SailGP: THE NEED FOR SPEED

SailGP

THE NEED FOR SPEED


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.

The New York Yankees

The Boys of Summer

...Rolex Super-Coolness...

The New York Yankees

What seemed predestined when the New York Yankees were the best team in baseball in the first half of the season and looked doubtful with their subpar play in the second half, was made official this week. A 5-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays gave the Yankees their 20th American League East title.

Having clinched the division, many of their star players are not playing, rocking their Rolexes in the dugout. Gleyber Torres was wearing a Day-Date, Anthony Rizzo a Batman, and Luis Severino wore an Oysterflex Daytona. Big thanks to @Ernie45 for those pictures.

Reggie Jackson


"Mr. October"

Legendary Baseball Player

Pepsi GMT-Master

Paul Boutros from Phillip's Auction House was at the U.S. Open Golf Tournament back in June of 2019 and he snapped this super picture of baseball legend Reggie Jackson (Mr. October) rockin' his vintage Pepsi GMT-Master [Reference 1675].

Seeing Reggie at the U.S. Open reminded me of this vintage Rolex ad from 1969.

As a child, Reggie Jackson was one of my heroes and great role models.

Reggie Jackson is a renowned car collector and obviously a big Rolex collector as we see him sporting many different Rolex watches. In the photos below we see Reggie waring a white gold Rolex Submariner with a blue dial and bezel.

In the two photos below we see Reggie rockin both a white and yellow gold Rolex Daytona.

Jerome Powell Federal Reserve Chairman

A Federal Case

Jerome Powell

Federal Reserve Chairman

Rolex Submariner
Reference 16610

Jerome Powell has been in the news a lot lately as the Federal Reserve has recently hiked up interest rates again to try to fight inflation, so I thought it would be a good time to take a look at Powell.

Some people believe the President of the United States is the most powerful man in the world, and some would say the Chairman of Federal Reserve is actually more powerful. Certainly, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve is one of the most powerful people in the world of finance as they control fiscal policy for the United State Economy, which is the largest in the world. In the video below from September 21, 2022 we witness Jerome Powell announce a 0.75 precent rate rise, where he talks about his goal to curb inflation and bring it back down to 2% annually.

Below is a video from September 23, 2022 that features Chairman Powell on the subject of "Transitioning to the Post-pandemic Economy" with the full board of governors for the first time in 9 years.

Jerome Powell—also known by his nickname of Jay Powell—is the current Chairman of the Fed and as we see in the photo above he wears a vintage Rolex Submariner.

It is interesting to see the Chairman of the Federal Reserve wearing a Rolex Submariner for a few different reasons that come to mind. First, I've said many times before that Rolex is like its own country and Rolex watches themselves are a currency in and of themselves. So it's interesting to see Chairman Powell wearing Rolex currency on his wrist. Secondly, The Submariner is such a timeless, classic, masculine watch.

Jerome Powell has a somewhat unusual background for being the Chairman of the Fed as he does not have a degree in economics, but is a lawyer by training.

I included four detailed videos that feature Jerome Powell below, and if you watch them you will not only see him rockin' his Submariner but more importantly get a great idea of his intellectual prowess...

Warren Buffett

On Jerome Powell

"I think Jay Powell is terrific Chairman of the Fed...I've listened to what he's had to say. I love the fact Jay Powell is Chairman of the Fed...He will do what in his judgment is best for the American economy over time. There isn't any question about that...He knows what his job is and he will do it."

—Warren Buffet

Warren Buffett is an international treasure. The way he speaks reminds me of Yoda. He is like Yoda talking economics...The CNBC video below is SUPER PROFOUND!!! At around 16 minutes into the interview, Warren offers his opinion on Jerome Powell, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. 

Of course, Warren Buffett is no stranger to the crown as he has been wearing his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date for decades...

Mirka Federer: The Rolex Ambassador's Wife

FEDEX FAREWELL

Note from Jake: They say there is a great woman behind every great man...Since Roger Federer announced his retirement from professional tennis there have been a lot of people checking out Captain Danny's brilliant article he published back on May 3, 2022 on Rocking Roger's amazing wife, Mirka, so I thought I would bring his article back up to the top. In the Roger's farewell speech (below) he sums it all up perfectly...

           

Roger Federer is arguably the greatest tennis player in history and his biggest fan is his wife, Mirka Federer. 

Mirka Federer wears many different Rolex models and let's begin by looking at her wearing a Rolex White Gold Cosmograph Daytona 40, Mother-of-Pearl Diamond Dial on white leather strap during this five-set nail-biter. 

The white Daytona is very à propos for this tournament as players can only wear whites on Wimbledon courts. I love that Mirka doesn't just wear Lady-Datejusts.

Mirka Federer, who used to play tennis professionally and competed at the US Open, Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open, has been married to Roger since 2009. 

...and she has been his biggest supporter. They met during the 2000 Summer Olympics on a tennis court. They were both representing the Swiss team. 

Mirka is the perfect example of men-size Rolex fitting perfectly on a woman's wrist. Below she is rocking the Rolex Yacht-Master 40 with multi-color gem-set bezel.

And finally below, Mrs. Federer is rocking probably the coolest Rolex Day-Date ever: A Day-Date with emerald bezel and diamond pavé dial.

WatchAndWoman: Karissa Debut's on YouTube

WatchAndWoman
Karissa Debut's on YouTube

Karissa has a great Instagram page named @WatchAndWoman, and she just launched her first YouTube video where she shares fascinating insight into how she fell in love with watches and shares an amazing story about her father's Mocha GMT-Master Rolex. I am a planning to do a lot more Rolex video content soon, and I would love to have Karissa come on my show in the future. Suffice it to say, I am a big fan of Karissa on Instagram, and I know she is also a big fan of my @Rolex.Magazine Instagram page.

Apple Ultra v. Rolex Explorer 'Orange Hand'

 

Apple Ultra

v.

Rolex Explorer 'Orange Hand'

Captain Danny texted me the photo below saying "Really impressed with the Ultra". I was kind of shocked by his image since when I first saw the Apple Ultra it instantly reminded me of the "Orange Hand" Rolex Explorer—as they both have that touch of safety orange 'Space Odyssey 2001 Retro kind of vibe. It was obviously just a coincidence Captain Danny was wearing his Orange Hand Explorer II, and took this G-Money image of it next to the Apple Watch Ultra, but Daaayuuum, this photo perfectly illustrates what I have been talking about this whole time...

Apple's first 'SMART TOOLWATCH" named The 'ULTRA' pictured above 

next to the current Rolex Explorer II 'Orange Hand'.

As Captain Danny and I talked over text he mentioned he was on a layover in Hawaii and at the Ala Moana in Honolulu and he dropped by the Apple store. I asked him why he was impressed with the Ultra? He responded: "It’s unbelievably light and comfortable." The lightweight aspect is based upon the fact the case is made out of Titanium, and the fact that it's 49MM tall, and very thick, but lightweight is fascinating.

I haven't seen the Apple Watch Ultra in person, but plan to do a detailed video review of it for Jake's Apple Watch World, and will include it here on Jake's Rolex World. When Apple first launched the Ultra model I ran a story on it, and recently I published a story about how Apple coincidentally created an image remarkable similar to a vintage 1960 Rolex Explorer Ad.

Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative: New York 2020–2022

Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative 
New York
2020–2022 



Protégés from the 2020–2022 Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative provided a thrilling programme of premieres, performances and talks during the Rolex Arts Weekend, co-presented with the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), as part of a celebration of their mentorships with world-renowned artists. Established in 2002, the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative exemplifies the company's pursuit of excellence, symbolized by the word “Perpetual”. The programme was established to aid in the transmission of artistic knowledge and craft from one generation to the next.

Updating the Deepsea Challenge

ROLEX SHOULD MAKE ITS MOST

CAPABLE WATCH EVEN BETTER

In 2012, when James Cameron landed at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the Earth's deepest abyss, he looked at the manipulator arm of the submersible he singlehandedly piloted and saw the Rolex Deepsea Challenge ticking. 

"Oh, I see the second hand going!" he said out loud. "Yeah baby, we are good! We have us a working watch!!!"

HMS CHALLENGER

This year marks 10 years since Cameron's historic dive to the Mariana Trench. But 2022 marks also 150 years since the HMS Challenger left on the scientific mission that first discovered the deepest point on the planet where Cameron landed his submersible—a spot aptly named "Challenger Deep," after the British vessel.

The 12,000-meter-rated Rolex watch attached to the outside of Cameron's submersible is now a decade old and should be updated.

POST-DIVE, CAMERON CHECKS ROLEX TIMEKEEPING

Since 2019, Omega on its website is claiming the No. 1 spot from Rolex: Omega says its Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional holds the record for the deepest dive. In 2019, Victor Vescovo piloted his submersible to the deepest point on planet Earth after having sonar-mapped the ocean floor to find the deepest spot in the Mariana Trench, deeper than Cameron's landing spot, according to depth measurements of that day. The Planet Ocean strapped to Vescovo's submersible had been tested in Omega's labs to 15,000m. 

11,900M MORE OF WR THAN THE APPLE WATCH ULTRA

A decade ago, when Rolex watchmakers were testing Cameron's Deepsea Challenge for the first time in the so-called "Mariannes" tank inside Rolex labs in Switzerland, the tension in the room was palpable. The design engineers, watchmakers and several other people involved in the project had gathered to attend the test. And when the watch came out of the tank unscathed, everyone burst into applause, a rare display of emotions for the cool-and-collected, buttoned-up Swiss company.

DEEP SEA SPECIAL (L) & DEEPSEA CHALLENGE (R)

To be sure, in 1960, another experimental Rolex, the Rolex Deep Sea Special, was attached to the exterior of the bathyscaphe Trieste piloted by U.S. Navy Lt. Don Walsh and oceanographer Jacques Piccard reaching a record depth of 10,916m. But it looked nothing like Cameron's Deepsea, which had all the updated technology, complete with a ceramic bezel, sapphire crystal and Rolex's 3135 movement.

 

Now Rolex should update further its 2012 record-setting watch. 

For starters, the watch should be equipped with the new, state-of-the-art 3230 movement, a no-date movement which is a departure from Cameron's Deepsea Challenge. No one really needs to know what date it is at 10.9km below the surface, where the bigger concern is being crushed by the pressure equivalent of six SUVs piled on top of your Rolex. Design-wise the no-date choice makes the watch dial more balanced and more pro-looking. Omega's Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional also eschews a date complication.

The new watch should be made entirely from titanium. A year ago, I wrote about Sir Ben Ainslie's Rolex Yacht-Master prototype in full titanium which has yet to be commercialized. Cameron's watch in 2012 was built with the heavier 904L steel and a case back in titanium. Still, the new Deepsea Challenge should be updated with the full case in ultra-resistant Grade 5 titanium.

The Swiss watchmaking industry is competing against the biggest watch seller of our days—Apple—with the four pillars untouched by smartwatches: 

1. Timelessness. Rolex uses the word "perpetual" while Patek talks about watches lasting generations. 

2. Cosplay. Whether it's a watch worn on the Moon, by James Bond, aviators, or in ocean's greatest depths. 

3. Heritage. Faux patina, model reissue, or just a red text saying "Sea-Dweller." Rolex's historical arc, beginning in 1905, is unmatched. 

4. Luxury. Two-tone Explorer, Rootbeer GMT, Bluesy Sub or meteorite-dial Daytona, luxury watches are still men's jewelry—a domain hardly touched by smartwatches.

While the Deepsea Challenge has timelessness, cosplay and luxury (it's a Rolex after all), it does lack the heritage angle essential to the four pillars of today's mechanical watch marketing. I would add a throwback James Cameron gradiant blue dial or a commemorative engraving on the caseback à la Speedmaster.

THIS WATCH DOESN'T EXIST

Either way, the Deepsea Challenge is an important watch in the history of watchmaking and in the history of exploration. After 1960 and for more than half a century, the Rolex Deep Sea Special remained the only watch to be tested at the deepest ocean floor in real life conditions. When James Cameron made his historic dive, fewer people had gone to the deepest point of the ocean than to the Moon. It's time for Rolex to update its Deepsea Challenge and reclaim the title of King of the Deep.

Just arrived at the ocean's deepest pt. Hitting bottom never felt so good. Can't wait to share what I'm seeing w/ you @DeepChallenge

— James Cameron (@JimCameron) March 25, 2012

The New Yorker Rolex Ad

It Doesn't Just Tell Time

This ad featuring luminaries, visionaries and champions appeared in the May 20, 2013 edition of the New Yorker. 

 

Rocking Roger Federer Retires from Professional Tennis

 

Roger Federer

Retires from Professional Tennis

They say that all great things must come to an end, and Rocking Roger Federer announced that he is going to be retiring from playing professional tennis soon. Roger Federer is arguably the greatest tennis player in history—basically, being the Michael Jordan of tennis. Rolex put together this AMAZING video to congratulate Federer for his incredible career achievements to date.