Dark Chocolate Daytona

...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day...

Dark Chocolate Daytona 

EverRose Gold with Ceramic Bezel

Charlie's Angels Rolex Watches...

...Rolex Super-Hotness...

Charlie's Angels

Rolex Hotness & Pop Culture Phenomenon

Charlie's Angels was not just about Big Hair, Trim Feminine Hotness, and lots of Bathing Suits, but it was one of the most iconic pop-culture TV Shows in the later 1970s. Charlie's Angels aired new episodes from 1976 to 1981. The show was not just a poplar institution, but more of a cultural phenomenon that went on to become a cult classic. 

Charlie's Angles featured some of the most beautiful women on TV, and I discovered—and published for the first time—back in 2016 the entire original cast of Angels wore Ladies Rolex Watches!!! If you watched Charlies Angel's back in the day, watching the opening credits below will Deja Vu you out!

Fallen Rolex Angels

In the photos below we see Cheryl Ladd, Farrah Fawcett Majors and Jaclyn Smith all wearing Ladies Rolex Datejust watches. This images were taken on the set of the Season 4 episode named "Fallen Angels", which featured Farrah Fawcett's return as an Angel.

The video excerpt below is from the Fallen Angels episode and as you see Cheryl Ladd, Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith are all wearing Rolex watches.

The next four screenshots were taken from the episode above and the first three images show Farah Fawcett and Cheryl Ladd BOTH rockin' yellow gold Rolex Lady Datejust models!?!!

The photo below of the yellow gold 28MM Rolex Lady-Datejust appears courtesy of Jomashop. This model is very similar to the models Farrah and Cheryl are wearing in the screengrabs above and below, but their models like feature the champagne dial, as apposed to the silver dial pictured below. The 28MM Rolex Lady-Datejust in yellow gold with the President bracelet is one of the most icon Rolex ladies watches of all time. In the 1970s and 1980s it was considered to be the ultimate Rolex for most women.

So why and I posting so many photos of Farah and Cheryl? Why not? It probably has something to do with the fact I was MADLY in love with both of them when I was 10-12 years old, and seeing them together, both wearing yellow gold Rolex Lady Datejust models just blows my mind!

It's fascinating to realize that some of the most iconic TV and Movie actor and actresses wore Rolex watches right in front of me, but at the time I was too young to notice.

This next show it also taken from Fallen Angels and shows Jaclyn Smith wearing her Lady-Datejust.

From a historical perspective, it is interesting to note that none of Charlie's Angels are wearing what, then was considered to men's size Rolex watches. Instead, they were all wearing the more feminine, petite 28mm Datejust and Lady-Date models.

At the time, many of the most popular and successful super-models and actresses wore Rolex Lady Date models, including Cheryl Tiegs, who is picture below. 

Sophia Loren, is also pictured below in the later half of the 1970s, and she is wearing her yellow gold Rolex Lady Datejust on an Oyster Bracelet. If you want to learn more about the history of women wearing Rolex be sure to check out my article titled, "The Complete History Of The Rolex Woman—The Evolution Of The Female Archetype." article.

Jaclyn Smith was one of the three original Charlie's Angels, and she is pictured below with fellow angels, Farah Fawcett Majors and Kate Jackson in 1976. Don't Charlie's Angels look like dolls in the unusual photo below?

In many ways, Charlie's Angels were the archetype for modern beauty. In other words, up through the 1960s, women with lots of curves, like Marilyn Monroe, were considered to be the ideal. In the mid 1970s that all changed, and skinny really became the standard for feminine beauty. This is not a judgement, so much as it is an observation.

Looking at all the photos of Jaclyn Smith makes me realize how over-the-top beautiful she was!!! Just stunning!!! Jaclyn was also the only original Charlie's Angel that remained on Charlies' Angels for its complete run from 1976 to 1981.

I remember watching Charlie's Angels on TV in 1976 when I was 10 years old, and I remember being madly in love with all three Angels!!! As I previously mentioned all three of the original Charlie's Angels wore Rolex watches, so let's take a look at them.

Farah Fawcett Majors

The Most Iconic and All-American Angel

Farah Fawcett Majors was not only a major sex symbol of the 1970s, but a media sensation of the highest order. She is pictured below wearing a yellow-gold Rolex Lady Date. She played the role of Jill Munroe on Charlie's Angels.

The 'Farah Fawcett' bathing suit poster seen below in considered to be the best selling poster in history, having sold more than 8 Million copies, and yes I had one in 1976, when I was 10 years old...

The Farah Fawcett Poster

Farah Fawcett was probably most famous for her hairstyle, which was known as the "Farah" hairstyle. Farah was so successful, iconic and famous, she basically became the Marilyn Monroe of the 1970s.

The photo below of Farah Fawcett Majors skateboard is from a famous series of photos. I had those same wheels on my skateboard. They were called Road Rider Wheels.

Farah Fawcett is pictured below wearing her yellow Gold Rolex Lady-Date.

Farah Fawcett Majors was married to Lee Majors, who also had a huge hit TV show which began in 1973 with the movie "The Six Million Dollar Man", which Lee Majors played the role os Steve Austin, the first bionic man. The Six Million Dollar man was not only a pop-culture phenomenon, but also an institution in-and-of-itself.

Below is the original opening and closing theme for the Six Million Dollar man, which brings back some serious memories for me. Just as Charlie's Angles were the archetype for the ultimate 1970s woman, the Six Million Dollar man was the same, expect for a man.

The action adventure/science-fiction themed Six Million Dollar Man TV show ran for 5 seasons from 1974 through 1978, and was based upon three TV pilot movies, with the same name which all aired in 1973. 
Farrah and Lee Majors are pictured below chatting with legendary actor, Jimmy Stewart.

Jaclyn Smith

Timeless Natural Beauty


Four Amazing Decades With Rolex Keeping The Time Of Her Life

Actress Jaclyn Smith is best known for being on the 1970s American TV series, Charlie's Angels, where she played the role of Kelly Garrett. The next photo, taken in the 1970s, shows Jaclyn Smith wearing her two-tone Rolex ladies Datejust. 

One of the most fascinating things I enjoy about publishing Jake's Rolex World, is discovering people I grew up watching on TV or in movies that wore Rolex watches, back in the day.  Take for instance, the Jaclyn Smith magazine ad below for Martini & Rossi (on the rocks). I may have seen this ad when I was a kid, but since I was not aware of Rolex as young child, I likely did not notice Jaclyn's Rolex. 

Looking at these photographs today, in a historical context gives me an even fonder appreciation for Rolex history, as well as the world I grew up in, and often took for granted.

"Say 'Yes' To Martini & Rossi On The Rocks"

 

This next photo below originally appeared in People magazine in the 1980s, and it shows Jaclyn Smith at home with her husband Tony Richmond, who is a noted cinematographer, and their son Gaston. Notice Tony is sporting a Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet.

In this recent photo of Jaclyn Smith, we see her wearing a two-tone Rolex Daytona. Jaclyn Smith was not only a superstar beauty on Charlie's Angels, but went on to be an extremely successful entrepreneur in the early 1980s with developing and marketing her own clothing and perfume lines.

Jaclyn is not just 'another pretty face', but but and amazingly successful entrepreneur and business pioneer. Before Oprah, before Martha Stewart, Jaclyn was the first celebrity to develop her own brand, instead of just endorsing others. 

Kate Jackson

The Cutest Angel

Kate Jackson starred as Sabrina Duncan on Charlie's Angels. Basically she play the role of the more witty Angel.

Cheryl Ladd

The Hottest Angel

Farah Fawcett Majors retired from Charlie's Angels after the first season, and Cheryl Ladd replaced her and played the rolex of Jill Monroe's little sister, Chris Munroe. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the hottest Angel of them All? All of Charlie's Angels are gorgeous, but I have to admit my favorite is Cheryl Ladd.

Farah Fawcett Majors had the most iconic poster in history, and Cheryl Ladd also had some majorly successful posters. I had the one below and it completely Deja Vu's me out looking at it today :-)

So let's get back to looking at Cheryl Ladd's Rolex watch. In the photo below we see her wearing her yellow gold Rolex Lady-Date while posting for a photo with fellow actor, Jeff Conaway. Jeff was on the 1970 sitcom mega-hit named Taxi. He also costarred with John Travolta in the 1978 blockbuster movie, Grease.

Cheryl Ladd is pictured below with Shaun Cassidy (Hardy Boys) in 1977, at which time in history they were most famous and sought after actor and actress in the world.

Rolex Studio Shot of the Day: Brian's DEEPSEA...

...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day...

Brian's DEEPSEA

75 Years After Hiroshima : The Paul Tibbets Story

 By DANNY CRIVELLO

[Note from the author: this story was first published in Aug. 2020 hence the reference to the 75th anniversary.]

My phone lit up with the word "Nuke" on it. I had U.S. Air Force Brigadier General (ret.) Paul W. Tibbets IV in my phone contact under just his pilot callsign. "Time to chat?" Nuke texted. I replied, "For sure."

It's not every day you come across a Rolex GMT-Master that has logged over 1,000 hours in the B-2 Stealth Bomber, including combat missions. This was my most sensitive Rolex article to date and Nuke was calling to tell me what I could show in pictures. 

"We can't show anything that is part of the B-2's defensive management system," he said. "The fuel display is a big no-no," he added. How about the kneeboard? "I see joker and bingo numbers written on it," he replied. "We don't want to show that."

General Paul "Nuke" Tibbets is a former B-2 pilot, instructor and examiner, and the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross award. He has since traded his stealth bomber for a civilian Boeing 747. 

But back in 1999, as a young U.S. Air Force captain with a GMT-Master on his wrist, he had already made aviation history. He lead the world's first B-2 combat sortie, penetrating Yugoslavia's airspace and going undetected against its advanced air defense system. During that stealth night mission, he targeted 16 impact points and blew up military production facilities, including the Smederevo Petroleum Product Storage near Belgrade. A day at the office wearing his trusty Rolex.

 

But it is during some of those long 30-hour missions at high altitude in the B-2 that Nuke had plenty of time to glance at his wrist and remember his grandfather, Paul Tibbets Jr. 

"It was an emotional time when my grandfather gave me the watch," Paul told me. "It's the one thing in life that he valued, that he treasured, that he passed on to me. I felt honestly that he was passing on the torch."

Paul Tibbets' grandfather had also retired as a brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force. And if that name sounds familiar, it's because Paul's grandpa made history as well. Paul Tibbets Jr. had one of the most important missions of World War II as the pilot in command of the B-29 Enola Gay on Aug. 6, 1945. He flew to Hiroshima 75 years ago this week to help put an end to World War II.

Obviously, Tibbets Jr. wasn't wearing a GMT-Master at the time, as the model hadn't been invented. But when the World War II veteran went on to become the CEO of the first fractional business jet company in the world, he was among a handful of pilots in the company to be handed a GMT-Master 1675 by a new corporate client: Rolex USA itself. Rolex had gifted the watch as part of an advertising campaign for the GMT-Master.

The watch of the bomber-pilot-turned-CEO was manufactured in 1966. And it stayed on his wrist until his grandson graduated from U.S. Air Force pilot training in 1990. 

"He knew I was fascinated with the watch," Paul told me. "I had commented several times on it." 

Paul spent four years at the U.S. Air Force Academy. On the morning of Paul's pilot training graduation in 1990, the famous Enola Gay pilot attended the ceremony and took off his Rolex GMT-Master.

"He literally slid the watch over to me on the table and said, 'I want you to have it,'" Paul told me. When Paul inquired to have the GMT-Master serviced in 2004, he contacted Rolex SA in Geneva. Rolex, knowing its provenance, restored the watch to specs pro-bono. 

"I don't have a uniform of his," Paul told me. "I don't have his wings. I don't have any of his Air Force memorabilia. The only thing I have is that watch."

The timepiece is as old as Paul. With a 1,259,261 serial, it was manufactured the year of Paul's birth, 1966.

There is a tradition in the military where a pilot takes his first set of wings, snap them in half and give half to someone really important to the pilot while keeping the other half. 

Paul Tibbets IV snapped his first set of pilot wings and gave his grandfather that half. "He is a hero of mine," he told me. And Paul's grandfather gave him the Rolex. Paul described it as a "pretty emotional time." 

"And my grandpa knew that," he said. "My grandpa wasn't really known to be an emotional guy. But I think that's a pretty significant event when he handed me that watch."

"It's the most special relationship between the two of us," he said. "Because when I wear that watch, I think about my grandpa."

I finally asked Paul whether he will give the Rolex GMT-Master to his son, Paul Tibbets V, who is now 18. "That's my plan," he said. Then he added, laughing: "Probably when he gets a little older, and I know that he'll take care of it!"

Special thanks to Dwayne Stich and Nick Gould for their invaluable contribution to this story. Read more Rolex pilot stories by Capt. Danny Crivello here.

.