Tom Seaver

...Baseball Legend...

Tom Seaver

1990

I love this vintage Rolex ad from 1990 that features legendary baseball pitcher, Tom Seaver, along with some really cool vintage Rolex watches, including a Rolex Oyster Quartz Datejust...

1926 Octagonal Rolex Oyster...

...Rolex Studio Shot of the Date...

1926 Octagonal Rolex Oyster 

Donald Trump Jr & Tucker Carlson

Weekend Watching

Donald Trump Jr & Tucker Carlson

GMT-MASTER V. DATEJUST

Two guys walk into a bar, wearing Rolex watches...Sorry, I couldn't resist. I always find conversations between to people wearing Rolex to be fascinating, and in this Tucker Carlson interview we see Donald Trump Jr., rocking his new GMT-Master, which I covered in a recent story.

Tucker and Donald Trump Jr. have a fascinating conversation about the current state of politics in the United States today, and I will say I think you are looking at a future President of the United States in the making. 

Lume Shot Of The Day Sascha's DEEP-SEA Darkness

Lume Shot Of The Day

Sascha's DEEP-SEA Darkness

SUBMARINER: THE WATCH THAT UNLOCKED THE DEEP BY NICHOLAS FOULKES

 

SUBMARINER 

THE WATCH THAT UNLOCKED THE DEEP

BY NICHOLAS FOULKES

Rolex in partnership with Wallpaper, just released for sale their first authorized biography book, on the subject of the history of the Rolex Submariner, which was written by Nicholas Foulkes. 

Nick Gould and I have ben micro-analyzing all the details to the Nth degree, and as time permits, I will be publishing a detailed review of this epic tome! The book is particularly fascinating as it represents the first book where the author was able to work directly with the Rolex historical archivist, so there are a number of previously undisclosed details revealed in this interesting Rolex history book...Stay tuned for much, much more, but in the meantime enjoy this preview cover image of the book...

Brooke Shields: Timeless Beauty...

...Rolex Super-Hotness...

Brooke Shields

Timeless Beauty

When I was a kid, I was madly in Love with Brooke Shields—who wasn't? I remember watching a movie she stared in 1980, named Blue Lagoon, which was amazing...at least for my then 14 year old brain... Brooke Shields also launched the Uber iconic Calvin Klein Designer Jeans revolution with this famous ad...

I originally began writing about Brooke Shields back in 2009, a few years ago, Hodinkee published an excellent episode of Talking Watches with Brooke which is fascinating.

I was mesmerized with Brooke's interview, especially the story she shares about how a man threw his Pepsi GMT-Master to her when she was in a taxi cab as it drove away and said, "Because your eyes are so beautiful!" She tried to give it back to him, but he refused, and then after the man died she tried to give it back to his next of kin which was his brother, who refused it and said "He wanted you to have it!" And today, this now vintage Rolex Pepsi is her favorite! Talk about reality being stranger than fiction!?!! It really is true that every Rolex tells a story...

Brooke Shields also had this to say on her “Really Sexy“ Rolex Pepsi GMT-Master: “I love the size of this! There is just something really masculine but really sexy about it today! You could pick this guy out. He’s like James Bond.”

Brooke Shields is like a Rolex in the sense she has always remained a timeless beauty. Brook Shields has enjoyed an amazing career as an actress and super-model. She is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful women in history. Brooke's first Rolex, to the best of my knowledge was a two-tone lady Datejust as pictured on her wrist below with her mother.

In this next photo of Brook Shields we see her hanging out with fellow actor, Patrick Swayze. Patrick Swayze was a lifelong Rolex wearer. In this image taken in the early 1980s we see Brooke Shields sporting her  yellow gold Lady Datejust.

In the next photos we see Brooke switched from wearing a yellow gold Lady Datejust which was 26mm to a 36mm Men's Rolex Day-Date on a President bracelet.

If you want to see more photos of women wearing men's Rolex watches, please click on the Label below this story named, "Women Wearing Men's Rolex Watches" which I created as a guide for women to get an idea of what these watches might look like on them. Brooke is pictured below with her husband, Chris Henchy at a football game.

In this most recent photo, we see Brooke Shields rocking her vintage Pepsi GMT-Master...

Rolex Worldwide Headquarters

Autumn Is Here

Rolex Worldwide Headquarters

Geneva, Switzerland 

1995

Summer is gone in the northern hemisphere and leaves are changing color and falling off the trees. The photo below of Rolex Worldwide Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland was taken in Fall of 1995 before Rolex increased the number of floors and changed the color from gold and brown to green. 

Under certain lighting conditions, the building could take on an orange look as seen below. If you want to learn much more about the history of Rolex headquarters architecture you can check out my story named, "Inside Rolex. Exploring What Makes Rolex Tick."

The Autumn Equinox

The autumn equinox occurs when the sun approaches the Southern Hemisphere, marking the start of the astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. The  Autumn Equinox occurs around September 22nd, during which daylight occurs everywhere for 12 hours straight.

Moondance

I love adding great songs to stories, that encapsulate and offer better contextualization. In this story I added Van Morrision singing his epic hit, "Moondance", which has some great lyrics:

Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance

With the stars up above in your eyes...

A fantabulous night to make romance

'Neath the cover of October skies...

And all the leaves on the trees are falling

To the sound of the breezes that blow...

You know I'm tryin' to please to the calling

Of your heartstrings that play soft and low...

You know the night's magic seems to whisper and hush

You know the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush...

Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love?

Can I just make some more romance with a-you, my love?

Culture can be described as acquainting ourselves with the best the world has ever known, and that's exactly what we witness with this this virtuoso command performance. 

Keep in mind, the music video below is no ordinary version of "Moondance", as it features legendary guitarists, Geroge Benson, and Carlos Santana, rocking out with a number of amazing musicians including Dr. John, Etta James and Tom Scott. If you have never seen this version of Moondance, turn up the volume and fasten your seatbelt, as you are in for an otherworldly treat!!!

The New Day-Date

The New Day-Date

Rolex recently enriched their Day-Date range with new versions of the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 and the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 showcasing finely worked dials. For some reason, I can't stop thinking about how stunningly cool these new models look.

Ombré dials make their debut on the Day-Date 40. The version presented, in 18ct Everose gold, introduces slate ombré – a completely new hue for such a dial, whose surface, coloured at the centre, progresses to a deep black around the edge. 

Fashioned from 18ct white gold, a second new version of the Day-Date 40 features a dial made of pearlized white mother-of-pearl. The Day-Date 36 proposes a dial with faceted, deconstructed Roman numerals and faceted index hour markers, which were until now exclusive to the Day-Date 40. 

A new variant of the Day-Date 36 in 18ct yellow gold reveals a white lacquer dial complemented by these now-emblematic hour markers with their perfect geometrical forms and uniformly smooth and shiny surface. For the first time, the Day-Date 36 in 18ct Everose gold sports a blue-green dial which is adorned with ten baguette-cut diamonds. 

This dial of remarkable depth and intensity is notably available on a version of the watch whose bezel is set with 60 trapeze-cut diamonds. Day-Date 40 and Day-Date 36 models are equipped with calibre 3255, a movement at the forefront of watchmaking technology, enabling them to display the day and the date, as well as the hours, minutes and seconds.

Early 1960s Rolex PAN AM Ad [Reference 6582]

Rolex PAN AM Ad

[Reference 6582]

It is interesting because Rolex really tried to push the Rolex ZEPHYR Reference 6582 in the early 1960s, which is surprising as you would expect to see a Rolex GMT-Master. Still this is a fascinating vintage Rolex ad. It almost looks like the Good Humor President is asking the Pan Am Captain for a hand bump...

Taking A Deep Dive Inside The Rolex Submariner 3230 Series Movement

...Rolex Macro Shots Of The Day...

Taking A Deep Dive 

Inside The Rolex Submariner 3230 Series Movement

The 3230 & 3235 Movements 

Rolex mechanical movements are absolute works of art, and the latest Submariner 41MM Reference 124060 (pictured above) features the Caliber 3230 automatic mechanical movement (Pictured below) as well as the 3235 movement for the Submariner DATE model. 

In order for the newest Submariner to keep superb mechanical time it depends on Rolex's waterproof 'Oyster' case which Rolex originally patented and brought to market in 1926. Proper movement lubrication is also paramount for excellent timekeeping which is why Rolex developed its own proprietary new lubricants that were developed in-house. Rolex's special state-of-the-art lubricant is not only a trade secret but significantly increases the dependable longevity and timekeeping performance.

Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) once responded to King Lois XVI's request for him to make a perfect watch by saying: 

"Show me the perfect lubricant and I will show you the perfect watch."

—Abraham-Louis Breguet

Automatic Kinetic Energy Winding 

Rolex developed and patented their super innovative 'Perpetual' rotor movement design in 1931, which is considered to be one of the greatest innovations in timekeeping. This free-spinning, self-winding rotor mechanism pivots on a central axle while capturing all the kinetic energy created by the wearers wrist movement, and allows the watch to constantly wind itself while being worn—all without the worry of overwinding.

This game-changing design is beautifully decorated despite the fact the movement inside the case is never seen by the owner. Methinks Rolex should consider implementing exhibition casebacks to showcase this splendor :-) I mean it really is a shame Rolex owners can't witness and enjoy the beauty of their watch movement. The bridges on the movement are satin finished, circular-grained or snailed while the gear trains and plates are circular-grained. All screw heads are mirror-polished coupled with precisely beveled edges.

The Rolex caliber 32XX Series movements feature a traversing balance bridge which isolates the oscillator from the automatic rotor and results in greatly improved shock-resistance and increased chronometric performance. The photo below brings us in for a close-up of the heart of the Rolex movement which shows the Oscillator with the Paraflex shock absorber precisely positioned on top, which is in the lower center of the photo. On the right side we see the gold 'end shake' screw which is surrounded by 7 micro-adjustment markers which remind me of a Keith Haring painting :-) Ironically, the 7 indexes are for balance height/endshake adjustment but 1/4 of a turn of the gold screw equals only .01MM, so the individual marks aren't very helpful per se.

Paraflex Shock Absorber 

The ruby red and gold Paraflex (pictured above and below) sits atop the Oscillator, which in a mechanical watch keeps precise time. The Rolex Paraflex (pictured below in detail) is an exclusive and highly precise shock absorber Rolex developed and patented in 2005. 

Rolex has fitted their movements with shock absorbers since the mid 1930s which protect the escapement and balance wheel from shock that might cause the watch to become less precise if dropped or subjected to violent shocks like if you were to swing a golf club while wearing a Rolex. Rolex developed and designed the precise Paraflex geometry with 3D modeling which guarantees it remains properly and precisely positioned without risk of distortion or deformation.

Rolex Oscillator 

The robust in-house manufactured Rolex Oscillator (pictured below) consists of three superlatively manufactured parts which result in optimal frequency response coupled with peerless reliability: 

1. Balance staff which is the skinny silver spooled part with the red ruby. A balance staff is highly subject and sensitive to shock, and thus needs to be robustly designed and manufactured.
2. Large Balance wheel which is the gold outer wheel that features adjustable gold microstella nuts (seen better in second photo below) to ensure it maintains high-precision regulating, which results in increased stability while achieving a perfect balance. 
3. Parachrom blued hairspring which is exclusive to Rolex barely measures one centimeter in diameter.  This in-house manufactured hairspring is made from a special niobium-zirconium-oxygen alloy and is made in an ultra-hot fusion furnace specifically developed by Rolex physicists and engineers for this purpose. 

The proprietary Rolex oscillator beats at 28,800 times per hour, which breaks down to 8 times per second. This results in supremely precise dependability coupled with exacting accuracy.

When I visited Rolex in Geneva in 2013 and toured all four of their factories I saw the super precise machinery that makes the beautiful cobalt blue Parachrom hairspring which completely blew my mind! The Parachrom hairspring is made from a niobium, zirconium and oxygen alloy which has a melting point of 4350.2° Fahrenheit (2399° Celsius) while maintaining a tensile strength of 330-620 MPa. 

The exclusive Rolex Parachrom is made from a paramagnetic alloy which is immune to magnetic fields which would normally effect a standard ferromagnetic hairspring, and is an order-of-magnitude more resistant to shock than normal hairsprings. The Parachrom hairspring measures 1 centimeter in diameter yet it's finer than a human hair. If you were to uncoil the Parachrom it would form a 20 centimeter ribbon that is 50 microns thick by 150 microns wide.

Rolex points out:

"The outermost coil of the hairspring is curled towards the centre to counter the effects of gravity. This allows perfectly balanced and concentric (isochronous) oscillations of the balance wheel-hairspring assembly and contributes to greater chronometric precision whatever the position of the watch."

Rolex Escapement 

The Rolex escapement (pictured below) is not only a conquest of microtechnology, but what makes the famous 'tick-tock' noise (Think 60 Minutes Stopwatch sound ;-) The 'tick' noise is made by the tooth of the escape wheel locks when they move against the pallets of the lever, then when it is released by the oscillators sweeping motion the pallet fork allows the wheel to 'escape' until is locks against the second pallet which results in the 'tock' noise.

 Rolex profoundly points out:

"The pallet fork continues its infinite pendular beat against the oblique teeth for the escapement wheel precisely 28,800 times every hour—14,400 'ticks' and 14,400 'tocks'. That's 250 Million times per year! We are at the very heart of the Rolex Perpetual movement, where its pace is distilled with chronometric precision."

In short, the current Rolex Submariner is as magnificently beautiful and precisely engineered on the inside as the outside as seen is all these highly detailed illustrative photos.