President of Taiwan, Chiang Kai-shek...

Chiang Kai-shek

1887-1975

President of Republic of China (ROC)

I must begin this story by thanking Nick "Eagle Eyes" Gould for discovering and sharing with me the fact that Chiang Kai-shek wore two different Rolex models, including an OP and a Rolex Bubble Back. Nick is one of the greatest Rolex historians and we have learned and discovered so much together. Thus, I wish to dedicate this story to Nick who has remained a constant source of inspiration and invaluable insight and I just wanted to thank you for being super awesome!!!

This is a fascinating story about a Chinese family that ruled China and Taiwan and wore Rolex watches for at least 3 generations which begins with Generalissimo, Chiang Kai-Shek. Chiang Kai-sheck was a Chinese statesman, revolutionary, and military commander. 

Chiang was the head of the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) party, as well as serving as the General of the National Revolutionary Army, where he was commonly referred to as Generalissimo, and went on to be the leader of the Republic of China (ROC), in mainland China from 1928 to 1949.

Chiang was ultimately defeated during the Chinese Civil War by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1949, and he fled to the Island then known as Formosa, which  today is commonly referred to as, Taiwan, where he lived until he passed away in 1975. Taiwan is an island 100 miles off the southeastern east coast of China, which is about twice the size of New Jersey. Taiwan today is a technological powerhouse that is the world leader in the fabrication and production of microchips, like you would commonly find in an Apple iPhone.

Chiang Ching-kuo

1910-1988

President of Republic of China (ROC)

Chiang Kai-Shek's only son, Chiang Ching-kuo is pictured below wearing his Rolex GMT-Master, Reference 6542. Chiang Ching-kuo served as the Premier of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1972-1978, and went on to serve as the President of the Republic of China from 1978 to 1988.

Chiang Hsiao-wu

1945-1991

Chiang Kai-Shek's is pictured below walking with his grandson, Chiang Hsiao-wu, who also wore a Rolex GMT-Master [Reference 6542], which you can see in the photo below on his left wrist.

Jake Ehrlich Sr.

1900-1971

As they say, it's a small world after all. Chiang Kai-shek was a client of my grandfather, Jake Ehrlich Sr., who is pictured below wearing a pair of yellow gold cufflinks that Chiang Kai-shek gave him as a gift. The cufflinks are of Chinese foo dogs that guarded the Emperor's Temple in the Forbidden City in China. These dogs were also know as Chinese Guardian Lions.

Generalissimo 

Chiang Kai-Shek

In the photo below taken in November of 1943 in Cairo, Egypt af the First Cairo Conference, which was codenamed, SEXTANT we see Chinese Generalissimo, Chiang Kai-Shek, chatting with U.S. President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, while we see Sir Winston Churchill chatting with Chiang Kai-shek's wife, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, Lay-ling.

In the video below, we see Madame, Chiang Kai-shek address the Congress of the United States, during World War II in 1943.

In the photo below we see Chiang Kai-Shek wearing a Rolex Bubble Back on an early Rolex Oyster Bracelet.

A Tale of Two China's & Two Rolexes

Chiang Kai-shek v. Mao Zedong

One of histories greatest rivalries existed between Chiang Kai-she and Mao Zedong, who are pictured together below in August of 1945.

The documentary below goes into great detail on the Chinese Civil War, and explains how the history to make it easy to understand.

Chairman and founder of The People's Republic of China (PRC) Mao Zedong, also wore two different Rolex watches. 

The photo below shows two yellow gold Rolex Datejust models, that were owned and worn by Chairman Mao. Many people are surprised when they learn how many of the top communist leaders in history wore Rolex watches.

ONE MORE THANG

Rolex Submariner Heritage

The two really cool photos below are of Taiwanese Frogman taken during the Second Taiwan Straits Crisis in 1958 and notice both of them are rocking Rolex Submariner tool watches. The 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis was also referred to as "The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis", and U.S. Secretary of State Christian Herter (1959–1961) was said to have later referred to the antagonism as: "the first serious nuclear crisis".

This event was part of an altercation between the Republic of China (ROC), A.K.A. Taiwan, formerly know as Formosa, prior to 1945 and The People's Republic of China (PRC) A.K.A. Mainland China. During this conflict the PRC shelled Kinmen (Quemoy) and Matsui Islands located on the East Coast of Mainland China—part of the Taiwan Straits) as part of a mission to try to take control of Taiwan from the Chinese Nationalist Party, which was also known as the Kuomintang (KMT). 

This scrimmage was regarded as a test to explore the United States resolve and defense capabilities of Taiwanese territory. A fierce naval battle ensued near Dongding Island as the Taiwanese ROC Navy defeated an attempted amphibious landing by the Mainland Chinese PRC Navy.