Every Rolex Tells A Story: U.S. NAVY GMT-MASTER

Every Rolex Tells A Story

 U.S. NAVY GMT-MASTER

This is a super-fascinating Rolex ad from the 1960s that offers a first hand account from a U.S. Navy Pilot who went through a harrowing experience with his trusted Rolex on his wrist when he was violently ejected from his airplane. This vintage Rolex ad appears courtesy of AdPatina.com.

 

Wimbledon 2021: Roger Federer: On The Evolution of The Rolex Oyster

Wimbledon 2021

June 21 - July 12, 2021

It's that time of the year again and Wimbledon is in full swing so I thought it would be fun to hop in the Rolex Time Machine with Tennis G.O.A.T. Roger Federer and go back to 1926 to check out the first Rolex Oyster.

Roger Federer 
On The Evolution of The Rolex Oyster

I couldn't help but notice that there is a photo of Rolex's brilliant founder, Hans Wilsdorf sitting on the table next to Roger Federer. One thing Wilsdorf & Federer have in common is they are both The Greatest of All Time.

Nick Gould discovered the photo below and see Roger Federer at a 2021 Wimbledon Press conference and he is rocking his Rolex Oyster Perpetual with the yellow Stella style dial which is very cool.

Borg v. McEnroe
1980 Wimbledon

The rivalry between John McEnroe and Björn Borg is one of the greatest in history. Rolex created this really cool video so I thought it would be great to share a little more detail on their relationship.

In the photo below taken back in the early 1980s, we see Björn Borg and John McEnroe and they are both wearing Rolex Datejust watches.

In the photo below from 1980, we see André Heiniger with legendary tennis star Bjorn Borg on June 11. On the evening of Men's singles finals at Wimbledon. The 1980 Wimbledon Men's final match was between Björn Borg and John McEnroe was a dramatic struggle which went on for a long time with Borg prevailing. This amazing photo appears courtesy of S3C.

...Rolex Presents...

The Spirit Of Wimbledon

Four Part Series 

Wimbledon from 1877 to 2011

Rolex is the primary sponsor of the Wimbledon Tennis tournament, as well as being the official timekeeper. Rolex recently released this amazing four-part documentary on the history of Wimbledon and it is amazing!!!

2021 Laureate Rolex Awards for Enterprise Winner Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim

 Rolex Awards for Enterprise 

Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim
2021 Laureate

Jon Rahm Wins U.S. Open Rocking Sky-Dweller

Jon Rahm

Wins U.S. Open
Rocking Sky-Dweller

In the next photo below we see Jon Rahm with his parents on Fathers Day as they celebrate his win and notice his dad is wearing a Rolex Air King.

Rolex Worldwide Headquarters

 

Fall Is On The Way

Rolex Worldwide Headquarters

Geneva, Switzerland 

1995

The photo below of Rolex Worldwide Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland was taken in Fall of 1995 before Rolex increased the number of floors and changed the color from gold and brown to green. Under certain lighting conditions, the building could take on an orange look as seen below. If you want to learn much more about the history of Rolex headquarters architecture you can check out my story named, "Inside Rolex. Exploring What Makes Rolex Tick."

Rolex Giraglia – Preview 2021

A historic and revered event in the Mediterranean yachting calendar, the Rolex Giraglia celebrates its 68th edition this year. Rolex has partnered the race and its organizers Yacht Club Italiano since 1998. In a break from tradition, and to ensure the race can be held safely during the current pandemic, the 241-nautical mile offshore race will run from locations in Italy, Sanremo to Genoa. The race’s emblematic symbol will remain the course highlight. Located one nautical mile off the northern tip of Corsica, the Giraglia rock and its lighthouse has attained mythic proportions and sits alongside the Fastnet rock (Rolex Fastnet Race), the Organ Pipes (Rolex Sydney Hobart) and Stromboli (Rolex Middle Sea Race) as a famous yachting landmark. Throughout its history the event has been defined by its camaraderie and team spirit and increasingly for the diversity and quality of the competing yachts. The 2021 offshore race commences on Wednesday 16 June. Discover more https://on.rolex.org/3v0wBYQ Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

HODINKEE 1969 ROLEX SINGLE RED SUBMARINER

 

HODINKEE

1969 ROLEX SINGLE RED

 SUBMARINER 

[Reference 1680]

I couldn't help but notice Hodinkee offering for sale an AMAZING 1969 Rolex Single Red Submariner with a Mark II dial which includes a full set including box and papers. This fantastic beauty is for sale at $49,000.

What makes this watch so RAD you ask? In many ways this watch is the grandfather of the current Submariner. In other words, in 1969 Rolex introduced a revolutionary all-new Submariner which became the archetype for the modern Submariner. Methinks one of the reason I like this Single Red Submariner so much is that it reminds me of the Single Red SEA-DWELLER which deputed in 1967 in prototype form with a Date and Cyclops magnifier lens.

The is 1969 Submariner came with a new Reference Number of 1680, and was the first Submariner that featured a date feature and this new model was knows as the "Rolex Oyster Perpetual DATE Submariner." This model featured a depth rating of 200 Meters which was the equivalent of 660 feet.

This particular Submariner Hodinkee is offering for sale is a superb example with an excellent patina and as we see it comes with a "Full Set" that includes the original box, papers, brochure and other accessories. Basically the proud owner of this watch will own a magnificent vintage Rolex Submariner that is essentially a Rolex time machine. Check in out on HODINKEE.com. 

Hodinkee's Brandon Frazin offers this great description:

Another "Red" Submariner hits the shop this week; this one is a real beauty, complete with box, papers, and accessories. No matter how many times I see one of these, that little line of red text gets me going. This one is particularly beautiful with lovely custard-colored lume and an overall great vintage vibe. It features the sought-after Mark II dial, which is indicated by the "meters first" depth rating on the dial. Additionally, Mark II dials are known to go "tropical" or change color with age. You can find completely black dials or ones that have turned brown like a Hershey's chocolate bar. The dial on this example has stayed fairly black, but it does have a brownish look to it in certain lights and a real tropical feel in the metal – we'll need to keep tabs on this one to see how it looks in 20 years.

Rolex Hotness: Dr. Sylvia Earle...

Rolex Presents

Heroes of the Oceans
Rolex just published this amazing documentary featuring Dr. Sylvia Earle that discusses the past, present and future health of the oceans of the world we all share.

A Rolex Testimonee since 1982, internationally renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle has been a pioneer of ocean exploration and conservation for more than four decades. Time, she explains, is a measure of life and a reminder that each individual can make a difference. #Rolex #LadyDatejust #EveryRolexTellsAStory To discover her story see the link in the profile.

A post shared by ROLEX (@rolex) on Apr 20, 2017 at 8:00am PDT

Below is a the original story I published on Dr. Sylvia Earle, and I also covered her involvement as the first female Aquanaut in Part 5 of my story about the all-new Single Red SEA-DWELLER.

The Complete History Of

The Rolex Submariner & SEA-DWELLER

Rolex's Conquest Of The Ocean

Part 13: Dr. Sylvia Earle

The First Female Aquanaut

Dr. Sylvia Earle is a DEEP-SEA Pioneer with a list of career innovation and achievement that is mind-blowing. Her amazing career spans 64 years since she first began SCUBA diving back in 1953.

"The more we know, the more we realize there is to know."

—Dr. Sylvia Earle

Dr. Sylvia Earle is a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and she has many nicknames including "Her Deepness", "The Sturgeon General" and "The Aquanette." You can learn much more about her current work by visiting her Mission Blue Sylvia Earle Alliance website, which is fascinating.

I Am Woman Hear Me Roar

In Numbers Too Big To Ignore

Dr. Sylvia Earle was on the 1970 NASA Tektite II Expedition and she is pictured below on the far left, along with her "Aquanette" team-members. Sylvia was really part of the first generation of divers that allowed a woman to do anything a man could.

Dr. Sylvia Earl in many ways is the living personification of the 1971 mega hit song, "I Am Woman" by Australian superstar singer Helen Reddy, which I remember listening to in my childhood. Grammy winner, Helen Reddy's signature song, "I Am Woman", became an international anthem for the Women's Rights Movement in the early 1970s:



Dr. Sylvia Earle is pictured below in the 1970s diving with "Sandy" the dolphin in the Bahamas.

In the photo below we see Dr. Sylvia swimming with a whale shark.

Dr. Silvia Earle is much more than an Aquanaut. She is a pioneering oceanographer, Botanist and Marine Biologist. She can see below as she prepares to dive in one of Dr. Phil Nuytten's innovate diving suits that allows the diver to remain unsaturated.

Dr. Sylvia Earle has appeared in many Rolex ads over the years including the three below. This first one from 2005 has a great tagline of "Job Description: SAVE THE PLANET."

Dr. Sylvia Earle is an amazing woman of incredible achievement and we will explore her history in her upcoming story and I hope to do a podcast interview with her as well. In the recent photo below we see her wearing a ladies Rolex on a President bracelet.

Aquanaut Dr. Sylvia Earle

How To Protect the Blue Heart of the Planet

TED PRIZE Winner for 2009

Rolex is an official sponsor of the amazing 2009 TED Talks and in this video, scientist and aquanaut, Dr. Sylvia Earle–who is an amazing Rolex Explorer–recently gave this incredibly insightful & inspiring 2009 TED PRIZE-winning speech:

Dr. Sylvia Earl is pictured below with the greatest explorer that ever lived—Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

Dr. Sylvia Earl is pictured below with they President Obama in 2016 in Hawaii. Notice she is wearing a 36MM Rolex Day-Date. Sylvia Earle has a fascinating Twitter feed you should check out and follow to keep up with her amazing exploration.

The Complete History Of

The Rolex Submariner & SEA-DWELLER

Rolex's Conquest Of The Ocean

Table Of Contents

• Chapter 1: Genesis

• Chapter 2: The Perpetual Oyster & The Mermaid

• Chapter 3: Panerai & The Italian Royal Navy (The First Rolex Diving Watch)

• Chapter 4: A Brief History Of Diving

• Chapter 5: Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Emile Gagnan & The Aqua Lung

• Chapter 6: The Birth Of The Rolex Submariner: Breaking The Rolex Design Code

• Chapter 7: The Rolex Submariner Through Time: The Evolution Of The Rolex Revolution.

• Chapter 8: The Birth Of The Rolex DEEP-SEA: Jacques Piccard & Captain Don Walsh aboard the U.S. Navy Bathyscaph Trieste Set The All-Time World Depth Record.

• Chapter 9: The First SEA-DWELLER's: Doctor Bond. U.S. Navy Project Genesis and Jacques Cousteau & Project Conshelf.

• Chapter 10: The Birth Of The Rolex SEA-DWELLER: Bob Barth, Scott Carpenter & U.S. Navy SEA-LAB 

• Chapter 11: Henri Delauze & COMEX

• Chapter 12: Dr. George Bass [The Father Of Underwater Archeology]

• Chapter 13: Dr. Sylvia Earle: The First Female Aquanaut

• NEXT >>> Chapter 14: Dr. Phil Nuytten [Pioneering DEEP-SEA Explorer: The Real Aquaman]

• Chapter 15: Dr. Joe MacInnis: From U.S. Navy SEA-LAB to The Titanic Discovery Team

• Chapter 16: Dr. Robert Ballard: The Ultimate U.S. Navy DEEP-SEA Discovery Of The 20th Century–Finding The Titanic 

• Chapter 17: Ralph White [Explorer and National Geographic Cameraman] Discovering and Exploring The Titanic

• Chapter 18: The Return of The Rolex DEEP-SEA 

• Chapter 19: The Return of The Rolex Single SEA-DWELLER: 50th Anniversary Jubilee Model