Rolex Lume Shot of the Day: Yachtmaster II

Rolex Lume Shot of the Day: Yachtmaster II

Peter took this excellent lume shot of his white gold Rolex Yachtmaster II which is a very interesting watch. Thanks for sharing Peter!!!

Wrist Shot of the Day: Very Early Submariner from the early 1950s...

...Wrist Shot Of The Day...

Flawless "Big Crown" 1954 Rolex Submariner

Reference 6200

This is where it all really got started. This Rolex is the first model made that had the Submariner designation on the dial. This watch is in flawless mint-condition and the hands and markers developed a beautiful copper colored patina that makes it that much more beautiful. It also has the rare 3, 6, 9 Rolex Explorer-like dial. This watch is crazy!!!!

Rose Gold Rolex Daytona

...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day...

Rose Gold Rolex Daytona

Chevy Chase Two-Tone Rolex Yacht-Master

...Rolex Coolness...

Chevy Chase

Two-Tone Rolex Yacht-Master

Comedian Chevy Chase was born Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase on October 8, 1943. Chevy Chase's comedy career began with National Lampoon, and he went on to become a founding member of the Saturday Night Live cast. He has also been in some ultra-succesful comedy movies, including Vacation, Caddyshack, Fletch and The Three Amigos.

Chevy Chase was an original member of the Saturday Night Live case which debuted in 1975. Pictured below, from left to right are Laraine Newman, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Garret Morris and Chevy Chase.

This next photo of John Belushi and Chevy Chase on the set of Saturday Night Live is one of my favorites.

Chevy Chase is probably best known for his Saturday Night Live performances on Weekend Update, which continues to date on the show.

Rolex Studio Shot of the day: Rolex GMT Pepsi

Rolex GMT Pepsi

Black Dial "Padellone"Rolex MoonPhase

...A Unique Rolex...

1951 Black Dial "Padellone"Rolex MoonPhase

38MM Stainless Steel: Reference 8171

There is nothing in the world like seeing a unique (ultra-rare, one-of-a-kind) Rolex model that is also stunningly beautiful (that you never new existed), for the first time. Such experiences are extremely rare in-and-of-themselves, but here it is...A Rolex "Padellone" (as the Italian's refer to this Rolex Moonphase Reference 8171), with a Black dial. Wait a minute!?!?! A Black dial Padellone!?!?!?!

Yes. This is the first time you have ever seen a black dial Rolex Padellone, and is she crazy beautiful or what!?!?! I am speechless... The watch was came from the family of a military officer, and the black pock marks in the stainless steel case are the result of exposure to salt water. This crazy patina is the result of the case never being cleaned for approximately 40 years. I am feeling verklempt and gobsmacked at this moment!!! This watch is insane!!! 

Remember, you saw this unique and mesmerizing Rolex Moonphase pictured and documented for the very first time on Jake's Rolex World...

There are many examples of the Rolex triple-date moon phase, Reference 8171 with a white, or silvered dial, and you can see many of them by clicking on the  Label below that says "Reference 8171." That being said, I have never previously seen or know of anybody documenting an 8171 with a black dial. 

The black dial is stunning, as it gives the watch a whole different vibe, which is more upscale, formal, nighttime. Also the red arrow pointer coupled with the blue moonphase dial, with the gold moon and stars, as well as the the gold date markers, coupled with the silver 5 minute markers gives the watch and American military flag kind of look.

Keeping Things In Context

The watch is also really unusual, because Rolex only ever made two different complicated Rolex models with a moonphase. The other Rolex moonphase model, known as a Reference 6062, has been documented with black dials but they are very rare, meaning I have only seen between 5-10, but they always have a Rolex trademark matching black ground moonphase disk, whereas the one pictured above looks more like a Patek Philippe, since it has a navy blue ground moonphase disk.

Pictured below is another ultra-rare Rolex Moonphase Reference 6062 in New Old Stock (NOS) condition. Rolex came out with the The Reference 6062 right after the Reference 8171, and one big difference, is the 6062 (pictured below) came with a waterproof Rolex Oyster case. 

Notice the Moonphase disk ground color is black on the 6062 (pictured above), and not blue like on the 8171. I assume Rolex came up with this design language to differentiate their Moonphase models from other brands? Hmmmm!?!?

Seeing uber-rare Rolex watches like these make me wonder how many other crazy/rare Rolex watches are lost away in drawers and safety deposit boxes collecting dust?

Rolex Foundry Ad: A Commitment To Excellence...

Rolex Foundry Ad

A Commitment To Excellence

Happy Easter From John Goldberger: Paul Newman Daytona...

Happy Easter From John Goldberger

John Golberger is the author of the amazing book 100 Superlative Rolex Watches, and you can check out my review by clicking here. John sent in these photos he took for Easter of his Exotic Dial Paul Newman [Reference 6263, Caliber 727] which was sold in the U.S.A., in 1971. Thanks for sending in the photos John, and a happy Easter to you and everybody!!!

1964 Magazine Ad Men who guide the destines of the world wear Rolex watches

1964 Magazine Ad

Men who guide the destines

of the world wear Rolex watches

This 1964 Rolex magazine ad really demonstrates that Rolex was really excited and proud to share with the world that many of the top leaders wore Rolex. The most interesting detail is that U.S. President Lyndon Johnson had recently begun wearing what became his trademark yellow-gold Rolex Day-Date in 1964, and it appears Rolex could not wait to indirectly let everybody know. You can always learn much more this subject by checking out my 11 part series on The Complete History Of The Rolex President.

I believe the hats on the table are symbolic of the actual men who wore them, so the obvious question, is who wore those hats? My best guess for who the hats belong to or symbolize would be U.S. General Eisenhower, French General de Gaulle, Swiss General Henri Guisan, U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Lord Mountbatten of the U.K. and U.S. President, Lyndon Johnson. I am a little confused by the unusual hat located closest to the front of the table? Does anybody know what kind of hat that is?

Update: A bunch of people wrote in to answer the question. It turns out it is a Russian Cossacks lambswool hat, which makes you wonder who the ad is referring to? It must be Nikita Khrushchev? I know Nikita's son, Sergei Khruschev wears a yellow gold Rolex. Hmmm!?!? 

Update 2: I am really embarrassed to admit this, but Jake's Rolex World reader, Karl wrote in from Austria and said:

"Have a look at Russian/Soviet Leaders and at Russian/Soviet Hats and your Blog Archive and you will see for what and whom this picture hat stands."

The hat was symbolic of Leonid Brezhnev, who became the General Secretary of the Communist Party in October of 1964. Leonid Brezhnev is pictured below with U.S. President Gerald Ford, and Ford is wearing a Soviet mink hat, which I tried on one, and was stunned with how luxurious, soft and warm it was.

Now that I think about it, that is a trip that in 1964-1968, then U.S. President Lyndon Johnson and U.S.S.R. leader, Leonid Brezhnev were both wearing yellow gold Rolex watches.

I thought I would share this next photo of me back in 1973 when I was 7 years old, and I am wearing a similar U.S. Presidential seal necktie as President Gerald Ford in the photo above...just saying...

Did I make you laugh, or at least smile?

...Rolex Wrist Shot Of The Day... Karl's Black Dial Explorer II

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

Black Dial Explorer II

Black Tropical Braided Strap

Jo from Norway took this photo of his black dial Rolex Explorer II on a braided tropical strap, which is a great look!!!