Alva Ross "AJ" Kitt is an American World Cup alpine ski racer and he competed in four Winter Olympics. He was featured in several Rolex ads back in the 1990s as seen below.
1996 U.S. Alpine Ski Team Ad
David Concannon sent in this great U.S. Alpine Ski Team Rolex ad from 1996 that features legendary skier A.J. Kitt.
A few days ago, Andi from Munich, Bavaria wrote in and mentioned that fellow Rolex fanatic and memorable actor R. Lee Ermey had recently passed away. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at his career achievements as well as some of the Rolex watches he wore.
In the photo seen above, we see R. Lee Ermey wearing his Rolex Daytona. So you think you are an alpha male? R. Lee was probably best known for his role as a U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor in the movie Full Metal Jacket, which was about Vietnam. In his role as a Marine Drill Instructor Sergeant, he gives a knock-down-drag-out performance of a hardcore alpha male, which would make most men who think they are alpha males, seem like girly-men (to use a Schwarzeneggerism :-)
The only other movie scene I can think of in another movie that comes close to being this over-the-top is Alec Baldwin's 'Always Be Closing' speech from Glengarry Glen Ross. R. Lee Ermey earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in his portrayal as Marine Corps drill instructor, in Stanley Kubrick's Academy Award-nominated 1987 movie, Full Metal Jacket. Stanley Kubrick famously directed many iconic movies like Lolita (1962), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Clockwork Orange, The Shining (1980), and Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
R. Lee Ermey began his acting career when he was cast by Francis Ford Coppola as a First Air Cavalry chopper pilot in the 1979 movie named Apocalypse Now.
WARNING: The video below is NSFW and contains a great deal of profanity and verbal abuse. Normally I would not post a video clip like this, but R. Lee Ermey's performance, as seen in the opening of Full Metal Jacket is considered by many to be one of the most engaging and emotionally charged performances in a military movie. Once again, please use discretion if you decide to watch the video below as it contains a great deal of swearing.
I remember seeing Full Metal Jacket in theaters when it came out, and this opening scene (above) actually shocked me. I remember when I turned 18 praying they did not bring the draft back, as the last thing on earth I wanted to do was have to go and fight in some stupid war, halfway around the earth. WARNING: The video below is also from Full Metal Jacket is also filled with profanity, but is another famous scene from the movie.
Below is an interesting 1987 review of Full Metal Jacket by Rex Reed.
R. Lee Ermey was in the Marines as we see in the photo of him below.
R. Lee Ermey is interviewed below discussing his role in Full Metal Jacket.
Gomer Pyle USMC
1964-1969
Talk about Deja Vu. I realize I am wandering off the reservation a little bit, but that is what I do on Jake's Rolex World...
When I was a small child, I watched a tremendous amount of TV. I learned so much about the world from the boob tube. One of my favorite shows, when I was a small boy, was Gomer Pyle USMC, which was a spin-off of the Andy Griffith show. It starred Frank Sutton, who was AMAZING as Sergeant Carter. Below is and excerpt from the first episite of Gomer Pyle.
One of the reasons I am including these videos from Gomer Pyle is that R. Lee's character in Full Metal Jacket references Gomer Pyle a few times in the movie, and there really are many parallels. This is perhaps part of the Stanley Kubrick genius.
A Serious Rolex Collector
R. Lee Ermey was a serious Rolex wearer as we see in the photos below which show him wearing a stianless steel Rolex Datejust on an Oyster bracelet, a yellow gold Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet, a Pepsi GMT-Master on a Jubilee bracelet, a two-tone Rolex Submariner on a Jubilee bracelet as well as a two tone Rolex Daytona.
Everybody's favorite scoundrel is back!!! Disney recently released the first official trailer for the highly anticipated upcoming Han Solo prequel movie titled, "Solo: A Star Wars Story" which was directed by Ron Howard. This new movie covers the adventures of young Han Solo in the years prior to the events in the original 1977 'Star Wars' movie. This includes how he met his co-pilot, Chewbacca, as well as the notorious gambler, Lando Calrissian. Alden Ehrenreich is playing Han Solo which was originally played by Harrison Ford.
The image above of Alden Ehrenreich appears courtesy of British GQ, and in the photo below we see a close-up of the detail of his Rolex Oyster.
Alden Ehrenreich is pictured above wearing an early Rolex Oyster with a transitional case. The photo below is of a very similar transitional 32MM Rolex Oyster model, which I am including for frame of reference. It features the same case, hands, winding crown, and dial. It appears his dial differs in the sense it says 'Rolex Oyster' below the 12 O'clock marker, with the words 'Ultra Prima' surrounding the top of the seconds subdial.
What makes this watch 'transitional'? The first Rolex Oyster cases featured soldiered skinny lugs, and the transitional cushion case on this watch was the first one that soldiered thicker lugs that featured a spring bar. The next and final version of this cushion case came later and featured lugs that were machined as part of the case.
The New Han Solo
The new 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' will answer many questions, like how did Han Solo complete the Kessel run in the Millennium Falcon at less than twelve parsecs? It will also cover how Han met his future copilot, Chewie, and Lando, as well as how he got indebted to the interstellar gangster, Jabba the Hutt.
In the photo below, we see Alden Ehrenreich playing the role of Han Solo.
The new 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' official teaser trailer, as well as the official movie trailer, are featured below, which I highly recommend watching. Solo: A Star Wars Story is scheduled to debut at the Cannes film festival on May 15th, and will be in theaters this summer around the world on May 25, which is Memorial Day in the United States.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is the first in a series of upcoming Disney movies that are based upon the earlier history of Star Wars figures. Disney is also working on a Star Wars story movie about young Obi-Won Kenobi, as well as a movie about Boba Fett, which are scheduled to be released in 2019.
Alden Ehrenreich is featured below in an interview before he was chosen to play the role of Han Solo, and he seems like a really cool dude...
Alden Ehrenreich has big shoes to fill in following Harrison Ford in the role of Han Solo, and from what I have seen, he seems to be doing a great job.
Harrison Ford's role as Han Solo in the original Star Wars movies is beyond iconic, and as we see in the picture below, he is holding Carie Fisher in his arms, off-set, while he is wearing his stainless steel Rolex Datejust.
In the photo below we see Harrison Ford's wearing his stainless steel Rolex Datejust off-set when he was filming the original Blade Runner movie.
It's profoundly ironic that both men who play Han Solo on-screen wear silver Rolex watches off-screen!!!
Irina Shayk is a famous Russian actress and model and as we see below she wears a yellow gold Rolex Daytona as well as a GV Rolex Milgauss. If you get a chance, you can check out Irina's Instagram page.
In the photo below we see Irina Shayk sporting a Rolex GV Milgauss which features a very cool looking green crystal.
Irina is married to actor Bradley Cooper and they recently had a daughter.
This 1957 Rolex advertisement proof from Asia is very similar to a 1955 version which you can see by clicking here. If you click on the link and see the original version of this ad you see the first known Rolex advertisement I know of for the Rolex Submariner. Click on the image below to be able to read it more clearly.
If you read this ad and then think about the historical significance of a watch we take for granted today, it is really profound. It is also profoundly interesting to understand that at the time of this advertisement, which has Hans Wilsdorf's name on it, that Hans Wilsdorf (The Founder of Rolex) had started Rolex 51 years earlier and was three years away from his death. Hans Wilsdorf must have been one proud man and his achievements to this day are astounding!!!
Back in 2010, Sotheby's auctioned this one-of-a-kind custom dial Rolex Explorer which belonged to Hafaz al-Assad, who was the President of Syria. It is a vintage 1989 Rolex Explorer II, and it is a very early version of the Polar dial Explorer II with white gold indices and matching white gold hands.
Rolex Retains #1 Position with Reputation Institute
This is an interesting story. Actually, it's really three stories in one. It begins with a fascinating story by Forbes.com titled "Tiffany Fails Where Rolex Wins." This story tied-in their findings with the Reputation Institutes #1 ranking for Rolex, for the third year running. In other words, Rolex is again ranked number one in reputation throughout the world, which is the second story.
Rolex is on a roll today as one of the top brands in the world. As a matter of fact, most Rolex sports watches in stainless steel are so popular today they are almost impossible to find at retail.
ROLEX V. TIFFANY & CO
Some of the key takeaway points from the Forbes.com article that compare Tiffany unfavorably to Rolex point out: • Rolex, by contrast, has successfully evolved into the digital world. “Rolex has successfully built a narrative outside the Rolex brand experience. It has transcended in its innovative use of the digital landscape and used digital assets to expand and enhance its story. • Whereas it used to be more aloof, opaque and secretive, today Rolex has inculcated a culture of greater openness and transparency, which has paid dividends in the quality of people it attracts. • Rolex’ bigger story is about redefining winning. To illustrate that, Rolex works with tennis champ Roger Federer as a role model for underprivileged kids to help them define winning in their own terms. “It is less about Federer as celebrity and more about how he gives back to the community as a spokesperson for Rolex. • Rolex, by comparison, has elegantly maintained its prestige at the same time achieved status as a good global citizen being both honest and altruistic. “Rolex has done an incredible job of telling its brand story, staying relevant, aligning with the changing world of the 21st century and truly building a brand experience that transcends the analog into the digital world.” Below is a fascinating infographic from the Reputation Institute that show the top 100 companies for 2018, and we see Rolex is in the Number 1 position.
I think this Tiffany & CO., Ad is from 1960 and it is the earliest one I have ever seen that showcases a Rolex Submariner. Very Cool!!! The Reference 5508 Submariner was rated to 100 meters, and the 5510 was the first to be rated to 200 meters.
1962
Breakfast At Tiffany's
Ladies Rolex Catalog
Speaking of Rolex and Tiffany's, the following Rolex image comes from a 1962 Rolex catalog, and if you read the poetry, it is just amazing!!! It is so DIFFERENT than the Rolex of today...so interesting...
My best guess is this theme was inspired by the Audrey Hepburn's character she played in the 1961 movie titled, "Breakfast At Tiffany's."
This next image shows a ladies yellow gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual with a Tiffany Blue dial that has the Tiffany & Co. dial designation, which is very cool...
I was going through my archive of saved images, and I found this Hodinkee.com image of a vintage yellow gold Tiffany & Co. Rolex Datejust, which is awesome!!!
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.
