The Rolex add below is from the 1968 Summer Olympic Games which were held in Mexico City, Mexico. The boating events of the XIX Olympiad were held in Acapulco, Mexico, which is featured in the Rolex ad below.
The Rolex Fastnet Race celebrates a momentous milestone in 2025 with the hosting of its centenary edition. The world’s largest offshore race, first held in 1925, will welcome a record number of entrants with over 450 yachts from over 30 countries set to take their place on the start line on Saturday 26 July. Both the race and its organizer, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), have been supported by Rolex since 2001.
The only-ever Title Sponsor of this legendary contest, the Swiss watchmaker regards the quarter-century partnership as a significant element within its wider relationship with yachting which began almost 70 years ago. The 695 nautical mile / 1,287 kilometre race course takes in three countries - starting in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom, and finishing in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France. En route the fleet round the majestic Fastnet rock and its iconic lighthouse located off the southern tip of Ireland. The prize for success at the Rolex Fastnet Race is the Fastnet Challenge Cup awarded to the overall race winner on handicap. It is one of sailing’s most coveted trophies, a fitting reward for outstanding human achievement.
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race enjoys a reputation as one of yachting’s most demanding tests of physical and mental resilience. The 78th edition of this offshore classic certainly lived up to that status, with the fleet of 103 yachts facing some of the most unpredictable conditions seen in recent years along the 628-nautical mile course.
Christian Beck’s LawConnect took line honours in a thrilling fight to the finish between the 100-foot (30.5 metres) Maxi yachts, edging out Andoo Comanche by 51 seconds, the second closest finish in race history.
Tasmanian boat Alive, owned by Phillip Turner, claimed overall victory on corrected time to claim the Tattersall Cup; in doing so, it joined the select few with two overall wins in the nearly eight decades of competition, having also triumphed in 2018. Organized by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Rolex has partnered this iconic event since 2002 as part of the brand’s near 70-year relationship with yachting.
The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie.
Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
SailGP combines technological innovation with supreme athleticism in the pursuit of excellence. Competing in this world-leading racing league requires precision, dedication and the highest level of performance from crews and their identical, lightning-fast F50 catamarans. Season 4 of the championship began in June 2023 with the Rolex United States Grand Prix – marking the first time the brand has been Title Sponsor of a SailGP event – and features a record 12 grand prix spread across North America, Europe, the Arabian Peninsula and Oceania.
Each location is chosen for its international stature and ability to host competitive sailing close to shore for maximum spectator engagement. As well as transforming yacht racing, the series inspires positive change through its initiatives to encourage sustainability and develop career pathways for women and young sailors. Rolex has supported SailGP since its debut season in 2019 as part of its long-standing partnership with yachting dating back more than 60 years.
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
SailGP sets the pace in the world of yachting. With a bigger fleet and the schedule extended to 11 rounds, Season 3 of the global championship has produced even more high-octane action. Teams representing Canada and Switzerland have joined two-time champions Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Spain and the United States, competing on world-famous waterways. These crews, skippered by some of the sport’s most decorated competitors, represent the best of the best, skilled athletes whose physical and mental powers are constantly tested. Higher speeds, closer racing, greater risk – competition among these technologically advanced foiling catamarans has been intense; in Saint-Tropez, France set a new speed record of 99.94 km/h. And there is more to SailGP than the racing alone. The series, supported by Rolex since its inauguration in 2019 as part of its partnership with yachting dating back more than 60 years, aims to promote diversity, sustainability and inclusion while inspiring the next generation of sailors.
"Today, the so-called 'Explorer' dial is very fashionable and sought after. The name 'Explorer' stems from the original Rolex Explorer dial featuring the 3-6-9-numerals. Other than the Explorer, the only other Rolex watches to feature 3-6-9-dials are the Large Crown Submariner, reference 6200, 6538 and 5510 are known and the later reference 5512 and 5513 with crown guards. In production for only the first half of the 1960s, 5512 and 5513 are rare, however, it is virtually impossible to find these reference fitted with the Explorer dials. The present watch was manufactured in the last half of 1963 and features the correct 'underline' and 'Swiss T 25' dial, which is the transitional period for when Rolex stopped using radium and transfer to tritium. The watch also features pointed crown guards, which is correct for the period. The dial itself is a gorgeous black lacquer and the case has retained with its original beveled edges and period bracelet. The present watch has great charisma and is an exceptional example."
The Rolex Submariner: A Salty Watch
I pulled up this early 1960s Rolex Submariner advertisement from my archive, which I originally published back in May 2008. It features the Rolex Submariner Reference 5513 as seen above.
On a personal note, despite the fact collectors go crazy over the Rolex Submariner models which feature the 'Explorer' 3, 6, 9 dial, I have never liked them! Why? I think having Arabic numerals on the dial, deeply conflict with the Arabic numerals on the bezel insert. In other words, I think the watch ends up looking way too busy, as there is no longer a focal-point. That is why, I believe Rolex never made any more of these models with the conflicting design language, as they realized the circular and rectangular indices found on a standard Submariner look much, much better, and give the watch a far greater balanced look...
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.
