Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day: MWS's Rolex Coronet Up Close

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day...

MWS's Rolex Coronet Up Close

Nadine Mirada Curvy Supermodel

 

...Rolex Hotness...

Nadine Mirada

Curvy Guess Supermodel

It's getting warmer in the northern hemisphere and summer is around the corner so I think it is time for some Rolex Hotness!!! @NadineMirada is gorgeous and she is a top Guess model. As we see in the photos below Nadine rocks a beautiful two-tone Rolex Datejust with a black dial with raised yellow gold Rolex markers.

The Apollo 13 Rolex Story

53 Years Ago

Apollo 13 Launch

All 3 Crew Members Wore Rolex

Back on April 20, of 2024 Rolex celebrated the history of the GMT-Master by introducing a new GMT-Master that featured a black and grey bezel insert, so I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at the amazing Rolex NASA history. 53 years ago, three NASA Astronauts took-off for the moon aboard Apollo 13 and ended up going through one of the most harrowing ordeals in space exploration history.

Back in 2008, I wrote my first Apollo 13 Rolex Rolex story, and ever since then I have written many more stories on the subject. I decided it would be great to consolidate all my research findings in this definitive article that chronicles the Apollo 13 mission and their Rolex watches.

Jack Swigert

"Houston, we've had a problem"

Jack Swigert was born John Leonard Swigert on August 30, 1931 and passed away on December 27, 1982 at the young age of 51 years old. Jack was a test pilot, aerospace engineer, and U.S. Air force pilot before becoming a NASA Apollo Astronaut. Jack is one of only 24 astronauts who flew to the moon. After retiring from NASA Jack ran for Congress and won but died from cancer before being sworn in to office. Jack Swigert is pictured below as he prepared to leave for the moon wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master.

Jack Swigert's Pepsi GMT-Master he wore to the moon is pictured below as he returned it to Rolex in Geneva after his mission aboard NASAs Apollo 13.

Chic Rolex Space Sheik

NASA Desert Survival Training

Rolex Pepsi GMT Master

I found this fascinating image in the NASA Archives a long time ago. The photo was taken August 14, 1967 during Apollo desert survival training. Apollo 13 Astronaut Jack Swigert is pictured on the far right and he is wearing his Rolex GMT that he wore when he flew to the moon.

Pictured from left to right: Charles M Duke Jr., Thomas K Mattingly, Col. Chester Hohart, and John (Jack) L. Swigert. 

No. These guys are not wearing Halloween costumes, and yes they are Sheiks of sorts. In the photo above, the three astronauts are in Washington state during desert survival training. During desert training the astronauts have to simulate what would happen if they land by mistake way off-course in the desert and have to do without human help for several weeks.

So how and why does this make them Sheik's? Arab Sheiks wear cotton scarfs to protect their heads, known as Keffiyeh and robes to stay cool in the extreme heat of the desert. Arab Sheiks also always wear sunglasses, often times indoors because the sun is extremely bright in the desert. The difference between the NASA Astronaut's headpiece and robes is that they are hand crafted by the Astronauts from parachutes.

The photo below is of a close up of Jack Swigert's trademark Pepsi Rolex GMT Master. If you look closely it appears that Col. Hobart is also wearing a GMT but on a Jubilee bracelet. Also, digg those chic white Jack Taylor Converse Canvass high-tops Swigert is wearing. I had a pair of those when I was little kid :-)

In this next image seen below from the U.S. National Archives, we see NASA Apollo 13 Mission Commander, James Lovell speaking with his Apollo 13 mission astronaut, Jack Swigert who is wearing his Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master in the photo. James Lovell is picture second from the left wearing the light blue Lacoste polo shirt with an alligator on it. Jack Swigert is on the far right. 

The caption from the U.S. National Archives reads:

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - John L. Swigert, Jr., right, the Apollo 13 backup crewman being considered as command module pilot in place of Thomas K. Mattingly II because of the latter's exposure to measles, reviews mission flight plans with, left to right, Donald K. Slayton, Director, Flight Crew operations at the Manned Spacecraft Center; James A. Lovell, Jr., Apollo 13 commander; and Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot.

In the image below we get a close-up of Jack Swigert wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master.

Jack was originally part of the back up crew from the Apollo 13 mission but was assigned to fly on the mission only three days before it launched as a replacement for Ken Mattingly who is pictured to the left of Swigert in the photo above. This was because the prime crew had been exposed to the German Measles (AKA The Rubella Virus).

In the photo below taken 50 years ago today on April 11, 1970 we see Apollo 13 Mission Commander, James Lovell with his fellow Apollo 13 flight mates during their Steak & Eggs breakfast as they prepare to leave for the moon. Notice Jack Swigert (right) is wearing his Pepsi GMT Master on a Rolex Oyster Bracelet and James Lovell (Center) is wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master on a Jubilee Bracelet.

In this next photo below, we see a close-up of Jack Swigert wearing a Lacoste polo shirt with an alligator on it and sporting his Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master during the steak and eggs breakfast just before they took off for the Moon.

The photo below shows Apollo 13 crew with President Richard Nixon at a ceremony celebrating the safe return of the Astronauts from the moon during which Nixon presented Fred Haise, Jim Lovell and Jack Swigert with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Notice in the photo below Jack Swigert is wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master on his left wrist with an Omega Speedmaster Chronograph on his right wrist. One of the great questions is wether or not Jack Swigert's Rolex GMT-Master was used as a timing instrument during the Apollo 13 controlled burn which got the Astronauts back to earth.

Below is a close up wrist shot that clearly shows Jack Swigert's Pepsi GMT-Master.

The image below was send it from Philip at MoonWatchUniverse and shows Jack Swigert on May 27, 1970 and he is still wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master.

Jack Swigert's Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master—pictured below—is in the Rolex private museum today, as he gave it to Rolex Director, René-Paul Jeanneret in exchange for a yellow gold GMT-Master.

Photo Credit: James Dowling & Jeff Hess' Book, Rolex Wristwatches

Jack Swigert is pictured below, posing for his official NASA Apollo 13 portrait after he returned from the moon and notice he is now wearing his yellow gold Rolex GMT-Master which was given to him by Rolex Director, René-Paul Jeanneret.

Jack Swigert's yellow gold Rolex GMT was auctioned in 2017 and we see a photo of it below. I could not help but notice the bezel was changed from a solid brown bezel to a bi-color brown and gold bezel.

In the photo below we see the Apollo 13 flight team after they had returned safely to Earth. Notice Jack Swigert is wearing his new yellow gold Rolex Mocha GMT on a Jubilee Bracelet. James Lovell is pictured on the far right.

The photo above was taken at a press conference a week after the Apollo Astronauts returned to earth. Click on the upper NASA photo for great detail. As you can see in the zoomed photo below, Jack Swigert is still wearing his Pepsi Rolex GMT Master.

James Lovell

James Lovell is pictured below in 1966 next to fellow NASA Apollo Astronaut, Buzz Aldrin who later flew on the Apollo 11 Moon Mission. It is interesting to note that James Lovell began wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master on a Rolex Oyster Bracelet and later switched it to a Jubilee which he wears to this day.

James Lovell was a fighter pilot and test pilot in the U.S. Navy is pictured below with fellow Apollo 8 crew members, Bill Anders and Frank Borman. Notice James Lovell is wearing his Pepsi Rolex GMT Master.

Apollo 8 crew members Bill Anders and Frank Borman are pictured below on the left wearing their MA-1 flight jackets, which became the standard issue for the U.S. Air Force and Navy Pilots, and ground crew. These flight jackets were designed to be worn in temperatures of 15 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit and featured a knitted wool collar with matching cuffs. 

In the photo below we see James Lovell on the far left wearing his Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master standing with Apollo 8 crew mission members, Bill Anders and Frank Borman in front of their Apollo 8 Rocket. 

Frank Borman pictured above wearing his Rolex Pepsi GMT-Master on March 5, 1968 at Grumman's Lunar Module Factory during the announcement for the unmanned Apollo 6, which would be launched a month later. It's hard to see, but it appears Borman's GMT-Master features his West Point emblem printed on the dial next to the 9 marker. (Photo appears courtesy of NASA). Frank Boarman is pictured wearing a classic Omega Speedmaster Chronograph, which is very cool.

In the photo below we get a closer look at James Lovell's GMT-Master.

The photo below was taken 50 years ago today on April 11, 1970 and shows James Lovell on the right side with Fred Haise on his left side as they enjoy their streak and eggs breakfast just before they suit up to leave for the moon aboard Apollo 13. One of the great questions this photo provokes is did James Lovell wear his Pepsi GMT-Master to the moon and back? I plan to keep researching this question and hopefully will come up with an answer soon.

James Lovell is pictured below in a recent photo still wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master.

David Concannon snapped the photo below during the Explorers Club luncheon of NASA Astronaut, James Lovell showing off his vintage Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master.

David Concannon took this close-up wrist shot of James Lovell's Pepsi GMT, and notice on the left side of the dial, there is a U.S. Naval Academy Crest. Another Rolex mystery has been solved, and the mystery question was: "Where did James Lovell get this interesting Rolex with the unusual Naval Academy Crest."

David Concannon just solved that mystery and the answer is that James Lovell confirmed that his Rolex was a gift from the Naval Academy to honor him after his first Gemini Flight.

Fred Haise

Philip from Moon Watch Universe recently made this discovery which confirms that Fred Haise who was a member of the Apollo 13 Moon Mission wore a yellow gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual as seen in the photo above and below.

Apollo 13 Mission

The Saturn V Rocket is pictured above and in the photo below it is pictured during the pre-dawn roll out to the launch pad.

When Apollo 13 took off, everything was fine–at least initially...

"Houston, we've had a problem"

Apollo 13 made it safely to Moon orbit then all hell broke loose when there was a huge explosion that occurred on the number two oxygen tank. To make a long story short, they had to turn around and come back and were not able to go down to the lunar surface. Below is an Apollo 13 Mission Map that depicts the event.

Instead of slowing down to enter the Moon orbit, Apollo 13 used the lunar gravitational pull to catapult them around the dark side of the moon and slingshot them back toward earth.

When Apollo was circulating around the dark side of the moon, they lost radio contact with Earth so they took photos of the Moon from the Aquarius' porthole including the one below which includes a view of the damaged Command Module.

The photo above was taken from the Apollo 13 as was the photo of earth below. 

The photo below shows Jack Swigert (right) holding the "mailbox" rig that was MacGyvered to allow the Apollo 13 command module's square carbon dioxide scrubber to fit in the lunar module, which was designed to take a circular cartridge.

This is a highly controversial topic, but it's believed the Apollo Astronauts may have only made it back safely to Earth because Jack Swigert was able to use his Rolex GMT Master watch or watches to time everything correctly.

This is because after the on-board explosion occurred in the oxygen tank on the Service Module (SM) it knocked out all the electrical power in the Service Module and Command Module (CM) with the exception of emergency power that could only be utilized for re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.

This lack of power rendered all the on-board timing devices useless. The crew of Apollo 13 had no choice but to enter the Lunar Module (LM) in order to survive and this required they turn off all the power on everything in the Lunar Module.

The Lunar Module was designed to accommodate two Astronauts, not three, so they had to improvise and make accommodations, not to mention it was designed to have only two days worth of electrical power.

The ground crew at NASA had to be very creative and resourceful and come up with ways to make the two days worth of power in the Lunar Module last five days so the Astronauts could return safely to earth. In order to do so, virtually all on-board systems had to be powered down including the communications transmitter. Only the radio receiver was left on so the Apollo 13 crew could get instructions from NASA Mission Control.

Of course this rendered all of the timing devices on-board to be useless.

Jack Swigert may have depended upon his GMT Master for timing critical engine burns and thrust intervals as they boomeranged around Moon to set their trajectory for returning to earth safely.

Without Jack Swigert and his GMT Master they may not have made it back safely to earth.

If I understand it correctly NASA calculated at the time there was a 1 in 10 chance they would get back to earth safely and that depended on Jack Swigert being able to keep them on the perfect trajectory. If they strayed by even two degrees they would have missed the Earth's gravitational pull and would have kept going past earth.

It was put forth that since the Omega Speedmaster was the "Official" Moon watch that the Omega saved their lives, but James Dowling & Jeff Hess' claimed in their book "Rolex Wristwatches" that it was a Rolex GMT that Jack Swigert depended upon. I don't know because I was not there, but it is an interesting topic for Rolex enthusiasts.

I have spent a great deal of time researching much evidence that exists and I think James Dowling & Jeff Hess may be correct. 

It was extremely fortunate and nothing short of a miracle, that the NASA Astronauts were able to return to earth.

This story is fascinating as I previously documented that all Apollo 14 NASA Astronauts also wore Rolex watches. I first documented Apollo 13 mission member, Jack Swigert wore his Rolex GMT-Master to the moon and back. 

Rolex Astronauts

Below is a fascinating list of NASA Astronauts, Test Pilots and Flight Directors I have discovered and documented wearing Rolex watches over the dozen decade:
Chuck Yeager of Edwards Air Force Base was first to break sound barrier in 1947 while wearing a Rolex Perpetual Oyster.
William Knight of Edwards Air Force Base Fastest manned flight of Mach 6.7 (4,250 Miles Per Hour ins X-15 which is nearly 7 times the speed of sound) in 1967.
John Glenn of Mercury 7. Wore a Pepsi and a yellow Gold Rolex GMT-Master.
Scott Carpenter of Mercury 7.
Walter Schirra of Mercury 8, Gemini 6A & Apollo 7. Wore a Pepsi GMT-Master.
Frank Borman of Gemini 7 and Apollo 8. Wore a Rolex Oyster Perpetual.
Pete Conrad of Gemini 5, Gemini 11, Apollo 12, Skylab 2.
Richard Gordon Jr. of Gemini 11 and Apollo 12.
Jack Swigert of Apollo 13 (Wore his Pepsi GMT-Master to Moon).
James Lovell was a U.S. Navy Test Pilot and went onto NASA to participate in Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 & Apollo 13.
Stuart Roosa of Apollo 14 (Wore Pepsi GMT-Master to Moon).
Dr. Edgar Mitchell of Apollo 14 (Wore Pepsi GMT-Master to Moon).
Alan Shepard of Mercury 3 & Apollo 14 (Worn A Pepsi-GMT Master on Cape Canaveral & Possibly To The Moon).
Ronald Evans of Apollo 17 (Wore a Pepsi GMT-Master to Moon).
Eugene Cernan of Gemini 9A, Apollo 10 & Apollo 17 (Wore a Pepsi GMT-Master Outside Space Suit and Possibly To The Moon).
Lloyd Blaine Hammond of 1991 Space Shuttle. Discovery Mission STS-39, and 1994 Space Shuttle Discover STS-94.
Dr. Leroy Chaio (Wore Pepsi GMT-Master on 3 Space Shuttle Missions and while Commander of the International Space Station Expedition 10).
Christopher Kraft founding NASA flight director.
Michael Collins of Apollo 11 wore a Rolex Turn-O-Graph, as well as a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date.
Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11 wore a Rolex SEA-DWELLER.
Fred Haise of Apollo 13 as seen in this story wearing a yellow gold Rolex Datejust.
Albert Scott Crossfield who was an X-15 NASA spaceplane test pilot.
Philip from Moonwatch Universe also discovered the following Astronauts wore Rolex: Scott Altman, Sonny Carter, Michael McCulley, and Drafyyd Williams (Canada).

Weekend Watching Tucker Carlson & Patrick Bet-David

Weekend Watching

Tucker Carlson & Patrick Bet-David

This weekend, Patrick Bet-David sat down with Tucker Carlson and had a fascinating conversation about the state of the world today, and it is worth noting that both Tucker and Patrick both rock Rolex watches...

The Complete History Of Rolex Mythbusting

The Complete History Of

Rolex Mythbusting

Separating Rolex Fact from Fiction 

"A lie gets halfway around the world before 
the truth has a chance to get its pants on."

—Winston Churchill

I have been publishing Jake's Rolex World continuously for the past 17 years—which genuinely boggles my mind!?!! I just completed a major update on this story, so I thought I would share it with you!

I started Jake's Rolex World because I wanted to try and share all the Rolex watch and history insight I had gained over the past quarter-century. I did so, because I had been madly in love with Rolex ever since I first noticed them when I was a teenager, and I wanted to learn and share even more about the most magnificent brand in the world. In other words, I wanted to learn much more about the history of the company that made the most timeless watches. I was fascinated with learning as much as I could about Rolex's 'Secret Sauce', and what made Rolex tick.

When I began deeply exploring Rolex history, I went after all the clues. I followed-up and researched every Rolex story I had heard, and while many of  them turned out to be true and have a basis in reality, that was not always the case. My original goal when I started Jake's Rolex World was to clarify the truth about Rolex history, which I believe I have done a pretty good job with. When a company exists like Rolex, it deserves nothing less than to have an accurate and precise record of its perpetual innovation and excellence. As the worlds leading Rolex historian I believe having false myths and false associations perpetuated about the brand does not serve Rolex well, and only serves to confuse people unnecessarily.

I have been meaning to write this story for a long, long time, so I am happy to finally separate-the-fact-from-the fiction and lay to rest all these falsely perpetuated Rolex myths. There have been many myths that were falsely perpetuated in the past regarding Rolex, and this story seeks to debunk and bust each and every one of them. The findings here are the result of more than a decade of research. 

If you anybody has any information that refutes any of my findings, please write-in and I will publish your findings in this story. That being said, I would be shocked. Where did these myths come from? How were they perpetuated if they are not true? Where did all this false association and attribution come from? Read on and find out for yourself:

False Myth #1

Eisenhower wore a Rolex Day-Date 

The first known falsely perpetuated Rolex myth I am aware of said the Rolex Day-Date model was named 'The President' because U.S. President Eisenhower wore one. This is not true. President Eisenhower indeed wore a yellow gold Rolex Datejust. this is an undisputed fact as witnessed in the photo below.

The truth is that President Lyndon B. Johnson was the first President Of The United States to wear a Rolex Day-Date. In the past, I explored and figured out where the origins of the term "The Rolex President" watch came from.

To learn much more about this subject, check out my story titled "The Complete History Of The Rolex President: The International Mark Of Success."

False Myth #2

The Steve McQueen Explorer

This false Rolex myth has to do with The King Of Cool, Steve McQueen, and this false myth irks me the most!?!! Specifically, because several auction houses still have the gall and ignorance to keep perpetuating this extremely false myth by referring to the Rolex Explorer II, 'Orange Hand' Reference 1655 as "The Steve McQueen Explorer".  

Every time an Auction house or Rolex vintage dealer uses the term, "The Steve McQueen Explorer", they are complete idiots and should not be trusted, as they have no idea what they are talking about. If they use this term they either lack real Rolex history knowledge or they are deceptive liars— or both. In other words, historically accurate credibility is important, and auction houses who try to auction a Rolex Reference 1655 Orange Hand Explorer and refer to it as a "Steve McQueen Explorer", are incompetent and don't know their Rolex history.

The classic Rolex Explorer II 'Orange Hand' Reference  1655 that has been falsely associated with Steve McQueen is pictured above

So where did this this falsely perpetuated myth come from and why does it still persist to this day? Some people have speculated that an unscrupolus Italian Auction house created this false association between Steve McQueen and the Reference 1655 'Orange Hand' Explorer II, because they wanted to help increase the prices at auction for this model. The logic is that since Paul Newman famously wore a Rolex Daytona, that if they could associate an Explorer II with Steve McQueen, it would make it cooler, thus achieving higher auction prices. Also, if you look at the photo above of Steve McQueen, it is possible that somebody saw this and falsely assumed he was wearing a Rolex Explorer II, which was NOT the case (pun intended ;-) As we see in the photos below, Steve McQueen famously wore a Rolex Submariner. 

False Myth #3

The Jean-Claude Killy Rolex Triple Date

This next myth was likely also created and perpetuated by an unscrupulous Italian auction house, which falsely attributed the Rolex Reference 6236 Triple-Date 'Dato Compax', with Olympic Skiing legend, Jean-Claude Killy. 

The Rolex Triple-Date Chronograph that is commonly misattributed to Jean-Claud Killy is pictured below. There is NOT one photo of Jean-Claude Killy wearing this watch as he never wore this watch. Many of the early photos of Jean-Claud Killy show him wearing a Rolex Day-Date as pictured above.

It is also important to take into consideration that the Rolex Triple-Date Chronograph was made many years before Jean-Claude began wearing Rolex watches, and Jean-Claude was a cutting-edge modern guy, not a vintage guy. In this next photo, we see Jean-Claude Killy pictured at L-Mans with Steve McQueen.

The SUPREME IRONY, is the Rolex Explorer II watch model that was falsely attributed to Steve McQueen, was in reality a watch model Jean-Claude Killy Rolex attributed to him, as witnessed by the next three vintage Rolex ads from the late 1970s. In other words, Jean-Clause Killy became a Rolex brand Ambassador just after he won the 1968 Olympics, and there would have been zero logic in him wearing a completely discontinued Rolex model.

The image below of what appears to be Jean-Claude Killy's wrist is also ironic as it appears that the Explorer II was superimposed onto his wrist, in a pre-Photochop manner...

False Myth #4

Gianni Agnelli Wore A Rolex Daytona

This is another weird falsely perpetuated Rolex myth, that says billionaire industrialist Gianni Agnelli wore a Rolex Daytona over his cuff. I kept hearing this, but there is zero truth to it. The weird thing this myth has in common with the Steve McQueen Explorer myth is that people have told me on many occasions they saw a photo of him actually wearing the falsely attributed watch. I imagine this speaks to the power of suggestion, but the reality is that there is ZERO truth to this myth. In the photo below we see Gianni Agnelli wearing an Omega Seamaster Proplof over his shirt cut back in the 1970s. Wearing wristwatches on the outside of his shirt cuff was a trademark of Agnelli, but never with a Rolex.

False Myth #5

Rolex Is Owned By The Catholic Church

I first heard this years ago from a source I will not mention by name. They told me they believed Rolex was owned by the Catholic Church, which is not true, and it makes no sense for many reasons. My best guess is that somebody saw Pope John Paul II wearing his two-tone Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet, and somehow falsely attributed this association. It also could have to do with the fact that the Rolex Day-Date, Day dial has been traditionally offered in 26 different languages, and one of them is Latin, which is the official language of the Vatican.

The fact is that Rolex's founder, Hans Wilsdorf setup Rolex as a perpetual Trust in 1944, which is still run and owned by the Wilsdorf Trust. Also, Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex was a Protestant.

False Myth #6

Mt. Everest was conquered by the Rolex Explorer

This next false myth is very interesting. The myth put forth was that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norway were wearing Rolex Explorer watch models when they conquered Mount Everest in 1953. This is NOT true. The Rolex magazine ad below was published in 2003 and shows Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norway on Mount Everest.

The Rolex ad above may have possibly added to the confusion around this myth. The best scholarship to date suggests the reality is Rolex introduced the Rolex Explorer with the now classic 3, 6, 9 black dial as an homage to Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's conquering of Mount Everest. One of the main reasons I have successfully been able to bust these falsely perpetuated myths over the years and dispel them is because when I learned of them, and went looking for the photographic evidence and could not find it, I discovered something different—because it did not exist. 

After climbing Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary was considered to be one of the top explorer's on earth. in 1954, Hillary was on another Himalayan expedition, high on a peak neighboring Everest where he broke three of his ribs while rescuing one of his fellow climbers. He then caught pneumonia and had to be removed from the mountain on a stretcher as seen below.

The photo above, shows Sir Edmund Hillary being placed on a stretcher, and the fellow climber taking off Hillary's glasses seems to be wearing a Rolex Explorer with the black 3, 6, 9 dial.

The magazine ad below is from my 8 Part story titled "The Complete History: Rolex Conquered Mount Everest."

Back in 2008, when I was doing research on this story, I genuinely thought I found Sir Edmund Hillary's Rolex he wore when he conquered Everest, which was in the Beyer Museum in Zurich, Switzerland. The photo below was exclusively taken by The Beyer Museum for Jake's Rolex World in 2008. After exhaustive research I cannot find any conclusive evidence that Hillary or fellow summiteer Tenzing Norgay were actually wearing Rolex watches when they conquered the summit of Everest.

One confusing fact is that many of the expeditions that attempted to conquer Mt. Everest on foot were equipped with Rolex Oyster watches including the 1953 British Expedition that actually conquered Everest. In all of Rolex collateral material up until today, they point out that the leader of the 1953 British Expedition, Sir John Hunt and his team were equipped with Rolex Oyster Perpetual models, but NEVER has Rolex EVER claimed that Sir Edmund Hillary, or Tenzing Norgay were wearing Rolex watches when they summited Everest.

Bellow is a photo of Sir Edmund Hillary taken in 1953 and shows what might be him wearing his Rolex Oyster Perpetual. A supreme irony is both Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay owned Rolex Oyster models they received on prior expeditions to the 1953 British Everest Expedition.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual magazine ad seen below was published by Rolex in 1957 and shows a beautiful illustration of a white dialed Rolex Oyster.

False Myth #7

Rolex Space Dweller

This next false myth I want to bust put forth the notion The Mercury Seven Astronauts visited and toured Japan in the mid-1960s, and were very popular, and as a result, Rolex came out with the Rolex Space-Dweller for the Japanese marketplace. I don't believe this to be true, and from all my research the only NASA Mercury astronaut to visit Japan was John Glenn who became the first American to orbit earth in 1962, and the next year, in 1963 traveled to Japan. 

In 1963 Glenn was stationed aboard a U.S. Air Force communications ship named, Coastal Sentry, which was located near Kyūshū, Japan. At the time, Glenn was tracking fellow Mercury Astronaut, Gordon Cooper who was aboard the last Mercury mission and got in trouble, as he experienced a complete failure of his automatic re-entry system, and John Glenn was in radio communication with Gordon to help him retrofire his rockets manually to reenter earth atmosphere. After Gordon Cooper landed back on earth, John Glenn traveled to the land of the rising sun to reunite with his family and take a well deserved two week vacation. The Glenn family visited Kansai and Tokai areas before spending 3 days in Tokyo where he was hailed as a hero by and received red-carpet treatment from the government of Japan.

Some people have questioned the validity of the Rolex Space-Dweller watch, to begin with as it remains so enigmatic. 

On an interesting side note, it's a fact the same person who coined the name of 'SPACE-DWELLER' for this model, also coined the name 'SEA-DWELLER'.

Update as of April 2, 2025: I was working with Nick Gould on my story about the Rolex LAND-DWELLER and he said "I think the Rolex SPACE-DWELLER is a Fugazi".  I asked him why, and he cited Jose from Perezcope.com had written an article on the subject which I didn't recall reading at the time when it was published back in December of 2023. 

While there is historical evidence that Rolex registered the trademark name of "SPACE-DWELLER" at the same time as the "SEA-DWELLER" back on November 19, of  1968, I believe, that all the examples are Fugazi's. In other words, I don't think Rolex ever made such a model, and some unscrupulous shady dealers got ahold of real Rolex Explorer dials and updated them with the "SPACE-DWELLER" designation on their dials. 

While I agree with all of Jose's brilliant findings and conclusions, the only thing I can't seem to rectify, is the fact that Rolex's Trademark Application says "First use July 7. 1967; in commerce", which makes little sense and just confuses me.

False Myth #8

Rolex did not go to the moon

Another myth that was falsely perpetuated said that Omega was the official moon watch and that no Rolex watches ever went to the moon, or were worn by U.S. NASA Astronauts on moonwalks. This is not true, as I discovered back in 2008 when I first went digging through the NASA archives. The photo below shows Dr. Edgar Mitchell as he suits up to leave for the moon aboard Apollo 14, and he is putting on two Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master watches—one on each wrist. You can learn much more about Rolex and NASA history by checking out my Rolex X-Files Story.

False Myth #9

COMEX developed the SEA-DWELLER

Another Persistent Falsely Perpetuated Myth I busted said Rolex developed the Rolex SEA-DWELLER with Comex. I discovered this to be a false myth and published my findings many years ago, but many, many sources ignored my findings, up until recently, when "scholarship" they discovered unequivocally refuted this notion and made the truth clear as day. Just to reiterate, COMEX had nothing to do with the development of the Rolex SEA-DWELLER.

Founder Of COMEX, Henri Delauze [1970]

I first learned about how Rolex co-developed the helium release valve for the SEA-DWELLER from U.S. Mercury Astronaut and U.S. Navy SEALAB Aquanaut, Scott Carpenter, when I interviewed him back in 2008. 

 "The Rolex Submariner & Rolex SEA-DWELLER have a cachet that is unmatched by any other watch. The Rolex brand is the most highly respected in my book. The Rolex Submariner was the preferred diving watch for U.S. NAVY SEALAB Divers." –Scott Carpenter

How did I confirm for certain the fact COMEX had ZERO to do with the development of the Rolex SEA-DWELLER? I interviewed Comex founder, Henri-Germain Delauze many years ago and I asked him. He confirmed Comex had nothing to do with the development of the SEA-DWELLER as Rolex and Comex did not begin collaborating until 1972, which was 5 years after Rolex filed their patent application for the gas release valve for the SEA-DWELLER. I also asked Henri-Germain Delauze if he would pose for some photos that showed him wearing his trademark Rolex COMEX watch, and he obliged with the photo below which is exclusive to Jake's Rolex World.

False Myth #10

Chuck Yeager GMT-Master

The next false myth said that Chuck Yeager was wearing a Rolex GMT-Master when he was the first human to break the speed of sound barrier in 1947. This is not possible, as Rolex Did not introduce the GMT-Master until 1955. In the photo below we see General Yeager indeed wearing a GMT-Master, but he has worn many different Rolex models in his lifetime.

False Myth #11

Rolex watches are made from imported parts

I have heard some bizarre and vicious rumors in the past that suggest Rolex made parts and imported them from outside Switzerland. There is ZERO truth to this. I know because several years ago, I toured all four Rolex manufacturing facilities in Switzerland and saw everything with my own eyes. Rolex watches are made 100% from parts made in Switzerland.

False Myth #12

The Paul Newman Daytona

Another thing that drives me nuts, is how auction houses and vintage dealers refer to Daytona models that Paul Neman never wore as a "Paul Newman Daytona." It is a fact that Paul Newman wore several different Rolex Daytona models, but the only proper 'Paul Newman' is pictured below.

Rolex made many different variations of the "exotic" dial as seen above and below. In particular, they made different color combinations, as well as yellow gold versions, but Paul Newman never wore any of those watches, so people need to stop the false attribution and false association to Paul Newman. In other words, if a vintage Rolex does not look EXACTLY like Paul Newman's Own Rolex Daytona, which is pictured below, with all the colors just like this, it is not a Paul Newman Daytona.

False Myth #13

Paul Newman Winning

There is a second myth associated with Paul Newman that says he wore a Rolex Daytona in his 1969 racing movie, which is not true. Paul Newman did NOT wear a Rolex Daytona in the movie, Winning.

When you see photos like the two below you see how some people thought Paul Newman was wearing a Rolex Daytona Chronograph in the Movie Winning.

The screen grab I took for the movie 'Winning' is seen below, and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Paul Newman is NOT wearing a Rolex, at least the bracelet is NOT a kind of Rolex bracelet I have ever seen. 

False Myth #14

Paul Newman Submariner

There is a third myth associated with Paul Newman that says he wore a Rolex Submariner in the photo below. 

It turns out Paul Neman is NOT wearing a Rolex in the photo at the top of this story. Nick Gould from Deployant.com wrote an article that proved this watch is NOT a Rolex Submariner, titled, "A Follow Up: Paul Newman's Waltham/Blancpain Bathyscaphe Diver." In this brilliantly researched article, Nick successfully separated the fact from the fiction and positively IDs this watch. The photos below are from Nick's superb article that shows Paul Newman wearing what appears to be, but is not a Rolex Submariner 6538.

Nick Gould from Deployant.com made a Positive ID on Paul Newman's watch pictured above and said it is a vintage Waltham/Blancpain-Bathyscaphe Diver, which is very similar to the one pictured below.

False Myth #15

Communist Leaders Didn't wear Rolex

Before I got started with Jake's Rolex World a decade ago, there were people who said no Communist leaders wore Rolex watches. This is far from the truth. The reality is just about every major Communist leader wore a Rolex as seen below.

Both Cuban Communist revolutionary leaders Fidel Castro, and Che Guevara wore Rolex GMT-Master models. Speaking of Mythbusting, there remains a persistent myth where people believe Che Guevara wore a Rolex Submariner which traces its origin back to the FAKE Rolex Magazine advertisement that somebody put together many years ago. 

The supreme irony is that Che Guevara NEVER wore or owned a Rolex Submariner but was actually wearing a GMT-Master in the photo that appears above in the fake Rolex Magazine Ad, which was a Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master [Reference 1680] with pointed crown guards.

 

Next up we see Chinese Communist, Chairman Mao Zedong, who wore two different Rolex Datejust models, which can be seen below his photo.

Next, we see Leonid Brezhnev, who was the General Secretary of The Communist Party of The Soviet Union, ironically wearing the same yellow gold Rolex Datejust Chairman Moa wore, as seen in the photo above. Leonid Brezhnev was the first to propose "Perestroika", which was a policy or practice of restructuring and reforming the economic and political system. Perestroika was originally referred to as an increased automation of labor efficiency. In the final analysis, Perestroika became know as a method of creating greater awareness of economic markets, and the end of centralized planning.

In the next photo below we see Soviet Communist leader, Leonid Brezhnev kissing East German President, Erich Honecker during a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the German Democratic Republic in 1979. Notice East German Communist leader, Erich Honecker is also wearing a yellow gold Rolex Datejust. It is an ironic fact the Communists tried to keep capitalism outside by erecting a wall, yet they all wore Rolex watches, which were the ultimate Capitalist business tool watch!?!!

Mikhail Gorbachev, the Russian leader who reformed and dismantled the former Soviet Union is pictured below rocking his Rolex Datejust. 

In the photo above we see Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986 pointing to his stainless steel and gold Rolex Datejust during a visit to London, England. I believe it was Nick Gould who first discovered Gorbachev rocking a Rolex...

Lastly, we see the first President of Russia, former Communist leader, Boris Yeltsin wearing his Rolex Datejust.

False Myth #16

Rolex Watches Don't Work In Space

When I started  Jake's Rolex World a decade ago, there was a myth that said Rolex watches don't work in space, and in particular, they automatic Rolex Perpetual motor does not work in space, so it can't wind the watch due to the zero gravity nature of space. I confirmed this myth was NOT true with NASA Astronaut, Dr. Leroy Chiao, who I did a podcast interview with back in 2008. 

If anybody would know, it would be Dr. Chiao, as he flew on four Space Shuttle Missions, and was the Commander of Expedition 10 on the International Space Station. Dr. Chiao is pictured below on the International Space Station, working out, and he is wearing his Pepsi Rolex GMT Master.

False Myth #17

Rolex Watches Are Expensive

This is not really a myth per se, so much as it's a misconception. Expensive is a relative term. Yes, indeed, Rolex watches are not inexpensive to purchase, but they typically hold their value so well, that if you own one for say, twenty years, if you go to sell it, typically you will be able to sell it for more than you paid. This is particularly true of the sports models, like the Submariner and GMT-Master models. 

Think about it, how many things in your life that you have purchased, have appreciated in value over time as you use them? Not very many. Most Rolex watches hit their maximum acceleration on the depreciation curve just after they are purchased, and more typically than not, they begin to appreciate over time. It can also be argued that Rolex watches are a kind of international currency, in and of themselves—kind of like the dollar.

It has been very common over the years for people to ask me for investment advice on which Rolex watches to purchase. I typically advise people not to purchase a Rolex as an investment, but instead, I advise them to only buy a Rolex watch if they love it.

There are many well-documented examples of a vintage Rolex that sold for around $120 a half-century or so ago to sell now for more than $50,000. As I just mentioned, I typically don't offer investment advice, but I have never owned a Rolex that I did not end-up selling for more than I paid for it. In other words, one way I look at it, is that every Rolex I have ever owned, I got paid to wear ;-) Below is an example of a story that illustrates this point well:




Antiques Roadshow 1960 Rolex GMT Master [Reference 6542]
"The Best Watch Ever Made!!!" Bought 55 Years Ago for $120 Today is worth $70,000
This is a heartwarming story about a man who bought a Rolex in Germany in 1960 when he was stationed in the U.S. Army. He paid $120 for it, and freaked out when Antiques Roadshow advised him that his Rolex is worth between $65,000 and $75,000 today!!! That means it increased in value by 625 times in 55 years. That's a 6000% return on his initial investment. I highly recommend watching this video. 

An obvious question is how many more of these valuable watches are sitting around in drawers, slowly collecting dust, and the answer is many, many, many!!!! Most people see these old watches, and if they can't get the watch to work, they think its broken and worthless...What a World!!?!

If you are aware of a Rolex myth that is not listed in this story, please feel free to write in and share it with me. If is seems bonafide, I will investigate and publish my findings in this story.

False Myth #18

Robert De Niro Daytona

It has been said Robert De Niro wore a Rolex Daytona in the 2001 movie named "15 Minutes.", but after careful evaluation, I realized it is NOT a Rolex. It sure looks like a vintage Daytona, but it is not. If you look closely, you can see the watch is lacking chronograph pusher buttons. Of course, Robert De Niro has worn many different Rolex watches through his lifetime, and you can see them in my story on his amazing career achievements.

False Myth #19

"The California Dial" Nomenclature

There is an art-deco style of Rolex dial that is now commonly referred to as "The California Dial", which is pictured below in the vintage Rolex ad from the 1940s. The myth perpetuated suggested that Rolex was somehow inspired by California when they came out with this dial style, which is not true.

"Error-Proof" Irony: If you closely examine the poster above you might notice the irony of the misspelling of RADIUM as RADUIM as seen on the second line of text. 

Rodrigo Monterey from Boston, Massachusetts wrote in and said: 

Hi, Jake.

I'm a fan of your Rolex Magazine website.

I noticed the bizarre typo and thought—wait, is this error on purpose? It seems like a joke to have a spelling mistake, since it's an ad about being error-proof!

For years, people have referred to these unusual dials as "California dials" and people ask me all the time why the California Dial is called, "The California Dial." In other words, what does it have to do with California? The photo below was taken by Harsam of his 1943 Rolex Bubbleback, which has an original Art Deco "California" dial.

Rolex Patent Application

June 15, 1942

Rolex applied for a patent for this dial on May 30, 1941, and the patent was granted on June 15, 1942, as seen in the patent application below. So where did the name, "California Dial" come from? It is likely that during the Bubble-back craze that occurred in the 1980s, there was a dial refinisher in California named Kirk Rich, that specialized in refinishing these dials, and that stores on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles that resold these watches, may explain where the "California Dial" nickname came from. You can learn much more about the history of these dials by reading "The Complete History Of The 'California Dial'—Rolex Myth Buster." 

The patent application pictured above, when translated from French to English says:

The object of the present invention is a timepiece dial. This dial is characterized in that it comprises hourly signs constituted by Roman numerals and others by Arabic numerals. 

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, four embodiments of the object of the present invention. 

FIG. 1 is a plane of the first embodiment. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are small-scale planes, the second, respectively the third and fourth embodiments. 

The dial of FIG. 1 is a round dial with an hour circle with twelve signs, one for each hour. The signs for hours 10 and 11 and 1 and 2 are Roman numerals, those for hours 4 and 5 and 7 and 8 by Arabic numerals and those corresponding to noon, 6 o'clock, 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, By simple geometrical elements, namely a triangle and three horizontal sticks.

It will be seen that this layout gives a clear and simple turn of the hours, easy to realize with luminous material and allowing an easy reading of the time especially for wristwatch boxes whose dials are relatively small. In fact, the fact that the Roman numerals occupy half the dial and the Arabic numerals the other clearly distinguishes these two halves. In addition, the Roman numerals chosen are those which are the simplest to perform and the easiest to read.

In the other three embodiments, the hourly sign corresponding to time 5 is constituted by the corresponding Roman numeral and the hourly sign corresponding to 6 hours is constituted by a very short vertical line. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the sign corresponding to noon, is indicated by a vertical line, in that of fig. 3, by two vertical lines and, in that of FIG. 4, by a short stroke surmounted by a half-circumference. Of course, the aforementioned provisions could be applied to dials of a shape other than round and other arrangements would still be possible

CLAIM

Dial of timepiece, characterized in that it comprises hourly signs co-located by roman numerals and others by arabic numerals. 

SUB-CLAIMS: 

1. Dial according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: In addition, time symbols constituted by triangular geometrical elements.

2. The dial as claimed in claim 1, wherein the symbols corresponding to the hours 10 and 11 and 1 and 2 are constituted by Roman numerals.

3. Dial according to claim 4, characterized in that the signs corresponding to Hours 4, 7 and 8 are Arabic signs.

4. Dial according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the corresponding 5-hour sign is the corresponding Roman numeral.

5. Dial according to claim 1, characterized in that the remaining digits are constituted by geometrical elements.

6. Dial according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sign corresponding to 5 hours is constituted by the corresponding Arabic numeral.

7. Dial according to claim 6, characterized in that the remaining signs are constituted by the geometric elements.

MONTRES ROLEX S. A. Mandataire A. BUGNION, Genève.

False Myth #20

Rolex copied Blancpain's rotating bezel

Rolex developed the Submariner and began experimenting with prototypes in early 1953. The photo below appears courtesy of Eric Ku and is a Rolex Submariner Reference 6204, with a serial number of 949,143. To the best of my knowledge, this is the earliest known Submariner watch and it was made in the second quarter of 1953. Also, notice it has an unusual honeycomb dial, which is very rare.

In that same year, a company named Blancpain introduced a watch named "50 Fathoms", which was also a dive watch that featured a black spinning bezel similar to the one on the Submariner, and it is pictured below.

Over the years there have been many arguments about who invented the spinning bezel, and some people have suggested that Rolex copied Blancpain. Hodinkee.com wrote a detailed article named "HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES: A Historical Look At The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms + Live Photos Of Some Early Classics", in which Hodinkee wrote: 

"The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is the archetypal diving watch, we've told you that before.  The Fifty Fathoms was conceived before even the Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster, and its story even more dramatic."

I do not believe this to be true, as Rolex made Oyster Chronograph models in the early 1940s that featured a spinning bezel as seen on the Rolex Zerograph model pictured below [Rolex Reference 3346: Circa 1941]. Also, in contrast to Hodinkee's statement, according to the Omega Museum, the SEAMASTER was "launched in 1948 to coincide with the brand's 100th anniversary."

Just to clarify, I think Hodinkee is specifically referring to the SEAMASTER 300 [Reference CK 2913], which was was the first Omega SEAMASTER to feature a rotating bezel, and was introduced in 1957—four years after the Rolex Submariner. Prior to the SEAMASTER 300 Omega made a SEAMASTER that was a super simple watch with an unmarked, stationary bezel. If I understand it correctly, the first SEAMASTER from 1948 [Omega Reference CK 2518] was designed for people who lived and worked around boats, like a ship captain, or dockworker, but was not designed for diving.

In October 1953 Rolex set the all-time depth record for a watch when the original Rolex DEEP-SEA Special (Pictured below) successfully dove to a depth of 10,350 Feet/3150 Meters attached to the outside of Professor August Piccard's Bathyscaphe Trieste. Professor Picard named his Bathyscaphe after the town of Trieste in Italy.

The reason I am sharing this in-depth information with you, is I highly doubt Rolex randomly developed this watch in the first few months of 1953. Instead, I believe it was the result of many years of R&D. Thus I don't believe the Blancpain 50 fathoms was 'conceived before the Submariner', and further, I don't believe Rolex copied Blancpain's spinning bezel design when Rolex had been making watches with spinning bezels for decades before the mid-1950s. As a matter of fact, it was Captain Philip Van Horn Seems who was a U.S. Navy Officer, inventor, archeologist and famous author who designed, engineered and applied for a patent back in 1929, for his "Second-Setting Watch", which was granted in 1935. This spinning/lockable bezel was used in pilots watches that were made by many brands including Zenith, Movado, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, and Longines.  Also, it is worth noting Rolex invented and patented the waterproof watch in 1926 under Swiss Patent CH120848—not Blancpain.

Also, in October of 1953 the Institute Of Submarine Research had COMPLETED its testing of Rolex SUBMARINER watches, which included "132 (dives) in 5 months", which means the original Submariner watches had to be delivered at the latest in May of 1953, which would correlate with being manufactured in Q2 of 1953.

In addition, Rolex began making the Rolex 2533 model, which the Rolex made Panerai watches were based upon in 1935. The Rolex made Panerai model below which features the "California Dial" was made in 1944. Rolex exclusively made the Panerai dive watches for the Italian Royal Navy to be used as diving watches.

Jose from Perezcope.com put together this AMAZING Timeline poster that covers Rolex's conquest of the Ocean from the original Oyster to the Panerai dive watches, through the Submariner and SEA-DWELLER, as well as all the DEEP-SEA models.

False Myth #21

Christopher Lee wore a Rolex in

The James Bond Movie
The Man With The Golden Gun

There are many, many people who have claimed Christopher Lee wore a Rolex Cellini in the 1974 James Bond movie titled, "The Man With The Golden Gun." From all my research on this subject, I believe it to be a false myth, as you can read below from my excerpt from Chapter 7 of my story named, "The James Bond Rolex Story. The Complete History of James Bond Watches."

Christopher Lee

The Man With The Golden Gun
Yellow Gold CELLINI KING MIDAS?

Christopher Lee played the villain named Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun. For years I heard many people say he wore a yellow gold King Midas Rolex Cellini, as seen in the photos below. On Jake's Rolex World I have always specialized in separating fact from fiction, and busting false myths. So the obvious question, is Christopher Lee wearing a Rolex King Midas?

The video scene below shows Christopher Lee's character with his Golden Gun, which he is able to build on-demand from his cigaret lighter, cigarette case, and his pen. 



To date, I have never been able to make a positive ID match by finding an exact Rolex model that matches Christopher Lee's watch. The reality is that Rolex made a zillion variations of the yellow gold Rolex Cellini King Midas, with brown wood dials, which look similar to the watch Christopher Lee is wearing.

My best guess is that Christopher Lee is NOT wearing a Rolex, but a Piaget model similar to the one pictured below. In the future, I will continue to explore this issue until I can make a positive ID.

False Myth #22

U.S. Marines Rolex Prototype

This article was originally published on Jake's Rolex world on October 10, 2008. Soon after publishing the pictures below multiple highly knowledgeable Rolex collectors communicated to me that the watches were fake and that the cases were made in Asia by a factory that specialized in making fantasy/homage watches.

While the watches are interesting, there are many things about them that are incorrect. For instance, it is highly unlikely that Rolex would EVER make a model with a U.S. special military designation on it. 

Secondly, the dials embarrassingly read "U.S. Marine", which is singular. The U.S. Marines a.k.a., The Marine Corps, NEVER have used this spelling, but always use the plural of U.S. Marines. The U.S. Marines would likely never commission a company like Rolex to make expensive customized watches for soldiers. 

Also, it has been put forth that the reason these models have the larger solid end links was to protect a soldiers wrist from getting shot, which is ludicrous. Why? First of all the likelihood of a soldier getting shot in the wrist is very low, and secondly, there would not be enough steel to deflect a bullet.

Rolex has denied having ever made these watches, and certainly, they were never produced by Rolex.

The watch below features a jumbo body with a 12-hour graduated revolving stainless steel bezel. In the photo above the bezel looks black but it is steel. This watch has a Triplock winding-crown in the 4 o'clock position which is protected by a massive crown-guard. It features a domed crystal with elongated lugs with detachable hoods. This watch is 44mm in circumference and 58mm from lug end to lug end.

The two photos above were taken by Hannes who is a co-owner of the German R-L-X.de forum and the photo below was from an Antiquorum Auction and the dials are completely different. Also, the one on top has a Cyclops lens and the one below does not. The one above has a red number on the bezel and the one below has black. The one below has a riveted Oyster bracelet and the one below does not.

The Antiquorum describes the watch below: 

"This is the first watch known to be sold at auction, with dial marked "U.S.Marine". The case of this watch is perfectly engineered for heavy military use. Its large size ensures that the wrist will be completely covered, thereby preventing the injuries sometimes caused by violent impacts to smaller watches, the winding crown positioned at 4 o’clock, with its sloping crown guard, affords better protection than the standard configuration of crown and guard at 3. The rounded hoods covering the lugs reduce the possibility of the watch’s becoming caught in equipment and also act as locks for the bezel. The steel rotating 12-hour bezel effectively gives an hour and minute recorder which is invaluable in military exercises. Overall, this watch was designed for only one purpose, to tell time in some of the harshest environments and under the most extreme conditions, the types of activity that are synonymous with the U.S. Marine Corps. According to unofficial information from Rolex, two similar prototypes by Tudor were offered to the U.S. Navy. One of these Tudor prototypes was sold by Antiquorum NY in May 1998, lot 36. The present watch will be illustrated in the upcoming book on Rolex, soon to be published by Guido Mondani."

The watch below pictured below was successfully auctioned by Antiquorum on April 24, 2004, for 124,500 Swiss Francs which today equals $103,000 U.S.

These U.S. Military Rolex Prototypes are very unusual and interesting looking watches.

False Myth #23

FBI Director
J.Edgar Hoover 
Wore A Submariner

This article was originally published on Jake's Rolex world on October 10, 2008. S

The First Rolex FBI Director

J. Edgar Hoover

The Most Powerful Man In America

Stainless Steel Rolex Submariner

There was a myth that was perpetrated on the web that said that J. Edgar Hoover wore a Rolex Submariner that was given to him as a gift. It turns out it was not true and instead was a false myth perpetuated by a man who was trying to make a quick buck. 

J. Edgar Hoover was an interesting man nonetheless who somehow managed to turn the United States into his personal fiefdom. J. Edgar Hoover, pictured below, began his career as a clerk in the United States Justice Department, and over time worked his way up the ladder into the Bureau of Investigation. In 1924 he became the director of the Bureau of Investigation. The Bureau of Investigation was the precursor to the FBI, and it specialized in fighting white-collar crime.

In the early days of the FBI, it was comprised of many lawyers and accountants. In the early 1930s, there was a great deal of gangster activity occurring, and J. Edgar Hoover took it upon himself to reinvent the FBI to cope with the interstate crime sprees that were happening in the midwest of the United States. 

J. Edgar Hoover and his G-Men, as they were called, systematically went after all the gangsters, beginning with John Dillinger, who was known as Public Enemy Number one, and eradicated slowly and methodically wiped them out. This list of Public Enemies included Bonnie & Clyde, Machine Gun Kelly, and Pretty Boy Floyd.   

As a result of the massive effort it took to wipe out all the gangsters, J. Edgar Hoover's power became immense. He was extremely methodical in keeping notes about people which would later aid him in staying in power as the Director of The FBI for 48 years, whereupon he served under 8 U.S. Presidents. But that kind of depends on who you talk to. Some would say it was the other way around, and that the Presidents of the United States served his wishes.

Despite not being very physically attractive, J. Edgar Hoover had a powerful aura about him, and in many ways, he was an elegant man. In the photo below I am fairly certain we see J. Edgar Hoover wearing a Cartier Tank Cintrée.

Clyde Tolson

Deputy Of the FBI

J. Edgar Hoover was unusual in many ways. He lived with his mother until he was 40 years old. Clyde Tolson was J. Edgar Hoover's right-hand man from 1928-1972 and was appointed Assistant Director of the FBI in 1930 by Hoover. 

J. Edgar Hoover once described Clyde Tolson as his alter ego. Hoover and Tolson rode to and from work together, ate lunch together every day, and vacationed together. They regularly traveled together on official FBI business.

Many people have put forth the idea that J. Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolson were lovers. I don't know this to be a fact, but there is a great deal of evidence to support this. One thing is for certain, and that is they were inseparable and loved and respected each other deeply.

In J. Edgar Hoover's will, he left everything he owned to Clyde Tolson, including his home, which Tolsen moved into until he passed away. The photo below shows Clyde Tolsen attending J. Edgar Hoover's funeral.

This is where the false Rolex Submariner myth comes into play. A man using the name Walter Cohen published a story with photos on the internet along with the story quoted below:

 "In April 1975, a frail elderly man walked into Milton Schlosser's jewelry shop in Washington DC to have a link removed from his Rolex (Submariner) watch. The polite elderly gentleman left the watch with the shop owner and never returned.  Unbeknownst to Milton Schlosser, the elderly man had died the next day.

It wasn't until 1983, when two FBI agents showed up at his door to inquire about the watch did Schlosser realize who Clyde Tolson was."

The photos above and below were purported to be of J. Edgar Hoover's supposed Rolex Submariner Reference 5513, which has an engraving on the back.

The photo below of the Submariner case back engraving appears to read, "JEH 46 GREAT YEARS AND COUNTING. MAY 1, 1970. CLYDE". 

When I investigated this story, there were a bunch of fishy clues. For instance, the engraving on the back of the Rolex Submariner says 46 great years. The challenge is that J. Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolsen didn't meet until around 43 years before the date on the watch. The issue is the criminal who perpetuated this fallacy didn't even do his homework to learn when and how they actually met.