Rolex is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Rolex Oyster which debuted in 1926. 2016 also represents the 60th anniversary of the Rolex Day-Date which was introduced in 1956. Rolex created a special 60th anniversary model with a green dial to commemorate this anniversary, and it comes with a green dial as seen below. Rolex is offering this model in EverRose Gold as seen below, as well as in White Gold, and both feature the new movement Caliber 3255. You can learn much more about this beauty on the Rolex Microsite dedicated to this model.
Today is Hans Wilsdorf's 135th Birthday!!! It is beyond amazing to me that he left such an amazing legacy. I just updated his story on Jake's Rolex World named, "The Complete History Of Rolex Leadership. Part 1: The Hans Wilsdorf Years", which I highly recommend checking out if you have not already had the chance to. Happy Birthday Old Boy!!!!!! P.S. Notice how big those cups of coffee are :-)
Hans Wilsdorf in 1942 watching (no pun intended :-) his watchmakers work in Rolex workshop in Geneva, Switzerland
Happy 90th Birthday!!!!
Rolex Oyster
2016 represents the 90th Anniversary of the Rolex Oyster wristwatch, which was the first waterproof watch. The Rolex Oyster was the first of many, many, many innovations under the leadership of Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf...
Rolex seems to have really done well with all the Amazing watches introduced at BaselWorld 2016. Everybody thought Rolex had permanently discontinued the Air-King, several years ago, when they stopped making it, but sure enough, like with many other Rolex watches it has returned—and arguably for the better. Michael Bublé is pictured below sporting the all-new Rolex Air King model.
So let's take a closer look at the all-new Rolex Air King. It has a number of interesting details. For one, it is kind of retro-futuristic in the sense Rolex decided to re-use their "Air-King" typeface logo from the 1950s version of the same watch. This model also represents the first time Rolex has made a watch that is available to the public with the green and gold Rolex logo combo on the dial, but NOT the first time it has used it to keep time. More on that at the end of this article :-)
The Air King was originally introduced in 1945 as the Rolex Reference 4925 which used a Caliber 10.5' movement. The Rolex Air-King evolved from a previous Rolex named the Speed-King. At one time in the 1940s Rolex had many Airplane themed models including the Rolex Air-Lion, Air-Tiger, and Air Giant.
The Rolex Speed-King was based upon Sir Malcom Campbell, who thought the 1920s and 1930s set one world land speed record after another, all while wearing Rolex watches.
On April 3, 1933 The Royal Air Force Squadron was the first to fly over Mount Everest. Pictured below is Flight Lieutenant David McIntyre who, with his squadron members flew into history as first men to fly over Mt. Everest, with their trusted Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches keeping their time.
The photograph below is the first photograph ever taken from above Mount Everest, from the 1933 Royal Air Force expedition that was famously equipped with Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches.
What exactly is the Bloodhound SSC? It is a special vehicle designed to set break the all-time speed record and set a new speed record by driving faster than the speed of sound!!! And Rolex is not only custom made the speedometer and clock, but is also a sponsor of the Bloodhound project.
In conclusion the all-new Rolex Air-King looks like it is on its way to becoming a mega-hit. I say this because everybody I have talked to loves it, both women and men alike. A female friend of mine saw it and said "Wow!!! That's a really cool looking watch! I love the colors. Is it for woman?"
Another friend of mine who is a hardcore watch nut said he loved it and can't wait to get one, and he is a serious watch snob. He also said that he really liked the dial because it reminded him of the The Rolex California dial. He said, "There is just something about that dial that is so cool, and I can't quite place it? It has to do with the contrast between the large and bold 3, 6, and 9 markers, in juxtaposition with the digital looking other typeface. And I LOVE how Rolex setup the Rolex coronet and 'ROLEX' logo in the colors of their brand print logo. It just looks so instantly iconic and cool. I also love how it is bigger than the Rolex Explorer at 40MM v. 39MM, but its also 2MM thicker, so it is kind of like a Rolex Explorer on steroids."
Last year at BaselWorld 2015, Role introduced the all-new Lady-Datejust in the larger size of 28MM. Rolex introduced this new model is all the higher end models.
At BaselWorld 2016 Rolex introduced the new Lady-Datejust model in the two-tone silver and gold range. Historically the Lady-Datejust was always a dainty 26MM, and Rolex decided it was time to increase the overall size just a tad. Many women today strive to wear what used to be referred to as Men's Rolex watches, but there is still a bastion of women who prefers the smaller more diminutive and petite size.
The new model pictured above shows the Lady-Datejust in EverRose Gold with stainless steel on a classic Rolex Jubilee bracelet.
The new model below shows the Yellow Gold and stainless 28MM Lady-Datejust in yellow gold with stainless steel on the timeless Rolex Oyster bracelet. Both models carry the Rolex Caliber 2236 movement, which offers a power reserve of 55 hours.
All 28MM Lady-Datejust models also carry the new Rolex Superlative Chronometer Certification, which includes a 5 year international guarantee, with a performance standard of -2/+2 seconds per day, which is mote than twice of what is required for a standard COSC.
Lindsey Vonn is an Olympic Gold Medal Champion Skier, and she is gorgeous! In the picture below she is sporting the new Rolex Pearlmaster 39 in EverRose Gold.
Lindsey Vonn was the first American women to win a Gold Medal in the Olympic Downhill. She is pictured below at the 2010 Olympic Games that took place in Whistler, British Columbia.
The new Rolex PearlMaster is an updated version of the 34MM Pearlmaster, and it now features the Rolex Movement Caliber 3235. All the diamonds are VERY CAREFULLY chosen by Rolex Gem-setters in Rolex's Geneva workshop.
The Rolex PearlMaster pictured above, the one Lindsey Vonn is wearing, is fully blinged out, and the one below still has a lot of diamonds, but is more toned down. The combination below of the EverRose Gold with the purple dial is extremely regal and elegant.
Rolex introduced this stunning new EverRose Gold version of the Rolex Cellini Dual time at BaselWorld 2016, and it is a real stunner!!! If you are not familiar with the Rolex Dual Time, it basically keeps time it two different time zones simultaneously. In my opinion, out of all the Rolex models that can keep time in multiple zones, this model is by far the easiest to read. I also LOVE the guilloche dial. Notice on the secondary timezone sundial at the 9 O'clock position there is a Sun Icon. This indicates that it is daytime in the second, far away timezone...There is something very ZEN about this beautiful watch...
2016 Rolex Explorer pictured above with longer and wider hands
Rolex also significantly updated the dial lume pattern by adding lume to the 3, 6, and 9 indices, as seen below. They also feature the Rolex Chromolite lume in blue which has a strong lume glow pattern. This was a brilliant design improvement by Rolex.
2016 Rolex Explorer pictured above with longer and wider hands
The Rolex Explorer pictured below is the outgoing model, and if you look closely you will notice the 3, 6, and 9 markers are raised, polished indices that lack lume, also you will notice the hands are short and too skinny for the watch. When Rolex introduced the Day-Date II, Datejust II and 39MM Explorer, they made some scaling mistakes, where they overlooked the scaling of some elements. In this case, the hands. 100% of these scaling issues have now be rectified!!! It really is amazing how changing one detail, like updating the hands can make such a HUGE difference!!! The Rolex Explorer now looks SO MUCH more balanced and masculine now...
2010 Rolex Explorer pictured above with shorter and narrower hands
Before and After
The illustration below shows the difference between the outgoing and incoming 39MM Rolex Explorer Lume Patterns in the dark. When you see the lume patterns side by side like this, you really understand just how big a difference there is between the two. Not only are the 3, 6, and 9 invisible on the old version, but you also notice how anemic the hand lume was.
So this is pretty crazy!!! On the 90th anniversary of the invention of the Rolex Oyster, at BaselWorld 2016 Rolex introduced a 41MM Two Tone, Stainless and Gold Datejust which has the exact proportions of the original 36mm Rolex Datejust–including the Jubilee bracelet. This approach is remarkably similar to what they did when they introduced the 41MM Rolex Day-Date. Basically, I think Rolex realized they took a misstep when they introduced the Day-Date II, and Datejust II, which moved away from the original iconic Rolex design language. Obviously they took corrective action to return to their roots, which is a Home Run in my opinion.
One of the most interesting design details on the new Datejust is how it has such a strong FlatBack. A FlatBack is the opposite of a BubbleBack. I believe from a design perspective the new Datejust has a more flatback since it has been scaled up. I applaud this move as I have always preferred flatback watches as they sit much closer and better on the wrist. In other words, a flatback watch seems more organic since wrists are naturally flat in shape.
The new Datejust comes with the new 3235 Rolex movement which made its debut last year at BaselWorld 2015 in the 41MM Day-Date. This magnificent movement is amazingly accurate and sets the new standard for accuracy. This evolutionary step with increased performance made Rolex develop a new standard beyond COSC which Rolex refers to as The Rolex Green Seal.
The Rolex Green Seal puts forth a higher then ever new standard in watchmaking of -2/+2. Also included in the new Rolex Green Seal standard is a FIVE YEAR WARRANTY!!!!!!?! This means Rolex not only stands behind its product but knows how accurate they are. In other words, Rolex figured out how to make mechanical automatic movements that are as accurate as quartz movements.
Rolex introduced a new 40MM Yacht-Master model in stainless and rose gold, which comes with a brown sunburst dial. It is really cool to see Rolex expand the Yacht-Master lineup over time.
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.
