy Awards


Bryan Cranston 


Rolex Stainless Steel Datejust

Last nights Academy Awards was filled with actors and other luminaries rocking Rolex. In this first image we see Bryan Cranston (Think: Breaking Bad) rocking his stainless steel Rolex Datejust on an Oyster bracelet.



Sunday, April 25, 2021

The 93rd Academy Awards Rolex Greenroom




THE OSCARS 2021

ROLEX GREENROOM






By DANNY CRIVELLO


When Marlon Brando played his legendary role as Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now he was wearing a Rolex watch. In The Color of Money, Paul Newman sported one as he manipulated a pool cue as Fast Eddie Felson. And in Titanic, Bill Paxton, as treasure hunter Brock Lovett, was wearing one as he descended to the infamous wreck in a submersible. 

The appearance of these watches was not the result of product placement, as Rolex has never involved itself in this kind of marketing. Instead, the watches were the personal choice of directors using the brand to subtly portray fortitude in their characters whether it's toughness or control, or just a sense of style.





In 2017, Rolex entered a formal partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and also became a sponsor of the Oscars. Union Station, a historic landmark and one of the last great train stations in the U.S., is also the venue for the 93rd Oscars Greenroom.










Rolex, which has hosted the Greenroom since 2016, has created a setting under the vaulted ceiling of one of the station’s wings. Rolex says it's a place where guests can relax while respecting social distancing. Walls are adorned with fabric replicating the motif of Union Station, with a "green wall," made entirely out of foliage, bringing a touch of nature to the interior. A selection of photos pays tribute to the creation of masterpieces, displaying emblematic Rolex watches and the making of unforgettable movies.





Thursday, April 22, 2021

Listening to the Earth Michel André


Listening to the Earth

Michel André


Tuesday, April 20, 2021

The Complete History of the Rolex Explorer II




The Complete History of the Rolex Explorer II






The history of the Rolex Explorer is absolutely fascinating. This story is a work in progress and far from being complete. As time goes by, I will continue to update this story until it is complete. Since Rolex just introduced a brand new Rolex Explorer II 'Orange Hand' model at Watches & Wonders 2021 in Switzerland, along with two new Rolex Explorer models as seen below.




I have been working on this story for a while but when Rolex updated the Explorer II (as seen below) recently as seen below it inspired me to work on this story.

All-New 2021 Rolex Explorer II 'Orange Hand' with Black Dial

It is said God took a rib from Adam and made Eve. The same is true with the development of the Rolex Explorer II—Rolex took the DNA from one of their most icon Oyster Perpetual models and took it to the next-level.


1980 Rolex Explorer Brochure



...Rolex Super Coolness...


Reinhold Messner

Conquering Mount Everest and K2



1979 Rolex Explorer Mark II


Thus, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at a man who famously rocked an original Rolex 'Orange Hand' back in the day.  Today we are going to look at the men who best represent the spirit of the original orange hand Rolex Explorer II, and his name is Reinhold Messner.




Reinhold Messner is a legend in the Rolex world of adventure. In this photo he is seen climbing a mountain in Italy back in 1979, sporting his orange hand 36mm Rolex Explorer Mark II [Reference 1655].

The Telegraph in the UK published a fascinating story in 2018 named "20 reasons why Reinhold Messner is the world's greatest living man", which is fascinating. 




Messner was also the first climber to conquer Mount Everest without oxygen. If you think about it, that is a truly amazing feat because there is less than 1/3 of the amount of oxygen on top of Mount Everest than you are breathing right now. 





Extreme Mountain climbing may seem like it is glamorous, but the truth is that it is anything but. It is an extremely dangerous sport and it is common for climbers to loose fingers and toes to frostbite. In this photo we see Reinhold Messner with the tips of his feet missing from frostbite. 





Reinhold Messner & Peter Habeler

Conquering Mount Everest in 1978

First Climb Without Oxygen


In this next photo from 1978 we see Reinhold Messner with his climbing partner Peter Habeler. This was the first Mount Everest expedition that climbed to the summit without oxygen. This climb was documented in the movie Everest Unmasked.




In the photo above Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler are wearing their Rolex OysterQuartz Datejust watches [Reference 17000]. Peter Habeler is pictured below wearing his Rolex OysterQuartz Datejust.






Reinhold Messner is pictured below wearing his Rolex OysterQuartz




Below is a recent photo of Peter Habeler and Reinhold Messner





1978 Rolex Oysterquartz Ad
Sir Edmund Hillary and Reinhold Messner
Two Rolex Mountain-Climbing Legends Together

Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Reinhold Messner from Italy are two of the greatest mountain-climbers that have ever lived. Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to conquer Mt. Everest in 1953 and he was wearing his Rolex Oyster wristwatch.

Reinhold Messner was the first man to summit Everest without oxygen. He achieved this amazing feat in 1978, and when he came down the mountain, Sir Edmund Hillary was waiting to congratulate him and this photo was taken. Reinhold Messner was wearing his Rolex Oysterquartz when in 1978 when he first conquered Everest.


You have got to click on this image to see all the detail and read the story:

Update: Kristian Holm from Denmark, who is a reader of Jake's Rolex World, pointed out the following in this next photo:

"It appears Sir Edmund Hillary is wearing a Rolex Oysterquartz 17013. I think it is a bit funny that both Hillary and Reinhold Messner, two of the world's best climbers, trust the Oyterquartz."

I agree, Kristian, and thank you for pointing that out. Indeed, Sir Edmund Hillary did wear a Rolex Oysterquartz for many years in his later life. Today Rolex no longer makes quartz watches, meaning watches that run on a battery. Maybe there is something to the quartz watches after all!?! 




Pictured below is another Rolex ad featuring Reinhold Messner. 






MESSNER
The Documentary


In 2012 a full-length documentary came out on Reinhold Messner that was simply titled "MESSNER". You can see the movie poster below.









In the 2016 we see Reinhold Messner wearing a 42mm Rolex Explorer II with the polar-white dial with retro orange hand.


In this next photo we see a photo from 2017 of Peter Habeler rocking his vintage Submariner Reference 1680.



I'm not 100% certain, but in the photo below from 1978 we see Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler when they conquered Everest and I think Peter is wearing the same Submariner as seen above. This photo was discovered by Jose from Perezcope.com.











Jean-François PERNETTE

1998 Rolex Laureate Winner

Rolex Awards for Enterprise


4 Decades Of Exploration
Relying On His Orange Hand Rolex Explorer II

One of my favorite things to do on Jake's Rolex World is bring to life many characters who have appeared in vintage Rolex ads, by delving deeper into their history to learn what has made them tick. Today, I am excited to do just that, by taking a closer look at the amazing career achievements of Jean-François Pernette. 

Jean-François Pernette is one of the worlds leading cave explorers, and he is pictured below in Pierre Saint Martin, four decades ago, in 1981, while on a cave exploration expedition, and he is wearing his trademark Rolex Explorer II "Orange Hand."

Jean-François Pernette pictured above in 1981 wearing his Orange Hand Rolex Explorer II



Jean-François Pernette is considered to be one of the worlds leading speleologists. He was born in 1954 in France, and he is pictured below, exploring in Papua New-Guinea in 1980, and notice he is wearing his trademark Orange-Hand Rolex Explorer II. Jean-François Pernette went on to become the 1998 Rolex Laureate Winner of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise. 




1979 French Rolex Explorer II
The Original Orange Hand
Reference 1655

The 1979 Vintage Rolex Jean-François Pernette magazine ad was published in France.




Journey To The End Of The World


The following Rolex Awards For Enterprise Documentary video is about Jean-François Pernette and it is Titled, Journey To The End Of The World.







An Amazing Career

The next two photos below, show Jean-François Pernette in Papua New-Guinea in 1980, communicating with natives, who have had limited contact with the outside world.






In the next two photos we see Jean-François Pernette exploring a cave in Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin, which is part of a mountain pass on the border of Spain and France, located in the western Pyrenees mountain range.





The above photo was taken in 1981, and the photo below were taken in 1982 in  Pierre Saint-Martin. Notice Jean-François Pernette is wearing his trademark Orange Hand Rolex Explorer II in most of these photos taken over the last 4 decades. The Orange hand serves two purposes. First to keep the cave-dweller aware of wether it is AM or PM, and secondly, to able to keep track of time in a second timezone.

In the photo below, we we see Jean-François Pernette sporting a Rolex Datejust.










Rolex Awards Geneva 1998

This next photo was taken in 1998, upon the occasion of Jean-François Pernette winning the 1998 Rolex Award For Enterprise, and we see him being awarded with a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date.


In the next photo below, we see Jean-François Pernette hiking in the mountains of Nepal in 2012. Notice he is still sporting his Orange Hand Rolex Explorer II, which has served him well since 1979 without any challenges, throughout all his expeditions, the latest of which were Patagonia in 2010 and Nepal in 2012.

Jean-François Pernette pictured above in 2012 wearing his Orange Hand Rolex Explorer II

This last photo of Jean-François Pernette was taken this year (2013) while cave exploring in France. Jean-François Pernette has lived an extraordinary life, filled with amazing achievement, all while keeping time with his loyal companion and timekeeper, which is an original, vintage Orange Hand Rolex Explorer II. You can learn much more about the Jean-François Pernette by visiting his Rolex Awards For Enterprise microsite.