Vittorio from Taranto, Puglia, Italy sent in some really cool SEA-DWELLER photos with an announcement that he is creating a community for Rolex HEV enthusiasts. HEV refers to the Helium Escape Valve on every Rolex SEA-DWELLER. In the superb wrist shot seen below, we see Vittorio's Rolex DEEP-SEA.
Hi Jake! Hope you’re fine! I’d like to tell you that I’ve created the ‘BDV - Banda Della Valvola’ (The Band of the Valve). Starting from a Topic on our Forum Orologi & Passioni (where I’m Moderator, my nickname is Glauco) I’ve created an Instagram page, and a Facebook page. The community for Rolex HEV enthusiasts! It’s only about passion and history of Rolex Sea Dwellers, not for speculations or everything money-related. We’re working toward creating an official logo (i got two ideas), when we realize it I think we’ll do some T-shirts and the money will be destinated for charity :) In the future... we’re planning (we’d like to sooo much!) some ‘Band reunion’ in some Italian Navy saturation diving unit (Nave Anteo) or at the Submersible General Command, COM.FLOT.SOM, located in Taranto. I Send you some pic of my beloved Sea-Dweller Deepsea in my beautiful Town, Taranto, Puglia, Italy. Thanks in advance! Ciao! Vittorio
There are many different Ford's that wear Rolex. We have Harrison Ford, President Ford, and William Ford. Another famous Ford that is a Rolex fanatic is Tom Ford.
Tom Ford is a fashion designer, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. The Italian brand, Gucci did really well in the 1980s, but by the later 1980s sales started to slow. As a result, by the early 1990s, Gucci was on the verge of Bankruptcy.
One of the lawyers who was handling the bankruptcy case decided they needed to hire a designer to come up with one last Gucci collection, which would give them time to liquidate more assets. That lawyer hired Tom Ford as Creative Director for Gucci in 1994, and Tom Ford shocked the fashion world with his first collection which received nothing by accolades from the fashion press. In other words, Tom Ford saved Gucci. By the end of the twentieth century, the Gucci brand was valued at more than $4 Billion.
So how into wearing Rolex is Tom Ford? Not only does he wear Rolex watches, but he insists that everybody close to him also wears Rolex watches, and if they don't already own a Rolex, he gives them one as a gift.
Many Hollywood actors, celebrities, and musicians wear Tom Ford clothing includingDaniel Craig who is pictured below wearing a Tom Ford Tuxedo at a 007 movie premiere. Also, notice Daniel Craig is wearing his GV Rolex Milgauss.
Brad Pitt is pictured below wearing Tom Ford glasses, which feature the sideways "T".
Legendary Tennis player, Roger Federer is pictured before rockin' Tom Ford in a recent photo from GQ.
The rapper, Jay-Z not only wears Tom Ford clothing but also wrote a song named "Tom Ford", which you can watch him perform below.
One of the strangest things about Rolex is they have never made watches for the public with exhibition case backs. The logic is that Rolex movements are not highly decorated, but I have to say I think Rolex movements are magnificently beautiful, and I hope one day Rolex starts showing them off.
An Amazing Career with Rolex Keeping The Time Of His Life
Placido Domingo has been a Rolex Ambassador for four decades, and in this first image we see him sporing the Rolex Day-Date II in Rose Gold.
In this next Rolex ad we see Placido Domingo sporting a Platinum Rolex Day-Date II.
2007 Vintage Rolex Ad
Yellow Gold Day-Date
1995 Vintage Rolex Ad
Yellow Gold GMT-Master
1992 Vintage Rolex Ad
Yellow Gold Day-Date
1984 Vintage Rolex Ad
Mocha GMT Master
It is profound to think this vintage Rolex ad was published more thana quarter-century ago!?!
This was such a great color combo on the Rolex GMT Master. I think Rolex Should bring back the brown bezel and dial on the Yellow Gold GMT Master.
1983 Vintage Rolex Ad
Mocha GMT Master
In the video below we see Charlie Rose interviewing Placido Domingo in 1993.
In the following videos from 1994 (15 Years ago) shot in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., you can see and hear Placido Domingo singing with his fellow 3 tenors, Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavorotti, with Zubin Metha conducting. You could live a thousand lifetimes and it won't ever get better than this!!!!
The 3 Tenors singing "My Way" to Frank Sinatra!!!
I have an interesting story to share with you about Frank Sinatra's song, "My Way." One day, more than 20 years ago, I was in New York on business. I took a cab from the airport into Manhattan and I had this cab driver who who was a really nice gentleman. He was born and raised in New York and had a classic New York Accent. We had a nice conversation and I asked him what his favorite song was?
He responded by saying, "My Way, by Frank Sinatra." I asked him if he new the words to it and he said yes. Then I asked him if he would sing it for me and he said yes. So here I am in the back of this yellow taxi and in the most perfect voice, he starts singing My Way—flawlessly!!!
The thing I noticed about the way he sang it, was that he not only knew the words, but I could tell that he meant the words as he sang them. It was his anthem. He was a lot older than me, I would say he was in his mid to late sixties and he was wearing a sport coat and glasses and looked like a character out of a Leroy Nieman painting from the late 1960s.
If you ever listen carefully to the words to My Way, they give you a great perspective. In my mind's eye, I can still see and hear him singing My Way while driving me into Manhattan. What a song!!! What a Life!!!! What a World!!!
BTW, I am pretty certain at the time, I was wearing an all stainless Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet with a white dial with raised white gold Roman numerals or a yellow gold Day-Date with a white porcelain dial with raised yellow gold Roman numerals.
Summit Nag, from Revolution Magazine, is a friend of mine and one of my favorite people in the horological world. Summit is an extremely gracious gentleman and a superb conversationalist and interviewer as we see in this interview with Aurel Bacs from Phillips Auction house. Aurel Bacs is also a brilliant conversationalist and gentleman, so we get a real treat with this fascinating interview.
In this video Summit and Aurel talk about the upcoming Phillips auction that will offer John Goldberger's unique white gold Daytona, the proceeds of which will be donated to a children's charity.
Alva Ross "AJ" Kitt is an American World Cup alpine ski racer and he competed in four Winter Olympics. He was featured in several Rolex ads back in the 1990s as seen below.
1996 U.S. Alpine Ski Team Ad
David Concannon sent in this great U.S. Alpine Ski Team Rolex ad from 1996 that features legendary skier A.J. Kitt.
A few days ago, Andi from Munich, Bavaria wrote in and mentioned that fellow Rolex fanatic and memorable actor R. Lee Ermey had recently passed away. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at his career achievements as well as some of the Rolex watches he wore.
In the photo seen above, we see R. Lee Ermey wearing his Rolex Daytona. So you think you are an alpha male? R. Lee was probably best known for his role as a U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor in the movie Full Metal Jacket, which was about Vietnam. In his role as a Marine Drill Instructor Sergeant, he gives a knock-down-drag-out performance of a hardcore alpha male, which would make most men who think they are alpha males, seem like girly-men (to use a Schwarzeneggerism :-)
The only other movie scene I can think of in another movie that comes close to being this over-the-top is Alec Baldwin's 'Always Be Closing' speech from Glengarry Glen Ross. R. Lee Ermey earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in his portrayal as Marine Corps drill instructor, in Stanley Kubrick's Academy Award-nominated 1987 movie, Full Metal Jacket. Stanley Kubrick famously directed many iconic movies like Lolita (1962), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Clockwork Orange, The Shining (1980), and Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
R. Lee Ermey began his acting career when he was cast by Francis Ford Coppola as a First Air Cavalry chopper pilot in the 1979 movie named Apocalypse Now.
WARNING: The video below is NSFW and contains a great deal of profanity and verbal abuse. Normally I would not post a video clip like this, but R. Lee Ermey's performance, as seen in the opening of Full Metal Jacket is considered by many to be one of the most engaging and emotionally charged performances in a military movie. Once again, please use discretion if you decide to watch the video below as it contains a great deal of swearing.
I remember seeing Full Metal Jacket in theaters when it came out, and this opening scene (above) actually shocked me. I remember when I turned 18 praying they did not bring the draft back, as the last thing on earth I wanted to do was have to go and fight in some stupid war, halfway around the earth. WARNING: The video below is also from Full Metal Jacket is also filled with profanity, but is another famous scene from the movie.
Below is an interesting 1987 review of Full Metal Jacket by Rex Reed.
R. Lee Ermey was in the Marines as we see in the photo of him below.
R. Lee Ermey is interviewed below discussing his role in Full Metal Jacket.
Gomer Pyle USMC
1964-1969
Talk about Deja Vu. I realize I am wandering off the reservation a little bit, but that is what I do on Jake's Rolex World...
When I was a small child, I watched a tremendous amount of TV. I learned so much about the world from the boob tube. One of my favorite shows, when I was a small boy, was Gomer Pyle USMC, which was a spin-off of the Andy Griffith show. It starred Frank Sutton, who was AMAZING as Sergeant Carter. Below is and excerpt from the first episite of Gomer Pyle.
One of the reasons I am including these videos from Gomer Pyle is that R. Lee's character in Full Metal Jacket references Gomer Pyle a few times in the movie, and there really are many parallels. This is perhaps part of the Stanley Kubrick genius.
A Serious Rolex Collector
R. Lee Ermey was a serious Rolex wearer as we see in the photos below which show him wearing a stianless steel Rolex Datejust on an Oyster bracelet, a yellow gold Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet, a Pepsi GMT-Master on a Jubilee bracelet, a two-tone Rolex Submariner on a Jubilee bracelet as well as a two tone Rolex Daytona.
Meaning he has exclusively depended on and worn the same Rolex for more than a half-century, while being married only once to the same wife. That makes him a "One Watch Man" literally and figuratively.
In the photo below we see Prince Harald and Princess Sonja, a half-century ago, attending the 1968 Olympics. Notice Prince Harald's wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master, which would go on to become his lifelong companion.
King Harald experienced a very unusual childhood as he moved to the United States as a small child to escape the German occupation of Denmark. He dated his future wife for 8 years before marrying her. The challenge is that she was a commoner, and thus he was not allowed to marry her. Finally, he gave his father an ultimatum and said that if he could not marry her he would not get married, thus leaving Norway without an heir apparent to the Norwegian throne.
King Harald Married Sonja Haraldsen in 1968, and later then had two children, Mätha and Haakon.
Pespsi GMT-Masteras a Constant Companion
King Harald is pictured below with his two children back in 1977. It is interesting to not that in every photo I have seen of him taken since 1968, if his watch is visible, he always and only wears his Pepsi GMT-Master.
Harald succeeded his father as king in 1991 with his son Haakon becoming his heir apparent. King Harald of Norway and Queen Sonja are pictured below in a recent photo.
King Harald was an Olympic sailor who competed in three summer Olympic games including Tokyo (1964), Mexico (1968), and Munich (1972).
King Harald's father, King Olav won a gold medal for sailing in the 1928 Olympics. King Harald opened the Lillehammer, Norway Olympic games in 1994 when they were hosted in his country.
1968 Acapulco Summer Olympic Games
Stainless Steel Reference 5513
Since King Harald competed in the 1968 Summer Olympic games in Acapulco, Mexico I thought I would include this Rolex ad. This first one is from the 1968 Summer Olympic Games which were held in Mexico City, Mexico. The boating events of the XIX Olympiad were held in Acapulco, Mexico, which is featured in the Rolex ad below.
King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway are in their early eighties today, and King Harald is still a sailing fanatic and still wears his Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master as seen in the photos below.
As I mentioned earlier in this story, King Harald has not only been wearing his Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master for a more than a half-century, but it is his constant companion—as I have not been able to find a photo of him wearing any other watch. In the photo below, taken on April 28, 2011, Prince Harald is attending a pre-wedding ceremony dinner in London being held for Prince William and Princess Kate of Britain, and King Harald is wearing a black tie-tuxedo while wearing his Pepsi GMT. I have also seen photos of King Harald wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master with a white tie and tails.
In the photo below we see that the Pepsi bezel insert on King Harald's Rolex GMT-Master has completely faded and turned into a 'Ghost' dial. In other words, it almost looks like he is wearing a stainless steel Rolex Yacht-Master with a platinum bezel, but indeed it is the original Pepsi bezel that has faded over the past half-century or regular wear.
With the new Pespsi Rolex GMT-Master that Rolex just introduced at Basel World 2018, if King Harald began with one of them, the Pepsi bezel would obviously never have faded. Some people like the fact the annodized aluminum bezels fade over time to five a more patinad look, while others, including Rolex today, with the shift to cermamic bezel inserts, prefer a bezel that will not be affected by UV light or change in appearance over the decades of wear. For the record, the photo below shows what King Harald's Pespsi bezel would have look liked when he first started wearing it.
Historically Rolex has always been extremely secretive and discreet, and no journalists in the past have ever been invited "INSIDE ROLEX" to explore and report on all four Rolex Manufacturing faclities in Switzerland.
In November 2013, this changed when Rolex invited Jake to take an unprecdented journey into the heart of Rolex to learn and report on everything he witnessed and learned.
This Super-Detailed 3 Part Story is a "MUST READ" story for anybody who wants to understand what really makes Rolex tick.
