Rolex Explorer...

The Beauty of Simplicity

Gerard from the Dutch Netherlands sent in this photo of his Rolex Explorer. Gerard said "This photo is the very first one I took after I bought my Rolex Explorer and it is still my favorite!"

Praise For The Rolex SEA DWELLER...

Danish SEA-DWELLER

Peter Gross from Denmark wrote in to share his enthusiasm for Jake's Rolex Watch Blog and to share photos of his beloved Rolex Sea Dweller. Here are Peter's words and photos:

Hi Jake,

 

A very big thank you and a whole-hearted admiration for your superb website.

 

It seems to me like the Holy “Watch” Grail finally has been found with Jake's Rolex Watch Blog – and I’ve already invested a significant amount of time dwelling and browsing through many of your fantastic articles.

There are many great sites on the Internet with loads of Rolex articles – but, in my humble opinion your Rolex Watch Blog is the most comprehensive regarding articles, photos, history, podcasts etc.

By the way, I find your podcasts to be very exciting – I'm thrilled to hear other's histories. The funny thing I have noticed with the people in your interviews is that they generally, beside watches of course, share the same passions for good design, cars, computers –especially MAC's and photography. Maybe it is a typical male thing – as I have similar interests :-)

Here is Denmark we see a growing market for mechanical watches, especially high-end models.

 

Last year, I purchased my first Rolex – a Sea-Dweller, and I have a strong feeling that my fascination with mechanical watches, especially Rolex - will become a long lasting obsession…

It’s really difficult to describe, but every time I look at the Sea-Dweller, I know it is just the right model for me. I like the cleaner look – without the cyclops date lens the Submariner has.

Also the overall size is perfect for me - I think that the new Sea-Dweller, Deep Sea will appear way too big on my wrist.

 

I would love to share some B/W images I took of my Sea-Dweller with my Nikon D2x/105 f2.8 macro. 

 

Again – thanks for sharing your huge knowledge and research work.

 

Kind Regards,

Peter Gross

Denmark

Could this be a photo of Jacques Cousteau wearing a Rolex Submariner?

Jacques Cousteau Submariner

Gerard who goes by GJ in some of the forums sent me an email to say how much he is enjoying Jake's Rolex Watch Blog. He also reminded me of an excellent French site named Military Watch that has a page dedicated to examining the watches of Cousteau–which you can visit by clicking here.

On the "Cousteau and Watches" page of the French Military Watch site the writer (whose name I can't find) suggests Jacques Cousteau is wearing a Rolex Submariner in this 1955 photo/screen capture from Jacques Cousteau's movie named "Silent World." Silent World was the first of 3 oceanographic Jacques Cousteau movies to win an Oscar.

It is difficult to tell from the photo with 100% certainty, but to my eyes I would say it really looks like a Submariner.

People protect what they love. –Jacques Cousteau

I have been doing quite a bit of research lately on Jacques Cousteau and I learned Jacques was very close friends with Rene-Paul Jeanneret who was the director of Rolex and is credited for being the driving force behind the development of the Submariner and GMT.

In Gerard's email on the subject of Jacques Cousteau to me he goes on to say:

"Could it be that Rolex sponsored Cousteau's travels?

That idea crossed my mind many, many times...

I think we will never find out as Rolex as a company is one big mystery."

I have wondered the same thing and I believe I am going to answer that question sooner than later. I can't guarantee that I will be able to answer it, but intend to give it my best shot.

Update: Jake's Rolex Watch Blog discovered Jacques Cousteau's Rolex Submariner in March of 2009 and you can check out the article by clicking here.

Phillipe Cousteau Rolex Submariner...

I have been diving deep (pun not intended) into the Jacques Cousteau connection with Rolex and the development of the Submariner. I have many leads I am following up on but I have not yet found a photo of Jacques wearing a Submariner, but here is another photo of his son Philippe Cousteau wearing his Rolex Submariner.

Tip: To see all the photos of Jacques Cousteua and his sons wearing Rolex watches click on the label below that says "Cousteau Family."

Rolex Red Submariner [Reference 1680] by Jocke...

These two stunningly cool images from Jocke:

Red Submariner's [Reference 1680] are very rare and were only made from 1969 to 1974. Of course, Jocke took off the standard stainless steel Oyster bracelet and replaced it with this really cool black strap with red contrast stitching.

Lume Shot of the Week...

Hannes of R-L-X.de took this amazing lume shot of his DEEP SEA [Reference 116660] next to his GMT Master II-Ceramic [Reference 116710]. You can tell the watch on the right is a GMT because there is no glowing pearl located on the bezel.

Photo Credit: Hannes

Einstein's Longines Watch Sells at New York Antiquorum Auction for $596,000.

"Time is an illusion."–Albert Einstein

On October 16, 2008, the New York Antiqourom Auction house sold Albert Einstein's Longines watch for $596,000. in U.S. Dollars. This is close to 20 times the initial estimated value of between $25,000 to $35,000 and it sets a world record for the price paid for a time only watch. [time only meaning no complications.]

Einstein's watch was manufactured in 1930 and presented to Einstein in 1931. It is made out of 14 Kt gold and has an art deco design. Albert Einstein was a Nobel prize winning physicist and is best known for his theory of relativity from which the speed of light formula was derived.

Albert Einstein was also voted the Time Magazine Man of the Century.

Also of significant note from the Antiquorom New York auction of October 16, 2009 is this 18K Yellow Gold first series Patek Philippe square button chronograph [Reference 2499, manufactured 1956] which sold for a record breaking $1,514,400.

People Are Talking Rolex...

Talking Rolex

I have been following a fascinating thread at WatchTalkForums.com where the original poster asked a question that has brought out many very interesting answers. 

Mephist from Norway posed the simple question "Why Rolex? What is your personal reason for why you own and like Rolex?"

Asser1 from Springfield, Missouri shared a fascinating answer:

"I got bit by the bug with my dad owning a Sub (no date). By about 13, I wanted one and I finally got a Sub (no date) at 18–the only kid and probably teacher at my high school who had one. Fast forward less than a year just back from basic training and traded the Sub for a GMT II, wish I could have kept the sub."

"Fifteen years later I was over Rolex (or so I thought). I flirted with several other luxury makes including Tag (Carrera, Monaco) Omega (Speedmaster) Longines (Hour Angle) and Cartier (tank). Finally, sold my GMT II to dad and was Rolexless for 2 days. The other great watches left couldn't fill the void, something inside me said you are not finished with Rolex. I stewed for a month about which one to drop the dough on and ended up with a S/P Yachtmaster and then a month later another Sub no date for $1300 more than I paid for my first one (hence why I wished I could have kept the Sub)."

"There is something unexplainable about a Rolex, that I feel no other watch possesses. I know for a fact that lesser luxury makes do not instill the pride in ownership my Rolexes do. My Speedmaster probabaly comes closest. I doubt very seriously that a more prestigious make I admire would fascinate me more than a Rolex either (Vacheron, Breguet, A. Lange or Patek)."

"The spell a Rolex holds over me is nothing more than an unsolved mystery. I look at other watches with admiration but I haven't got that "I must have this now" that I get when I go to the Rolex shop."

You can view the thread on WatchTalkForum.com by clicking here.

Lance Armstrong sporting his Trademark Coke Rolex GMT Master...

Rolex Hotness: More is More...

James took this photo of his wife wearing his Rolex Yachtmaster and Daytona.

Photo Credit: James