...Lume Shot Of The Day... Night & Day All-New "Orange Hand" Explorer II

...Lume Shot Of The Day...

Night & Day

All-New "Orange Hand" Explorer II

A few weeks ago, I covered Rolex's BaselWorld Fair introductions and the star of the show was the retro-inspired "Orange Hand" Explorer which is a real beauty. I took these Rolex images and spliced them together to illustrate what the all-new "Orange Hand" looks like in light and dark. Very Cool...Don't forget to drink your Tang!!!

Orange Hand & Explorer Go Together!!!!

Like Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers

The Very First 1953 Rolex Submariner

...The Power Of Simplicity...

The Very First 1953 Rolex Submariner

Exploring The Silent World

This is a photo from Rolex of the very first Rolex Submariner ever made in 1953. It is remarkably similar to modern Submariner watches from a distance, which is what gives it such a timeless appeal.

Notice there are no single track minute markers on the bezel from 0 to 15 minutes. Also notice there is no Mercedes logo circle on the hour hand, instead it has "pencil hands." The second hand is a small lollipop type with the second circle located way out at the end of the second hand.

Also notice it has a guilt dial and hands, and also notice there is no depth rating or COSC designation on the dial, and of course, it has no date.

I just updated the Jacques-Yves Cousteau story with the image above, and you see Commander Cousteau aboard his Calypso research ship during the filming of the Academy Award Winning "The Silent World" documentary in 1953, and he is wearing this same model.

My pal Auro who is one of the leading vintage Rolex collectors from Italy wrote in to share the photo below of his 1953 Rolex Submariner and he said:

"This very early Rolex Submariner [Reference 6404] has the serial number of 949,140, which is even earlier than the 1953 Rolex Submariner you showed in the photo at the top of this story. Rolex does not have early watches in their museum, the real Rolex museum is in the safes of collectors!"

Notice the very unusual "Submariner Perpetual" dial designation on this watch...

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 43rd Anniversary Of the Assassination

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

43rd Anniversary Of His Assassination

Today marks the 43rd anniversary of the greatest hero in Rolex History, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., being assassinated. If you have not read "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: The Greatest Rolex Hero In History" I am certain you will enjoy it very much.

I work on this story whenever I have time, and I have updated it since the last time I published it on the front page, and here are some new images of Dr. Martin Luther King wearing his yellow-gold Rolex Datejust. Enjoy...

Rolex Coolness: Lamar Hunt 1979 Rolex Day-Date Ad

Rolex Coolness: Lamar Hunt

1979 Rolex Day-Date Ad

Lamar Hunt had an amazing career. He was not only the founder of the American Football League (which merged with the NFL in 1969), but he was also the founder and owner of the Chicago Bulls.

Rolex Cloisonné World Dial Sets Record Antiquorum Auction Sold for $722,000!!!

...All Time Record For Non-Complicated Rolex Sale Price...

Rolex Cloisonné World Dial Sets Record

Antiquorum Auction Sold for $722,000!!!

[34mm 1950 Rolex: Reference 6284]

Earlier this week we were looking at a 1952 Rolex Galleon Hand Enameled dial [Reference 6100] and today we are examining another.

The hand-enameled Rolex picture below set an all-time sales record for a non-complicated Rolex on Sunday, at the Antiquorum Auction in Switzerland when it sold for $$772,000!!! The dial was hand-enamled by Margueritte Koch who worked for Stern Frères. Only six of these 14kt gold Rolex watches were made.

This Rolex watch set an all-time record for a non-complcated Rolex. The all-time record for a Rolex was in May or 1996, at Antiquorum, for a Split Reference 4113 from the Mondani Collection, which sold for $800,851.

The Return Of The Orange Hand Generations of the Rolex Explorer II

...Rolex Wrist Shot Of The Day...

The Return Of The Orange Hand

Generations of the Rolex Explorer II

[Reference 216570 v. Reference 1655]

Ben took this photo at BaselWorld in Switzerland that shows the all-new Rolex Explorer II that Rolex just debuted, next to its great-grandfather, which is the original "Orange Hand" Explorer from 1971 known which is a Reference 1655, which is affectionately known by collectors as the "Freccione."

Ted Koppel of Nightline fame wearing his Trademark Yellow Gold Day-Date...

Rolex Coolness: Ted Koppel

An Amazing Career With Rolex Keeping His Time

Randy Nopasri sent in this recent photo of Ted Koppel wearing a Midnight Rolex Explorer II. Ted Koppel was the host of ABC's Nightline for a quarter century, beginning in 1980 and ending in 2005.

Here are some more photos of Ted Koppel wearing his Stainless Steel Rolex GMT Master.


In the next photo (below) Ted Koppel is sporting his stainless steel Rolex Explorer II while wearing a tuxedo. The last man I can remember sporting a stainless steel Rolex sports watch was Sean Connery as James Bond.

When Ted Koppel was the host of ABC's Nightline, he regularly wore a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date as seen in the photo below.

It's Time to Tighten Up!!!

It's Time to Tighten Up!!!

I can't seem to help myself!?!?!? I seem to be having another "Tighten-Up" moment, just trippin' on all the Rolex Explorer II Supercase pics, and I couldn't let this rare moment pass without sharing it with you!!!

If you are a true WIS or RIS, or just a daily reader of Jake's Rolex World, you know what time it is!!! Time to Tighten Up!!!!

If you don't have any idea what I am talking about, all you have to do is:

Step 1: Scroll down to the "Tighten Up" video in this post and hit the play button, and turn the volume way up!!!!!!

Step 2: Slowly scroll down the page and stare and trip on each photo of the Rolex Explorer from the BaselWorld coverage so far this year.

Step 3: There is no step three. Just enjoy the passage of time ;-)

Step 4: Do it all over again, but don't try to explain the "Tighten Up" experience because people will respond by looking at you funny ;-) It only works if you are starring at pics on Jake's Rolex World!!!!

Step 5: This is an advanced bonus step. If you are really getting carried away, you can use your mouse or trackpad and move it up and down like a DJ scratchin' records, to make the screen quickly jump up and down. Doing so will allow you to make the photos quickly jump around to the music...

Enjoy!!!!!!

Incoming Rolex Explorer II v. Outgoing Explorer II Design Analysis and Comparison

Incoming Rolex Explorer II v. Outgoing Explorer II

Design Analysis and Comparison

Night & Day Design Detail

Bravo Rolex!!!!!!!

The incoming all-new 2011 Rolex Explorer "Orange Hand" really is Night and Day compared to it outgoing predecessor as you can clearly see in the photo comparison below. Rolex changed the dated "Logan's Run" typeface on the bezel and made it smaller and bolder, which gives the watch a much more streamlined look.

The 2011 version has the much fatter and bolder hour and minute hands, and the "retro" safety orange arrow hand is also bolder and more outstanding that the classic version. To my design mind, the hands and markers on the outgoing Explorer II look skinny, feminine and anemic. The new hands and markers look bold, masculine and strong. It is really amazing how such subtle design changes, complete change the vibe and look of the watch!!!!

It is really not until you examine the incoming v. the outgoing images that you realize just how different these watches look. You also really can't help but notice how much bolder the Maxi-Markers look, and it looks like Rolex also fattened up the twin-lock winding crown. Also, the all-new 2011 Explorer II has its "EXPLORER II" designation printed in orange on the dial, which give it a bolder, sportier look!!!

The Return Of The Tool Watch: Day & Night Rolex Explorer II Supercase

...The Return Of The Tool Watch...

Day & Night Rolex Explorer II Supercase

Vintage Meets Modern

The all-new Rolex Explorer II is 100% Tool Watch. No polished center links, this watch is meant to take a licking and keep on ticking. Yesterday we took a look at the "Polar Phantom" Explorer II, meaning the white dial version. Today we are going to take a look at it's twin, which I am dubbing the "Midnight Phantom" meaning it has a black dial (as seen below).

In This story we are also going to take a look at the design ethos of the Rolex Explorer II.

This next image from my pal, Eric Ku is of the first Rolex Explorer II from 1971, which had an Orange Hand and black dial.

Original Rolex Explorer II (Orange Hand) Reference 1655

This Explorer II "Orange Hand" watch has a fascinating history. Unfortunately is was falesy dubbed a the Steve McQueen Explorer, despite the fact Steve McQueen NEVER wore won. On Jake's Rolex World, one of the thing I do is myth-busting and I busted the "Steve McQueen Explorer" Myth, and proved he only wore his trademark Rolex Submariner.

Here is a rare vintage Rolex advertisement for the Rolex Explorer II "Orange Hand."

The History Of The Polar Explorer

We have seen Rolex ads for the original Rolex Explorer like the one below that features the standard 3,6,9 dial.

Even though most people think Sir Edmund Hillary wore a black dial Rolex Explorer when he conquered Everest, he actually wore a white dialed Rolex Oyster Perpetual. The Polar (White) dial Rolex Explorer II really owes its genesis to the actual Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sir Edmund Hillary wore when he conquered Mount Everest in 1953, which is pictured below, and of course you can learn the entire history of the Rolex Explorer by reading The Complete History Of Rolex Conquering Everest.

The first generation Rolex watches that had the 3,6,9 dial markers as well as the "Explorer" dial designation were offered with a white dial, and a black dial. They were introduced in early 1954, and Rolex discontinued the use of white dials on the standard Explorer around 1958. In the photo we see below from Stafano Mazzariol, we see an original white dial "Polar" Rolex Explorer.

The Modern Rolex Explorer II

Rolex Coolness: Ed Viesturs

Ed Viesturs is on of the most accomplished high-altitude climbers in history and he is also a Rolex Ambassador. Ed Viesturs typically wears his now trademark Polar Rolex Explorer II, but he also wears other sports Rolex models.

"Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory." –Ed Viesturs