Bernie Taupin has been Sir Elton John's lifetime career songwriting partner, and has written the lyrics to many famous songs you are likely familiar with including:
Your Song (1970), Tiny Dancer (1971), Levon (1971), Rocket Man (1972), Crocodile Rock (1972), Honkey Cat (1972), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973), Candle in the Wind (1973), Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting (1973), Bennie and the Jets (1973), Daniel (1973), Step Into Christmas (1973), Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (1974), The Bitch is Back (1974), Island Girl (1975), Philadelphia Freedom (1975), Someone Saved My Life Tonight (1975), Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word (1976), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (1976), I'm Still Standing (1983), I Guess That's Why They Call In the Blues (1983), Sad Songs Say So Much (1984), Nikita (1985), and (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again (the Oscar-winning song from Rocketman from 2019).
Bernie is a big Rolex fan, and has an amazing collection of Rolex watches. He was recently interview by Rick Beato and not only do we see him rocking his Batman GMT-Master, but he also shares his absolutely fascinating story of lifetime achievement and how his career with Sir Elton John started out with humble beginnings.
The Rolex Chronograph pictured below was made in 1957 and features dual scales on the dial in red and blue. It is amazing how many different looking models Rolex has made in its history!
Whitney Houston was one of the greatest singers of the late 20th century, and in the photo below we see her rocking her yellow gold Rolex Lady Date.
Whitney Houston's song, The Greatest Love Of All remains one of my favorite songs of all time, and the video below reminds me of my MTV days, back in the day, a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
If you are a regular reader of Jake's Rolex World you know I am fasciated with vintage Rolex ads, and the story in this one is superb as it tells the story of a Rolex Watchmaker who worked for 50 years...
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 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 1945and 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.
The level of detail, quality and sophistication in Rolex watches is truly amazing as we see with this close-up macro shot of the Pepsi GMT-Master with the ceramic bezel insert...
Friday, November 06, 2026
1964 Rolex Submariner
This Rolex is $195
Just a few years before I was born, a Rolex Submariner not only looked materially the same as it looks in 2026, but it cost less than $200, which just completely blows my mind, as we witness with this vintage Rolex Magazine ad from June of 1964. The more things change, the more they remain the same...
It is hard to believe James Gandolfini is not only no longer with us, but stepped back into infinity thirteen years ago on June 19, 2013. Young James was only 51 years of age, James Gandolfini when he died. James Gandolfini was best know for his highly ironic role as Tony Soprano on the HBO megahit, Sopranos. James Gandolfini won 3 Emmy awards on a total of six nominations. He passed away in Italy while on vacation and his reported cause of death was a heart attack.
James Gandolfini is arguably one of the best character actors that ever lived, and in his role as Tony Soprano, he may very well have been the greatest character actor. So good, in fact, that he kind of typecast himself in that role as he played it so believably well...so much so, James Gandolfini was Tony Soprano...
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
–Anthony "Tony" Soprano [1999]
The Sopranos originally aired on HBO, and completely changed TV. The Sopranos was a hyper-immesive show, and probably the greatest TV show that ever was filmed. It certainly was also one of the most financially successful TV franchises as well. It is likely it never would have been nearly as successful if it was not for James Gandolfini doing such a convincing job of Playing Tony Soprano.
In the famous and now iconic Sopranos intro you can see Tony Soprano wearing his trademark Rolex Day-Date. Watching this now sends shivers down my spine, is a DejaVu kind of way...
Despite the fact The Sopranos was an over-the-top violent show, James Gandolfini's character Tony Soprano in many ways symbolized the aggressive alpha-male, almost in a raw, caveman kind of way, which is what made the fact Tony Soprano wore a Rolex President quite fitting. If the Rolex Day-Date is the International Mark Of Success, then it perfectly symbolized Tony Soprano's disposition.
The Sopranos was such a highly addicting show. I remember I used to jones to see the next episode. It has been many years now since I watched an episode of the Sopranos, but in the future I am excited to do a Sopranofest, where I watch all six seasons, back to back to back, and of course, I will document all the different Rolex models worn in the show...
The Sopranos Rolex Watches
The HBO his series, The Sopranos was created by David Chase and is the most financially successful cable series in television history.
The Sopranos probably featured more Rolex watches per actor than any other TV show or movie in history. Tony is pictured below wearing his trademark yellow gold Day-Date and his wife, Carmella is wearing her trademark ladies two-tone datejust on a Jubilee bracelet.
As I mentioned earlier in this article, James Gandolfini was arguably one of the greatest characters actors in history. I remember after years of enjoying watching the Sopranos, hearing James Gandolfini speak with his real voice and I was shocked!!??!!
In real life he was completely antithetical to the Tony Soprano character In real life he was a gentle, soft-spoke giant, kind-of-like Mike Tyson, in the sense that if you just saw Mike Tyson box, the first time you heard him speak, it was shocking because his voice did not match his presence.
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.
