Robert Scheidt & Torben Grael: The Worlds Greatest Sailors

Rolex Coolness

Robert Scheidt & Torben Grael

The Worlds Greatest Sailors

Rolex Submariner

Robert Scheidt and Torben Grael are considered to be two of the greatest sailors in history and in 2011 we will be taking an in-depth look at the world or Rolex World Sailors. Torben Grail who is pictured on the right was named the 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor Of The Year.

Robert Scheidt is picture above on the left wearing his Rolex submariner, and Torben Grael is pictured standing behind him, and Torben Grael, who is from Brazil is also pictured below wearing his Rolex Submariner.

Torben Grael and Anna Tunnicliffe, are picture below accepting their awards for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor Of The Year Awards in 2009.

John Mayer's Incredible Hulk Submariner

...Wrist Shot Of The Day...

John Mayer's Incredible Hulk Submariner

John Mayer is one of the top guitarist and recording artists in the world today. On his blog he recently showed off his new Supercase Ceramic LV Submariner.

John Mayer wrote on his blog back on August 3rd, 2010:

"Look what I just got...No, not the brand new Rolex green dial/green bezel Submariner, ya goof. JM silly bandz! Available beginning tonight. One of these are worth at least a half dozen dolphins or bunnies."

Holy Men Wearing Rolex Two-Tone Datejust Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul

Holy Men Wearing Rolex Two-Tone Datejust

Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II

What do the the Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II have in common beside the fact they are both holy men? They don't wear pants–they both wore gowns, and they both wore two-tone Rolex Datejust watches.

In this first photo we see the Dalai Lama at the the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, and we see him wearing his two-tone Rolex Datejust.

In this next photo we see Pope John Paul II wearing his two tone Rolex Datejust.

In this next photo we see Pope John Paul II and U.S. President Ronald Reagan making a speech.

In the next photo below, we see Pope John Paul wearing his two-tone Rolex Datejust, as he sits next to President Ronald Reagan. It is interesting to note that Ronald Reagan also wore a Rolex Datejust.

In this next photo below, we see the Papal Father just after an assassination attempt was made on his life on May 13, 1981 as he entered St. Peter's Square. Notice he is wearing his two tone Rolex Datejust.

It is also interesting to note that in the photo above, that both Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul both not only wore Rolex Datejust models on a Jubilee bracelet, but they both also were shot at close range in assassination attempts that occurred within 43 days of each other in 1981. Dr. Martin Luther King was also wearing his Rolex Datejust when he was assassinated.

Pope John Paul and Ronald Reagan, both, in many ways symbolized the 1980s generation, and both passed away within a year of each other in the mid 2000s.

Pope Paul completely recovered and is pictured below with Mother Theresa. I think they were both very kind souls.

...Rolex Wrist Shot Of The Day... Km'rol Rolex Explorer In The Car

...Rolex Wrist Shot Of The Day...

Km'rol Polar Rolex Explorer II In The Car

Rolex LV Submariner customized with a Black Bezel...

Black LV Submariner

Maxi-Markers Are Mucho-Macho

A reader just posted a comment in this post asking where they can get a black bezel insert to replace the green one on a first generation LV Submariner? It is pretty easy to find one. I think just about any watchmaker can get one and swap it. Just to be clear, the watch below in an LV Submariner, which originally came with a green bezel insert. People prefer the LV over the standard older Submariner, because it has Maxi-Markers and fat hands. Maxi-Markers are bold and Macho ;-)

If you think you want to get an LV and learn how to swap the colors, it would be much easier to purchase a bezel insert with a bezel and swap the entire bezel. Swapping bezel inserts is a pain, but swapping bezels is much easier.

...Lume Shot Of The Day... Night & Day All-New "Orange Hand" Explorer II

...Lume Shot Of The Day...

Night & Day

All-New "Orange Hand" Explorer II

A few weeks ago, I covered Rolex's BaselWorld Fair introductions and the star of the show was the retro-inspired "Orange Hand" Explorer which is a real beauty. I took these Rolex images and spliced them together to illustrate what the all-new "Orange Hand" looks like in light and dark. Very Cool...Don't forget to drink your Tang!!!

Orange Hand & Explorer Go Together!!!!

Like Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

The Very First 1953 Rolex Submariner

...The Power Of Simplicity...

The Very First 1953 Rolex Submariner

Exploring The Silent World

This is a photo from Rolex of the very first Rolex Submariner ever made in 1953. It is remarkably similar to modern Submariner watches from a distance, which is what gives it such a timeless appeal.

Notice there are no single track minute markers on the bezel from 0 to 15 minutes. Also notice there is no Mercedes logo circle on the hour hand, instead it has "pencil hands." The second hand is a small lollipop type with the second circle located way out at the end of the second hand.

Also notice it has a guilt dial and hands, and also notice there is no depth rating or COSC designation on the dial, and of course, it has no date.

I just updated the Jacques-Yves Cousteau story with the image above, and you see Commander Cousteau aboard his Calypso research ship during the filming of the Academy Award Winning "The Silent World" documentary in 1953, and he is wearing this same model.

My pal Auro who is one of the leading vintage Rolex collectors from Italy wrote in to share the photo below of his 1953 Rolex Submariner and he said:

"This very early Rolex Submariner [Reference 6404] has the serial number of 949,140, which is even earlier than the 1953 Rolex Submariner you showed in the photo at the top of this story. Rolex does not have early watches in their museum, the real Rolex museum is in the safes of collectors!"

Notice the very unusual "Submariner Perpetual" dial designation on this watch...

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 43rd Anniversary Of the Assassination

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

43rd Anniversary Of His Assassination

Today marks the 43rd anniversary of the greatest hero in Rolex History, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., being assassinated. If you have not read "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: The Greatest Rolex Hero In History" I am certain you will enjoy it very much.

I work on this story whenever I have time, and I have updated it since the last time I published it on the front page, and here are some new images of Dr. Martin Luther King wearing his yellow-gold Rolex Datejust. Enjoy...

Rolex Coolness: Lamar Hunt 1979 Rolex Day-Date Ad

Rolex Coolness: Lamar Hunt

1979 Rolex Day-Date Ad

Lamar Hunt had an amazing career. He was not only the founder of the American Football League (which merged with the NFL in 1969), but he was also the founder and owner of the Chicago Bulls.

Rolex Cloisonné World Dial Sets Record Antiquorum Auction Sold for $722,000!!!

...All Time Record For Non-Complicated Rolex Sale Price...

Rolex Cloisonné World Dial Sets Record

Antiquorum Auction Sold for $722,000!!!

[34mm 1950 Rolex: Reference 6284]

Earlier this week we were looking at a 1952 Rolex Galleon Hand Enameled dial [Reference 6100] and today we are examining another.

The hand-enameled Rolex picture below set an all-time sales record for a non-complicated Rolex on Sunday, at the Antiquorum Auction in Switzerland when it sold for $$772,000!!! The dial was hand-enamled by Margueritte Koch who worked for Stern Frères. Only six of these 14kt gold Rolex watches were made.

This Rolex watch set an all-time record for a non-complcated Rolex. The all-time record for a Rolex was in May or 1996, at Antiquorum, for a Split Reference 4113 from the Mondani Collection, which sold for $800,851.