This stunning Rolex Egyptian Day-Date OYSTERQUARTZ photo is from Antiquorum, and features this over-the-top trippy Rolex Day-Date Oysterquartz that was made in 1985. The watch features a beautifully finished walnut dial, with a bezel with pyramids running around it, as well as down the bracelet. It seems like every time I think I am have come close to seeing it all with Rolex, I come across something else...Is Ronald Reagan still the President? You gotta love the eighties...
I think Rolex should bring back the walnut wood dials in the future, but with modernized makers, as it offers such an naturally (organic) vibe...This Rolex Day-Date model stands testament to the fact that Rolex historically experimented like crazy with enhancing details on many, many different models...In my upcoming set of 12 books on the history of Rolex I go into great detail on the history of the Rolex OYSTERQUARTZ models and will be offering a great deal of previously undocumented insight on their genesis...
Eleonora Incardona is an Italian model, actress and social media star, and as we see she wears different Rolex Daytona models. Eleonora has been posting on her Instagram account since 2012 and has over a1 Million followers. She travels all over the world and post pics of her adventures.
Every time I think maybe I have seen it all in the world of Rolex, I seem to realize I am far from achieving such a lofty goal. A reader named Christophe who is a vintage Rolex watch collector wrote-in asking if I might have any insight to share on a most unusual and highly mysterious vintage Rolex in his collection, and I almost fell out of my chair when I saw this potentially ultra-rare gem. Is this a prototype, or a one-off, or customized Rolex? If so, was it customized by Rolex, or aftermarket, by a cunning watchmaker at Artisans de Genève, just to mess with everybody?
I don't want to get too excited about this discovery as I am not able to confirm if all the details are legit, but I have began reaching out to my key fellow Rolex horological experts for their input. Once I have concluded, I will update this story, but all I can say is if this is completely original, it would potentially be a complete next-level game changer...
For clarity sake, many, many brands have famously made what are known as skeleton watches, whereby they lack a dial that hides or covers the movement, but instead showcases the movement elements and parts in place of the dial. Also, watches that expose the movement with a clear crystal on the back are typically referred to as "exhibition casebacks" as they showcase the beauty and technical sophistication of the watch movement. Historically, Rolex was thought to have NEVER produced such a watch, but this beauty appears to completely refute that notion and instead make it appear as if Rolex was actual an early pioneer of incorporating such technology!!!
Also, this apparently unique Rolex prototype features another most unusual characteristic, and that is the fact the 5 minute baton markers as well as the minute track are painted on the back of the crystal in red, which adds yet another unusual and beautiful element. The Rolex Oyster advertisement below was published in July of 1934, and notice the 5 minute baton markers in the watch located in the upper right hand corner features a very similar layout.
I showed this discovery to Nick Gould, and as usual, he made an astute observation and quipped, "Clearly this is similar to a Rolex Reference 1073, and maybe the front crystal and exhibition case back that showcases the raw movement was for time testing? I am confident the movement is authentic..."
Just for frame-of-reference, the Rolex pictured below was a very early Rolex Oyster, made in 1926 and notice it features skinny lugs connected to a similar cushion case that appear to have been soldiered on. This model formed the basis for the Rolex Oyster, and shares a similar cushion case shape to the mystery Rolex.
One More Thang...
Another interesting feature is this watch also has an exhibition caseback, which showcases the manually wound Rolex Extra Prima movement, which was an extremely precise and accurate timekeeper back in the 1920s.
My best guess is this Rolex featured a case made out of silver, and the movement is simply gorgeous.
So if this discovery is authentic, what would it mean? Rolex, to the best of my knowledge only ever made one other model in the past which featured an exhibition caseback and that apparently was a sales model made exclusively for Rolex sales representatives to show customers how the Rolex automatic perpetual movement worked.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual
The First Waterproof Self-Winding Watch
The Development of the Rolex Oyster was an incredible horological achievement, but the challenge was that it made it more difficult to manually wind the watch because the user had to unscrew it first, then wind it, then re-screw the Oyster crown.
In 1931 Rolex patented the Perpetual rotor which automatically wound the watch, thus eliminating the need to ever wind it again! This not only made it more convenient but also more accurate because the watch would never stop so long as you wore it.
For those too young to remember, manual-wind wrist watches required you wind them daily which was an inconvenience for most people, although some people, like train conductors liked it ;-))))))
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual pictured above and below was made in 1931 and Rolex put an exhibition caseback on it to easily show potential consumers how it worked. As you can see in the photo below there is a rotor that says "Rolex Auto Rotor" which automatically spins clockwise and/or counter-clockwise just from the movement of the wearers wrist and "Automatically" wound the mainspring. In other words, even the slightest movement of the wrist (using gravity) will wind the watch, thus keeping the mainspring wound at optimum tension.
Rolex based the design of their perpetual rotor system on one Abraham Louis Perelet developed in 1770, and in the years before Rolex perfected their methodology, there was a company named Harwood that created a self-winding rotor system that only moved clockwise, but had many challenges that stopped it from becoming the industry standard.
By creating an auto-winding or self-winding wristwatch, Rolex once again revolutionized the wristwatch–and again, Rolex was not the first to explore creating a self-winding wristwatch, but Hans Wilsdorf and Rolex were the first to perfect it, patent, and bring it successfully to market, and most importantly sell it in large quantities around earth.
The patent on the Rolex perpetual eventually ran out in 1948 and everybody was free to develop their own automatic rotor systems that used gravity to wind their movements–and they did...
Rolex articulated this beautifully this notion when they said:
"Standing out against the bright black dial are intense white counters whose graphic design is inspired by a traditional Rolex dial. The Oyster case is fitted with a transparent back and an Oyster bracelet. This original timepiece is equipped with an exclusive movement, calibre 4132, which allows the hours of the chronograph function to be counted over twenty-four hours – another nod to the race – instead of the model’s usual twelve."
Perhaps the most extraordinary feature of this new model is it featured an exhibition case back, which was a first for Rolex. That's right, it only took Rolex 117 years to formally launch a model that featured an exhibition caseback, which seems strange to many people as Rolex movements have historically been such works of art, in-and-of-themselves...
Rolex articulated it beautifully and said:
"This movement incorporates the Chronergy escapement, Paraflex shock absorbers, and bridges decorated with Rolex Côtes de Genève. The cut-out oscillating weight in 18 kt yellow gold is fitted with an optimized ball bearing. Like all Rolex watches, this special version of the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona carries the Superlative Chronometer certification, which ensures excellent performance on the wrist."
Once I learn more about this potentially amazing discovery, I will update this article.
Update on November 1, 2024: Ironically Rolex just introduced this cool short video on their transparent case back.
The King Of Rock & Roll Elvis Presley Rolex Submariner James Bond Reference 6538 'Big Crown'
I originally published this story on September 3, 2017, and I just updated it with a bunch of great new content! I am a huge Elvis fan, and I have been working for a while on a profound new Elvis story I hope to publish soon. Also, Netflix recently announced they are coming out with an exclusive new Elvis documentary titled "Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley", which will debut soon on November 13, 2024, and below you can check out a superb preview:
Elvis Presley passed away forty in 1977 (or maybe he really didn't and is still alive and well :-), but either way Elvis remains one of the most enduring and successful icons in history. Several days ago I published a fascinating detailed story about Elvis Presley and his Rolex King Midas watch from 1970. Today, I am very excited to to show you some photos of Elvis Presley from 1962 that show The King wearing his Rolex Submariner. The photos are from the Elvis Presley movie titled, Girls, Girls, Girls. Elvis is pictured below with the gorgeous Stella Stevens on the set of the movie, and notice Elvis is wearing a Rolex Submariner with a Big Crown!!!
1962 was not only a great year for Elvis, but a great year in general. JFK was the President Of The United States, and all was good in the world...We typically think of Steve McQueen as The King Of Cool, or even Paul Newman, Miles Davis, and Robert Redford, but I think Elvis Presley exists in that same pantheon of Rolex coolness, and in 1962 was the coolest of all...In the close-up photo below, we see Elvis is wearing his Rolex Submariner on a nylon strap.
So why was I so freaked-out when I recently discovered undocumented photos of Elvis Presley wearing a Rolex Submariner? For many reasons!
First of all, Elvis Presley remains to this day, one of the most iconic men and most handsome men in modern history. Especially the younger Elvis from the early 1960s. This is something young Elvis Presley has in common with the Rolex Submariner, is they are both timeless, great looking icons. Also, I was fairly certain that Elvis wore more Rolex watches than just his King Midas, but nobody had ever spotted him wearing one.
On a personal note, one of the greatest thrills is the adrenaline rush that comes when I discover a really famous cool person wearing a Rolex nobody has ever seen before. It is kind of like Rolex Spotting/Hunting at it's finest. A specific example of this would be when in 2011 I discovered the now famous photo of Pablo Picasso wearing his Rolex GMT-Master. I remember I almost fell out of my chair when I found it—same with the photos of Elvis Presley wearing a Submariner. It's almost like finding, long lost buried treasure that nobody even knows exists!!!
The photos above and below are from the movie titled Girls, Girls, Girls and shows Elvis singing on stage in a club in Hawaii. If you look closely in the photo above you see Elvis' Submariner, and in the photo below he is checking the time on his Rolex.
The photos above and below are also from Girls, Girls, Girls, and show Elvis wearing his Submariner.
Elvis Presley's movie, titled, Girls, Girls, Girls was filmed in Hawaii in 1962.
Big Crown Sub
1962 was an interesting year, and in the photo below from Girls, Girls, Girls, Elvis Presley is wearing a Rolex Submariner Reference 6538 "Big Crown".
I assume it is a mere coincidence, but on of the best-known, most iconic movies to date that features a man wearing a Rolex Submariner is the first James Bond movie, Dr. No, which also debuted in theaters in 1962.
In the photos above, taken in 1962, we see Sean Connery playing James Bond wearing his 'Big Crown' Submariner, and in the photo below, taken the same year, we see Chuck Yeager wearing his 'Big Crown' Submariner.
Last month, or Weekend Watching we saw Rolex Datejust wearer, Tucker Carlson interview Donald Trump Jr., and he was rocking the newest GMT-Master with the black and grey dial. It's hard to believe but the 2024 Presidential Election is only 8 days away. Both Joe Rogan and President Trump are known Rolex wearers, and recently Joe Rogan, who is the most successful and famous podcaster today sat down and interviewed President Trump.
There were a number of interesting things discussed in this long-for interview, and most interestingly, in the past, Joe Rogan claimed he would NEVER interview President Trump, but for some reason, he clearly changed his mind. It's interesting to note how popular this video is as it's already been viewed more than 25 Million times!?!! This video is Many President's have worn Rolex watches, including President Biden, which is fascinating...
As they say, this one is in the history books. We just witnessed a new piece of the Rolex History puzzle as the auction for Dr. Edgar Mitchell's Rolex MoonWatch sold for close to $2.2 Million. ($1,730,559 before Buyers Premium).
The obvious question is, "Who bought it?" I imagine she will soon be flying first-class from America—homeward bound—to Geneva, Switzerland, to meet her maker after more than half a century of having witnessed some pretty wild action out in the world. You know, just keeping time at NASA, then flying through space on a Saturn V Rocket at 15,647 MPH (25,181 km/h) aimed toward the moon, then walking around on the moon, then heading back to earth...just another adventure in the life of a professional Rolex tool watch...
Apollo 14
Rolex GMT MoonWatch
Sells for $2,163,199
This is just conjecture on my behalf, as I assume Rolex would want this historically significant watch for their private museum collection which is amazing. It is my fervent prayer, one day soon, Rolex will surprise us by opening up a permanent museum in Geneva that is open to the public. As I previously mentioned, I have more over-the-top, previously undocumented Rolex Space Conquest history coming up soon—so stay tuned...
Rolex history can be said to be "A love story of man and his machines". I recently heard Jordan Peterson profoundly quip: "Men are into things, and women are into people." I think this is a true statement, and even though there are many women who are into Rolex watches today, you primarily see the ladies wearing men's Rolex watches, although there have been some rather bizarre exceptions to that rule, including Andy Warhol.
We are living in a really interesting time in history, and just like Charles Dickens presciently waxed poetically in 1859 in the opening paragraph of his book, "A Tale of Two Cities", he began by saying:
It was the best of times,
it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom,
it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief,
it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of Light,
it was the season of Darkness,
it was the spring of hope,
it was the winter of despair,
we had everything before us,
we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven,
we were all going direct the other way,
—In short, the period was so far like the present period that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
—Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
While that timeless statement may be true of all time, and while there are many challenges in the world today for humanity, we are experiencing a renaissance of sorts back to the original Space Age and Space Race. This new Space Age is being pioneered by Elon Musk, who in case you missed it, last week launched the single largest rocket or flying object in history (397 Feet Long), which is named the Space X "Starship Super Heavy". The Booster rocket is so large it at launch it contains 10 Million pounds of rocket fuel!?!!
The most remarkable fact the way the booster rocket landed back on earth, not on the ground, or in the ocean but was caught in mid air-flight with chopsticks by Space X's Mechzilla as you can see for yourself in the following video:
Bigger Than Bigtime!
For frame-of-reference, Starship is even bigger than the NASA Saturn rockets used during the Apollo Missions to take astronauts to the moon. The video above offers a great overview of the significance of this amazing feat. In the photo below we see NASA's Werner von Braun standing in front of the F-1 engines on the Saturn V Rocket in 1969.
Many people, particularly in the United States are freaked out about the upcoming election, but there is a lot of optimism about the future, and speaking of Elon Musk, Tesla stock was up 21.92% today alone, which as I add this paragraph, two hours before the auction is over for this Rolex watch, I notice the current bid is at 1,730,559!!!!
Rolex's Outer Space History
If you have followed Jake's Rolex World over the past few decades, you know I have been passionately obsessed with capturing all of Rolex's Outer Space History. As a matter of fact, I have been working for years on putting together a series of 15 books, which have yet to be published, which cover the ENTIRE Rolex history Arc.
My upcoming books are a veritable encyclopedia of Rolex history and I have one volume dedicated exclusively to Rolex's Conquest of Space, and below we see the working cover art for my upcoming book and it's named "Rolex, Space Conquest: From Switzerland to the Moon and Beyond, by Jake Ehrlich."
The Apollo 14 mission to the moon came just after the crazy Apollo 13 mission, in which Jack Swigert, who is pictured above wore his Pepsi GMT-Master to the Moon. Jack Swigert's Rolex has been located in the Rolex private museum collection in Geneva, Switzerland for many decades as is pictured below.
When many people think about NASA and Astronauts, they think about OMEGA watches, but the truth is many, many, many NASA astronauts chose Rolex to keep the time of their life personally, as well as in space and on the moon with Rolex watches. I think it would be safe to say, if OMEGA was the choice of made by NASA for watches for Astronauts to wear in space on the outside of their spacesuits, Rolex was the personal choice of NASA Astronauts to wear in their everyday lives, as well as in space, and on the moon itself.
There is much more to the Rolex Space Race History than many people are aware of, and in my upcoming book series, I really bring these brilliant chapters to life. The photo above appeared in a book published by James Dowling (Mr. Rolex), and it shows the old ROLEX AND NASA homage wall that used to be on display at Rolex International Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
“The vision recurs; the eastern sun has a second rise; history repeats her tale unconsciously, and goes off into a mystic rhyme; ages are prototypes of other ages, and the winding course of time brings us round to the same spot again.”
One of my favorite Rolex Space stories that comes to mind covers NASA Astronaut, Dr. Leroy Chiao who I interviewed in 2008. Dr. Chiao is a really cool guy and is one of the most decorated astronauts in history. Dr. Chiao is pictured below as he prepares for take-off on the Russian Soyuz Rocket on its way to the International Space Station.
In the picture above you first notice the American Flag on Dr. Chiao's arm, and if you zoom in closely you might notice he is rocking a Pepsi GMT-Master on a Jubilee bracelet.
LIFE IMITATES ART
It turns out it's a small world after all. Dr. Chiao mentioned to me in his 2008 interview that when he was a kid he fell in love with the Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master when he first saw it being worn on a Star Trek episode titled "Assignment: Earth" on the wrist of a mysterious time traveler from the future named Gary Seven who is pictured below in the next two photos.
The Star Trek Gary Seven character was played by Robert Lansing and he appeared in an episode of Star Trek as a human from the 24th century, undertaking a mission on Earth in 1968. Gary Seven famously wore a Pepsi GMT-Master, and I always thought he looks like Steve McQueen.
Rolex Apollo Astronauts
I have an exciting secret to share with you. This article focuses on Apollo 14 and Dr. Edgar Mitchell's GMT-Master, but I have some over-the-top, game-changing crazy Rolex Apollo news coming up soon, that will forever change the moonscape for the Apollo moon missions, and I plan to reveal it soon on Jake's Rolex World, so stay tuned...
Actually, I was saving it for my upcoming Rolex Space Conquest book, but I think it's too important not to share sooner than later. If you want to know the truth, I am terrible at keeping secrets as I love sharing with people, so I am like a kid who keeps trying to open Christmas presents long before they are supposed to be opened...
In the photo above we see the prime crew of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission. Pictured from left to right we see mission commander, Stuart Roosa, Alan Shephard Jr., and lunar module pilot, Dr Edgar Mitchell.
It turns out—rather fascinatingly, I might add—that all three Apollo 14 Astronauts wore Rolex Pepsi GMT-Master Models as their personal watches!?!! I mean, what are the odds that all three of the NASA Astronauts pictured above all not only wear Rolex watches, but all chose the exact same model of Rolex, which is the Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master.
In the image above we see Alan Shepard Jr. wearing his GMT-Master as he posses with his fellow prime team members in front of the Saturn Rocket which would soon take them to the moon.
Before we take a closer look at Dr. Edgar Michell's Rolex, let's take a closer look at the Apollo 14 mission.
Dr. Edgar Mitchell
First, we see Dr. Edgar Mitchell rocking his Pepsi GMT-Master as he wore it on his right wrist. This is the same GMT-Master that is currently being auctioned.
NASA Apollo 14 Lunar Module Pilot Dr. Edgar Mitchell pictured in 1971 wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master he wore to the moon. (Photo: USN)
Dr. Mitchell was born in Texas, and was a U.S. Navy Test Pilot and officer. Dr. Mitchell was extremely smart and well educated, as he achieved a doctoral degree in aeronautics and astronautics. Mitchell was also a highly respected mathematician, and educator.
In this next photo we see Alan Shepard (light blue shirt) and Ed Mitchell (cap) on a geology field trip, at Craters of the Moon, Idaho on August 22, 1969. Notice that Ed Mitchell is wearing his trademark Pepsi Rolex GMT on his left wrist.
Alan Shepard
Alan Shepard was one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts in 1959 (pictured below), and in May of 1961 he achieved the first crewed Project Mercury flight, named Mercury Redstone 3, in his spacecraft named Freedom 7.
Less than a month after the Soviet's launched their first cosmonaut into space, the American's followed by launching astronaut, Alan Shepard into space. President Kennedy, with his wife Jackie, and Vice President Johnson are pictured below as they watch the first American astronaut, Alan Shepard as he takes off on May 5, 1961.
Several days later, JFK invited the Mercury astronauts to the White House for a congratulatory ceremony for Alan Shepard. President Kennedy was in awe of Alan Shepard's accomplishment and suddenly it appeared as if the United States may take the lead in the space race.
Below we see Apollo 14 Commander, Alan Shepard JR. rocking his Rolex GMT-Master.Shepard became the second person, as well as the first American to travel into space.
NASA Apollo 14 Commander Alan Shepard pictured above on October 27, 1971 at the United Nations (Photo: AP/UN)
Shepard went on to become designated as the commander of the first crewed Project Gemini mission, that was unfortunately grounded in October of 1963, due to an inner-ear ailment. His Ménière's disease was surgically corrected in 1968, and in 1971, Shepard became the commander of the Apollo 14 Mission, thus piloting the Apollo Lunar Module Antares. Shepard was the only original Mercury Seven astronaut to walk on the Moon.
In the photo below taken on November 9, 1970, we see the Apollo 14 mission primary team at the cape, and Alan Shepard is rocking his GMT-Master on a watch strap.
In the photo below we get a crystal-clear positive identification shot of Alan Shepard rocking his GMT-Master.
In this article I mentioned several times how Rolex was the choice of many NASA Astronauts as their personal watches, but it didn't stop there as we see in the picture below, even Alan Shepard's NASA Doctor. William K. Douglas appears to be rocking a GMT-Master as he gave Alan Shepard a pre-flight medical examination taken on May 5, 1961 just before he flew his NASA Mercury mission.
Stuart Roosa
Next up we see Stuart Roosa wearing his GMT-Master, which is also flipped around, just like Alan Shephard's pictured above.
NASA Apollo 14 Command Module Pilot pictured wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master (Photo: AP/UN)
In that article I published the photographic evidence confirming Roosa wore his Rolex in the Command Service Module aboard Apollo 14, when I published the photo below:
In that article I wrote: "The newly discovered screenshot (pictured above) was originally filmed on February 7, 1971, as the CSM Kitty Hawk made its way back to earth. This photo shows Stuart Roosa wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master. It is a fact all three Apollo 14 prime crew members wore Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master models, but this appears to be the first evidence that shows and confirms Roosa doing so!!!" I also included the screenshot below that shows NASA Command Pilot, Stuart Roosa wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master on his right wrist while working in the CSM.
Years after I published my discovery of Stuart Roosa rocking his Rolex GMT-Master aboard Apollo 14, seemingly as if from out of nowhere, Rolex shared the signed photo seen below from him that brilliantly reads, "MY GMT MASTER 200,000 MILES FROM GENEVA. STUART O ROOSA, APOLLO 14, and ironically it has the same photo I independently discovered. I can tell you Rolex would have made my life a lot easier, if they shared this kind of stuff with me, but I imagine the blessing in disguise is that in the final analysis, it's about the journey, and not the destination. As the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu once said, "The paths are many, but the way is one..."
Apollo 14 Mission
In the photo below we see Dr. Edgar Mitchell wearing his Pepsi GMT while training with fellow Apollo 14 Astronaut, Commander Alan Shepard.
In the next photo we see Alan Shepard also rocking his Pepsi GMT-Master on his left wrist on a watch strap.
Dr. Edgar Mitchell took the photo below of Alan Shepard on the moon surface, posing with the American flag, and in this photo we see Dr. Mitchell's shadow in the front of the photo.
Dr. Mitchell would go on to take the longest recorded moon walk in history which exceeded nine hours, during which he specifically stated he wore his Pepsi GMT-Master on his right wrist.
This next NASA photo is of the NASA Apollo 14 Lunar Module parked on the Moon surface which delivered Dr. Edgar Mitchell and Alan Shepard to the moon surface and returned them to the Service Module.
Photo above of Dr. Edgar Mitchell's Rolex GMT-Master appears courtesy of RR Auction and shows Dr. Mitchels Pepsi GMT-Master which is a Reference 1675.
This is an interesting type of auction as RR Auction opened up the biding online on September 26, 2024, while informing the world the action would culminate on October 24, 2024 at 7PM EDT, and told the world that bidders must register and bid by 6PM EDT, on October 24th to be allowed to bid in the final 30 minutes of the live auction.
"Edgar was once asked about winding his watch during his flight, and he told the questioner, “I never worried about winding my watch because I wore a Rolex.”
—John Heller (Fratello Watches)
NASA Apollo 14 Astronaut, Dr. Edger Mitchell (pictured above) putting on his Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master as he suits up to fly to the moon. It has always fascinated me that the red and blue bezel insert on the Pepsi GMT-Master along with the large white 5-minute markers have always matched and reminded me of the American Flag on the NASA Apollo Astronauts space suits, which we also see on Dr. Michell's left arm. This is jus too cool of a color combination in my mind...I also can't help but wonder if the NASA astronauts were attracted to the GMT-Master as it featured an all-American vibe?
Philip from MoonWatchUniverse is an expert in all things space related and he chimed in and said:
"In April 1970, Apollo 13 CMP John "Jack" Swigert was the first to wear a Rolex to lunar orbit but Apollo 14 LMP Edgar Mitchell was the first to wear Rolex on the lunar surface as he wanted to gift both daughters something he had worn on the Moon. Besides his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster number 77, Mitchell wore two personal wrist watches underneath the Apollo A7L space suit. Apollo 14 CMP Stuart Roosa and Apollo 17 CMP Ron Evans also carried their personal Rolex GMT-master 1675 to lunar orbit, while Apollo 17 Moonwalkers agreed to carry Evans's 1675 down to the Moon onboard Lunar Lander "Challenger".”
—Philip Corneille (#MoonWatchUniverse Blog)
Fly Me To The Moon
It's interesting to note Dr. Mitchell's Rolex GMT-Master is only the second lunar worn Rolex to be offered for public sale. Dr. Mitchell was the sixth NASA Astronaut to walk on the moon. It's assumed Dr. Mitchell's Rolex was the first Rolex worn on the moon, but I am aware of additional evidence that suggests a different Rolex may have been previously worn on the Moon, but suffice it to say Mitchell's is definitely the first documented Rolex to date that was worn on the moon.
This indicates they were likely produced as part of the same production batch, and were likely delivered to them from Rolex U.S.A., who maintained a close relationship with many NASA Astronauts.
Also, Mitchell's Rolex features a rare Rolex FlipLock bracelet locking system along with a dive watch extension, which means his GMT-Master essentially had a Submariner Oyster Bracelet attached to it, which was common among the NASA astronauts to wear them this way. I assume Rolex customized these moon watches this way just for them.
Did Mitchell Wear his
GMT-Master on the Moon?
There is some controversy as to whether or not Dr. Edgar Mitchell actually wore his Rolex while he walked on the moon? I remember many years ago, hearing a story about how somebody had interviewed Dr. Mitchell and as the story went, Dr. Mitchell claimed he had worn his GMT-Master on his wrist, under his spacesuit during the longest recorded moonwalk in history. I also recall Dr. Mitchell said he had given his GMT-Master to his daughter.
So did he wear his GMT-Master on the moon, or not? I don't know for certain, but I think it's far more than likely he did for multiple reasons. First, I would assume he would have wanted to keep it wound by wearing it on his wrist. Secondly, as we learn in the next section it was on his wrist when he was on the moon, in the lunar command module. Also, why would he fly it to the moon on his wrist in the Saturn V Rocket and wear it the whole time before and after his moonwalk, but take it off just for his moonwalk?
In the photos below we witness Dr. Edgar Mitchell rocking his Pepsi GMT-Master on his right wrist in the Apollo 14 rocket command module.
On page 231, which covered day 9 of the Apollo 14 Moon Mission, we see a funny exchange bu Alan Sheppard, teasing Edgar Mitchell about how many watches he was wearing:
Apollo 14
Lunar Module Moon Lift-Off
February 6, 1971 18:48:42 UT
Lunar Module Pilot: Dr. Edgar Mitchell
Rolex GMT-Master
My understanding is the following three photos show Dr. Edgar Mitchell and Alan Shepard as they take-off from the Moon surface to return to the Apollo 14 Command/Service Module in the Grumman-made Lunar Lander module named "Antares." During their moonwalk, Dr. Edgar Mitchell set the all-time record for the longest moonwalk at 9 hours and 17 minutes.
In this first image, we see Alan Shepard putting on his oxygen mask and if you study his facial expression you see a bit of trepidation. After all, he has just experienced the most euphoric experience of his life and is likely exhausted phyically and mentally–kind of like the way you feel after a full-day of great skiing or snowboarding. He likely realizes if the Lunar Lander does not take-off, they would be stranded on the moon and likely die.
In the next photo we see Dr. Edgar Mitchell as he prepares the 33,000 pound (15,264kg) Lunar Module (LM) for takeoff–since he was the Lunar Module pilot. We see Dr. Edgar Mitchell wearing his Pepsi GMT Master on his right wrist and we get a clear view of his Rolex Oyster bracelet. He is wearing a really cool standard issue Omega SpeedMaster Chronograph on a velcro NASA Spec Black Nylon Strap on his left wrist.
In the past, Dr. Edgar Mitchell recalled he wore his Pepsi Rolex GMT Master on the moonwalk, but there had never been any photographic proof to confirm this fact–until I discovered and published these images!!!!
This next photo shows Dr. Edgar Mitchell and Alan Shepard very enthusiastically shaking hands in a euphoric and jubilant moment of exultation as they successfully take-off in the Lunar Module to return to the Service Module from the moon surface!!!!
Pictured below is Stu Roosa (left), Al Shepard (center) and Ed Mitchell (right) in the Apollo 14 isolation van. Roosa is using a the microphone to talk to bystanders on February 9, 1971.
Ed Mitchell is clearly wearing his Rolex GMT on his right wrist in both the photo above and below.
Ed Mitchell is pictured below during their required 15 day quarantine in the MSC Lunar Receiving Laboratory at the Lyndon Johnson Space Center in Houston Texas, holding a sample moon rock collection as he shows them to NASA management during a post-mission debrief with geologists on February 18, 1971. Ed is wearing his trademark Stainless Steel Pepsi Rolex GMT Master.
So once again, just to conclude, I think the preponderance of the evidence supports the fact he more than likely wore his Rolex on the moon. I mean think about it, we see photos of him putting it on his wrist just under his spacesuit, on the way to the moon.
Also, we see him in Apollo 14 wearing his Rolex, and we see him on the moon in the Lunar Module wearing his Rolex, not to mention when he got back to earth and was kept in quarantine he wore it the entire time. So that would likely mean he wore it the entire time.
"Edgar was once asked about winding his watch during his flight, and he told the questioner, “I never worried about winding my watch because I wore a Rolex.”
Fratello continues:
"I got the chance to talk to Karlyn Mitchell, Edgar’s oldest daughter, who received the watch as a gift from her father on December 31st, 1979. Karlyn told me that her father loved the watch. He showed it to his family and explained how you could know the time in two different locations at a glance: “He loved the GMT (bezel) and told us that he could see the current time and Greenwich Mean Time at the same time.”
She told me that her dad wore his Rolex GMT-Master practically all the time. He even looked for an automatic winder for it. While we know that Edgar wore the watch during the mission due to photographic evidence as well as the Letter of Authenticity (LOA) stating that it flew to the Moon, Karlyn understands that her father wore it on the lunar surface.
The third great anecdote from Fratello speaks for itself:
"Edgar was the first Moonwalker I ever visited back in 1999. I used to counsel Edgar on his collection over the years, as well as other Apollo-era astronauts. While they all kept souvenirs, I found that trying to explain the value and the need to establish proper provenance on those flown objects was like trying to explain to a landscaper that his shovel was an implement of great value. To the lunar voyagers, like the landscaper, such objects were considered tools of the trade. This made getting them to organize, catalog, and establish a value on the flown objects in their possession a herculean task."
This leads to the ambiguity of the engraving on the case back and the letter of authenticity. In 1979, Edgar had the Rolex case back engraved to state that he wore the watch “on Apollo 14.” For him, that meant it was worn on the lunar surface. He also dedicated it to Karlyn, his eldest daughter. Unfortunately, the jeweler misspelled her name by substituting an “i” instead of a “y.” Edgar’s giving of this most personal of gifts has meant to world to Karlyn over all these years.
The typed letter of authenticity signed by Edgar, which verifies ownership and proves that this Rolex flew to the Moon, further adds to its rarity and provenance.
In 1954, Rolex published the following Rolex Magazine advertisement in National Geographic, which said, "From the Top of the World, to the Bottom of the Sea."
The photo below shows two famous Rolex brand ambassadors, Sir Edmund Hillary, with Jacques Piccard. In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary was on the team that conquered Mount Everest, and in 1960, Jaques Piccard set the all time depth record when he traveled in his Bathyscaphe Trieste Submersible to the lowest part of the Ocean on earth.
In 1968, Rolex made a very rare model, based upon the Rolex Explorer, and it was named, The Rolex SPACE-DWELLER. Ironically, The Rolex Space Dweller made its debut, side by side with the Rolex SEA-DWELLER, and both models were named by the same person. It turned out that Astronauts, preferred the Rolex GMT-Master over this model, as it kept time in multiple time zones.
Rolex's conquest of space represents a significant chapter in the historical evolution of the Rolex brand itself. As previously mentioned, I have more previously undocumented Rolex NASA history coming up soon on Jake's Rolex World, which I am certain you will LOVE!!! Rolex has long been a leader in its exploration which has taken it to the deepest depths of the ocean, to the top of the world, to deep space, and even the moon.
Historically Rolex has always been extremely secretive and discreet, and no journalists in the past have ever been invited "INSIDE ROLEX" to explore and report on all four Rolex Manufacturing faclities in Switzerland.
In November 2013, this changed when Rolex invited Jake to take an unprecdented journey into the heart of Rolex to learn and report on everything he witnessed and learned.
This Super-Detailed 3 Part Story is a "MUST READ" story for anybody who wants to understand what really makes Rolex tick.
