From Russia With Rolex Love: Adriyan Nikolayev Soviet Cosmonaut

From Russia With Rolex Love

Andriyan Nikolayev

Soviet Cosmonaut

Deputy Director of Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

One of the most fascinating things about Rolex history is the fact that we keep discovering new puzzle pieces that keep changing and enhancing the course of Rolex history. This story being a perfect case-in-point! Pointed Crown Guard (PCG) in particular...

The photo above of Soviet Cosmonaut, Andriyan Nikolayev appears courtesy of TASS and was shared by Philip from Moonwatch Universe. Philip wrote the third chapter in the 3rd edition of Moonwatch Only, and was also a recent guest on the podcast Time 4 A Pint where he discussed A Brief History of Watches in Space. 

In the photo above which was taken in August of 1963 we see Soviet cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin (left), Pavel Popovich (second left), German Titov and Andriyan Nikolayev (right). Andriyan Nicolayev was the third cosmonaut to travel into space.

Nikolayev traveled to the United States in 1971, where he met with NASA Astronauts who gave him signed photos.

Many U.S. Test pilots and NASA Astronauts wore Rolex GMT-Master models, including to and on the moon! What would you think if I told you a Russian Cosmonaut wore a GMT-Master before an American Astronaut? It's hard to belive but true as we see in the photo below taken in 1965 that shows Russian Cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev sporting his Pepsi GMT-Master in photos with his wife and daughter discovered by Nick Gould. To the best of my knowledge this predates any American Astronaut wearing a Rolex GMT-Master.

As a Soviet Cosmonaut, Andriyan Nikolayev was number 3, and flew two space flights. His wife, Valentina Tereshkova is pictured below with their daughter, Elena who is considered the first space child in history, since both her parents with spacefarers.

Adriyan Nikolayev was married to Valentina Tereshkova (pictured above and below) and she was the first women in Space, whereby in 1963 she orbited earth 48 times in her Vostok-6 over the course of 3 days!!!

Mikhail Gorbachev Belongs To The Ages

Mikhail Gorbachev  

Belongs To The Ages

1931-2022

Mikhail Gorbachev, the Russian leader who reformed and dismantled the former Soviet Union passed away today at age 91. In the past I have documented many former Soviet leaders who ironically wore Rolex, including Leonid Brezhnev and Boris Yeltsin, and despite being aware that Gorbachev wore a Rolex Datejust was planning to include this in my upcoming set of 12 Rolex history books, but decided since he passed away to share it now.

In the photo above we see Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986 pointing to his stainless steel and gold Rolex Datejust during a visit to London, England. I believe it was Nick Gould who first discovered Gorbachev rocking a Rolex...

Gorbachev worked closely with then President Ronald Reagan to end the Cold War, which unfortunately has been recently restarted as a result of Russia invading Ukraine. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail soon so the world can move on.

In the photo below we see Mikhail Gorbachev during a visit to New York City where he met with President Reagan and Vice President Bush in 1988.

Other Russian leaders wore Rolex Datejust models including Leonid Brezhnev who was the General Secratary of the USSR, as well as Boris Yeltsin who was the President of Russia are pictured below rocking their Rolex watches.