Rolex Super-Coolness: Tenzing Norgay

...Rolex Super-Coolness...

Tenzing Norgay


Mountain Climbing Legend

Conquerer of Mount Everest

Back in 2009 I wrote an 8 part series named, "The Complete History of Rolex Conquering Mount Everest, and in that series I documented how both Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary might have worn Rolex watches when they were the first humans to successfully climb to the top of Mount Everest in 1953. The photo below of Tenzing Norgay was taken on October 31, 1957 wearing a Rolex on an Oyster Bracelet.

The super iconic photo below taken by the Royal Geographic Society shows Tenzing Norgay with Sir Edmund Hillary on their way establishing Camp 9 as they head to the summit of Mount Everest.

In the photo below taken in 1953 by the Royal Geographical Society we see Tenzing Norgay with Sir Edmund Hillary and they both might be wearing Rolex watches. Tenzing received a Rolex as a gift from Swiss climber, Raymond Lambert after he and Lambert almost reached the summit of Everest the year before on a Swiss Everest Expedition in 1952. 

The photo above shows Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 25th, 1953 during the Mount Everest Expedition as the duo prepares their oxygen systems just before they set off from Camp 9 for the summit of Everest. If you look closely you will notice Tenzing has their Summit flags wrapped around his ice axe which he is holding like a cane.

This next photo of Tenzing Norgay was taken by Sir Edmund Hillary on the summit of Mount Everest. Tenzing offered to take a photo of Hillary on the summit but Hillary refused the offer.

The Rolex advertorial seen below was published 3 days after Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary conquered Everest.

1957 Rolex Mount Everest Ad

This next two photos below show Tenzing Norgay at  Rolex International Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland taken on July 5, 1953 and he is wearing a Rolex on his wrist. 

The photos above and below were recently discovered by our super-talented researcher, Alan who is located in Hong Kong. The next photo shows Tenzing Norgay examining a Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee Bracelet in Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf's private office at Rolex Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

It is believed Hans Wilsdorf traded Tenzing Norgay a Rolex in exchange another Rolex which is now in the private Museum collection. 

The photo above and below appear courtesy of Rolex Passion Report who first discovered this historical yellow gold Rolex Datejust that apparently was a gift from Rolex to Tenzing as a memento for the 1952 Swiss Expedition to Everest.

New Nick Gould Article: Rolex GMT-Master Reference 6542

New Nick Gould Article

Rolex GMT-Master Reference 6542

The World's Most Infamous Watch 1959-1960

My favorite horological historian who I work with regularly is Nick "Eagle Eyes" Gould, and he just published an AMAZING deep dive story on the Rolex GMT-Master, which was published on FratelloWatches.com. The image above appears courtesy of AmsterdamVintageWatches.com, and shows a magnificent lume shot of the GMT-Master 6542 'recall'.

This new article explores the early years of Rolex GMT-Master and offers a great deal of previously undocumented history. The image below the early Rolex GMT-Master Reference 6542 appears courtesy of Christies.

I published a story named "The Complete History of The Rolex GMT-Master", which also offers a great deal of insight on the history of this most iconic Rolex. Be sure to check out Nick Gould's new GMT-Master article on FratelloWatches.com. The ROLEX Magazine article page below was published in Europa Star Asia, Issue #42, in 1957.

Rolex After-Sales Service: Price Guide Published on Rolex.com

Rolex After-Sales Service 

Price Guide Published on Rolex.com

One of Bob Dylan's most iconic songs it titled, "The Times They Are A-Changin'", which is perfectly on-point for this new story as Rolex just surprised the online world by publishing their service prices online for the first time.

My understanding is that Rolex recommends that all Rolex watches get serviced every 5-10 years. If you are not familiar with the servicing process, basically, Rolex completely overhauls their watches by taking apart ever single component, then they clean them in an ultrasonic bath that removes all traces of impurities. They a Rolex trained watchmaker reassembles the entire watch, and waterproof tests it.

Rolex points out that services for Modern and Classic models include Labor, and spare parts, but does not include repairing cost for bracelets.

Rolex breaks up their servicing pricing by Modern Models (6-Digit References), Classic Models (5-Digit References), and Vintage Models (4-Digit References). The price guide below breaks out the price of overhauling modern models, which range from $660 to $940, from the $170 cost of Polishing and satin-finishing the case and bracelet.

Next we see the pricing for Classic Rolex Model Servicing which ranges from $990 to $1,430, while maintaining the same cost for polishing and refinishing the satin finish on a case and bracelet.

Rolex also included pricing for the servicing of vintage Rolex models (4-digit References) which range from $1,650 to $8,810, and also cost $330 to polish and satin finish a case and bracelet after a completed service.

Rolex has a brilliant microsite on Rolex.com dedicated to servicing a Rolex, which goes in to exquisite detail.

Vogue Rolex Magazine Ad: 1974 Princess Diana Vibe

 Vogue Rolex Magazine Ad

1974 Princess Diana Vibe

One of my favorite things on Jake's Rolex World is when I discover a really cool vintage Rolex advertisement that was previously undocumented, and that is the case with this beauty that appeared in Vogue Magazine in 1974. I LOVE THIS AD, which features a cool Pucci outfit, and a model who kind of looks like Princess Diana—doesn't she!?!!

I recently learned J. Walter Thompson was responsible for somewhere around 90% of Rolex magazine ads during the 1970s and 1980s, so if you sense a British sensibility vibe in Rolex ads from that era this would explain it.

Earnest Hemingway Rolex Oyster Perpetual

...Rolex Writer...

Ernest Hemingway

Rolex Oyster Perpetual

Since we just took a look at, a famous American writer, Hunter S. Thompson, I thought it would be fun to take a look at another famous American writer. Ernest Hemingway is arguably one of the most loved writers of the 20th Century. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954 and the Nobel Committee his "mastery of the art of modern narration." Hemingway is famous for his terse and powerful prose which include titles like The Sun Also Rises (1926), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940), as well as The Old Man & The Sea (1952).

1957 Ernest Hemingway photo by Yousuf Karsh wearing Rolex Oyster Perpetual

Below is a photo of a similar Rolex Oyster Perpetual 31MM Bubbleback dial model to what Hemingway is wearing in the photo above. My best guess is it's a Rolex Reference 6084.

Ernest Hemingway wrote about Rolex in his book Across the River and into the Trees where he compares the accuracy of a Rolex Oyster Perpetual to that of the human heart, one of which can be repaired and the other often not. Hemingway wrote:

"It's just a muscle, 'the Colonel said.' Only it is the main muscle. It works perfectly as a Rolex Oyster Perpetual. The trouble is you cannot send it to the Rolex representative when it goes wrong. When it stops, you just do not know the time. You're dead."

—Ernest Hemingway

Across the River and into the Trees (1950)

In this next photo we see Ernest Hemingway in Cuba where he had a house, photographed with Fidel Castro and both of them are wearing Rolex watches.

Pepsi GMT-Master Reference 6542

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

 Pepsi GMT-Master

Reference 6542

Banzaff's took this great photo of his Rolex Pepsi from the late 1950s. Notice it has no crown guard and a red date wheel.

Riyo Mori Miss Universe 2008

...Rolex Hotness...

Riyo Mori

Miss Universe

2008

This is a really cool ROLEX Magazine ad from the later Patrick Heiniger era, where Rolex took a high fashion approach to showcase their diamond-adorned dial Royal Black Datejust that came on a Stingray leather and rubber strap. The bezel insert on this model was featured baguette cut black sapphires. 

The model featured in this Rolex ad was Miss Universe, 2007, who was Japan's Riyo Mori. Riyo Mori won the pageant in Mexico City and interestingly, was the first Japanese contestant to win the pageant in 48 years, since 1959.

Ladies Special Edition Datejust

Bejeweled Masterpiece
34mm Ladies Rolex Watch

Rolex Lume Shot of the Day: Explorer II Mark II Dial Lume...

...Rolex Lume Shot Of The Day...

Jocke's Rolex Orange Hand Explorer II

[Reference 1655]

1966 Asprey Rolex Add Rolex Submariner Reference 5513

1966 Asprey Rolex Ad
Rolex Submariner Reference 5513

This 1966 Rolex Magazine Ad shows the rare 3-6-9 Explorer dial Rolex Submariner being offered by Asprey which is located on Bond Street in England. One of the most interesting details in this add is that the Rolex Submariner was selling for 69 British Pounds, which in today's dollars would be $77. Today this same Rolex Submariner would be worth close to $200,000 in U.S. Dollars!!!

Johnny Carson Yellow Gold Rolex Day-Date

...Rolex Super-Coolness...

Johnny Carson

Yellow Gold Rolex Day-Date

THE KING OF LATE NIGHT

Johnny Carson is probably one of the most famous & beloved people that ever wore a Rolex—certainly in the United States. The photo below shows Johnny Carson sporting his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date back in 1979.

The photo above is screen-shot from The Tonight Show interview below where Johnny Carson interviews Bo Derek, just after her blockbuster movie, titled "10" was released back in 1979. The interview is really funny as we see Johnny drooling all over Bo...and he is flashing his Rolex President quite a bit...

So when it come to Hot, there is Hot, then there is Bo Derek HOT...Youch!!!! I remember seeing the original "10" movie back when I was 12 years old and it completely blew my mind. I remember it was the first Rated "R" movie I ever saw :-0

In the two photos below of Johnny Carson we see him wearing his Rolex Day-Date while hanging out with John DeLorean on February 8, 1981, at the launch event for the DeLorean DMC-12. Johnny Carson was just one of many Hollywood celebrities that invested in The DeLorean Motor Company...

My namesake Grandfather, Jake Ehrlich Sr., was a guest on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson back in 1964, and you can check out his interview below: