The Real Top Gun: Scott "Scooter" Altman U.S. Navy Test Pilot & NASA Astronaut

...Rolex NASA Coolness...


 THE REAL TOP GUN 

Scott "Scooter" Altman

U.S. Navy Test Pilot & NASA Astronaut

What is more exciting that discovering another NASA Astronaut who wore his Rolex in Space? Scott "Scooter" Altman is one of the most experienced U.S. Navy Test Pilots and NASA Astronauts in history as he flew on four Space Shuttle Missions. 

Top Gun

Scott Altman was enrolled at the U.S. Navy's Topgun School located at Air Station Marimar. Scott worked as one of the lead stunt pilots in the movie 1986 movie Top Gun, which starred Tom Cruise. Scott stunt-doubled Tom Cruise's character 'Maverick' as he flew an F-14 fighter jet during the aerobatic flight sequences. We see Scott 'flipping the bird' in the video excerpt below from Top Gun, which makes Scott one of the most famous middle finger flippers in history.

In a 2000 NASA interview just before his spaceflight aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-106 Scott Altman said: 

"Well, Top Gun was a real thrill. I still remember that so vividly. The word was going around town that Hollywood was coming to Miramar, where I was stationed, and they were going to do a movie, and we were all kind of excited. My squadron had just gotten back from a seven-and-a-half-month cruise about a week and a half before, so our airplanes were at home, we were available, we weren't too highly tasked. And it turned out they picked my squadron to supply the F-14s.

Then the skipper got together and tried to pick four guys that he thought, were mature enough, I guess, to handle, you know, the capability that they were being given in working with the movie, and all the things that were required. And the director wanted to have a small cadre of people that he could work with so you develop an understanding of what the movie folks want versus what we can do and how to try and balance those two requirements.

The flying was incredible. You know, most Navy pilots don't get to buzz the tower like in the movie – if you did you could just peel your wings off and, throw 'em at the door because you probably wouldn't be flying anymore – but, since it was Hollywood, you know, they wanted the scene. I had to buzz the tower. And, of course, they wanted nine different takes – so we did it nine times!"

I Feel The Need...

...The Need For Speed!

Val Kilmer is pictured below in the original Top Gun movie and we see him rocking his GMT-Master.

Tom Cruise recently reprized his role as Maverick in the Top Gun Maverick which is scheduled to be released in June 2020.

Scott Altman was a Top Gun in the U.S. Navy where he flew fighters off the deck of aircraft carriers. He went on to become a NASA Astronaut and flew on four different Space Shuttle Missions. 

Scott was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2018. In 1998 he flew as a pilot on Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard STS-90, which was a 16-day mission for the European Space Agency's Spacelab Laboratory. In the photo below taken aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia we see Scott Altman orbiting earth as seen out the Space Shuttle cockpit window, and notice he is playing with his Rolex Submariner.

In 2000 Scott served as a Pilot aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-106, which was an 11-day mission that flew to the International Space Station, which prepared for the arrival of the first Expedition. This mission successfully delivered close to three tons of payload cargo from the Space Shuttle to the International Space Station and it the photo below we see Scott Altman rocking his Root Beer GMT-Master. Nick Gould discovered this image and sent it to me after I published this story. The caption reads:

STS106-388-025 (8-20 September 2000) — Astronaut Scott D. Altman, STS-106 pilot, works on a laptop computer in the SPACEHAB Logistics Double Module onboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

In 2002 Scott served at the Commander of Space Shuttle STS-109 which serviced the Hubble Space Telescope, and completed a series of spacewalks while setting a new record at 35 hours and 55 minutes.

In 2009 Scott was again the Commander of Space Shuttle Atlantis for the STS-125 (pictured below) which was the final Hubble Space Telescope service mission.

The 2009 photo below shows Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-125 taking off as she heads for the heavens.

In the photo below we see the Hubble Space Telescope docked inside the cargo bay of the Space Station Atlantis after it was captured and locked-down in the bay as it spins above earth which we see in the background.

In the photo below we see NASA Astronauts at they prepare to elevate the Remote Manipulator Arm (RMS) to the top fo the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in order to install protective covers on the magnetometers. 

In the photo below we see Space Shuttle Atlantis crew members working on the Hubble Space Telescope with earth in the background.

In this next photo we see the Hubble Space Telescope after it was released back into space after being repaired and updated aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

In the photo below we see Scott Altman successfully landing Space Shuttle Atlantis after the STS-125 mission. 

In the next photo below we see the Space Shuttle Atlantis which is perched on top to a modified Boeing 747 which is flying it back to Florida from California after it landed at Edwards Air Force Base.

The NASA photo below of STS-125 Commander, Scott Altman was taken on January 1, 2010 as he spoke at a press conference and notice he is wearing his stainless steel Rolex Submariner.

The photo below of the Orion Nebula was taken in January 2006 by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope which was successfully repaired and updated as part of the Scott Altaman's STS-125 Mission.

Special thanks to Philip from MoonWatchUniverse for sending in this photo of Scott rocking his Root beer GMT-Master while piloting the Space Shuttle.

Philip wrote: "Spaceflight & wristwatch fans know that astronaut Scott "Scooter" Altman loved his Rolex watches... wearing several Rolex watches on each of his 4 spaceflight missions!"

"18 years ago... March 2002, Commander Scott Altman gives thumbs up in the cockpit of space shuttle Columbia during mission STS-109, the 4th Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

Note he wore his personal Rolex GMT-master Rootbeer pilotwatch, together with the NASA-issued sleep-wake monitor actiwatch at his left wrist."

Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen

Rolex Submariner

Nick Gould recently discovered this image of Steve McQueen rocking his Rolex Submariner which I have never seen before.

New Sultan of Oman Rocking his Rolex Air-King...

New Sultan of Oman

Rocking his Rolex Air-King

Oman Sultan Qaboos bin Said passed away recently and just afterward Nick Gould sent in this photo of his cousin, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said who recently took over as the ruler of Oman. Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said is pictured below wearing his Rolex Air King.

Rolex introduced this all new 40MM Stainless Steel Air King model [Reference 116900] at Basel World 2016. Captain Danny is a big fan of this newer Air King and wrote a fascinating detailed article named "A Pilot Explains The Rolex Air-King."

Rolex watches have been very popular in Oman for many decades, and below are examples of Oman dial Rolex watches.

Omani Sea-Dweller

The dial on this very interesting looking Rolex Sea-Dweller [Reference 1665] has the emblem of the Sultanate of Oman which is a sheath over two crossed swords. These very rare watches were made in 1972 and given to the SAS (Special Air Service) regiment soldiers from the Sultan of Oman.

Photo Credit: Cortez Ramon

Omani Rolex Daytona Models

Arab dial logo custom Rolex watches are really cool and highly collectable. Today we look at two different versions of the same Rolex Daytona [Reference 6263]. This first one is from Stefano Mazzariol.

This next Omani dial Rolex Daytona [Reference 6263], has a green Omani sword logo and it appears courtesy of Cortez Ramon.

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

An Omani Rolex Cosmograph

Some of these vintage Rolex Chronographs with Arab dials are so cool looking, like this Omani Cosmograph.

Sultan of Oman Rolex Day-Date Models

Record Setting Price Results at Christies Auction

Christies recently auctioned off some amazing Rolex watches on May 12, 2014, in Geneva, Switzerland that were made for the Sultan of Oman, and this auction included a number of Rolex Day-Date "Presidential" models that shattered previous records. We begin with this platinum Rolex Day-Date made which was made in 1974, and features a blue dial with a red Omani crest, coupled with diamond dial markers and with matching diamonds running around the bezel. This watch was estimated to sell for between $51,000 and $79,000, and it ended up selling for more than four times the estimate at $352,119!!! Basically, vintage Rolex watches are going through the roof at auction!!!

The next watch pictured below which features baguette cut baton markers cut from rubies on a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date [Made in 1984 Reference 18038, Caliber 3055], as well as the Omani crest on the dial. This watch was estimated to sell from between $42,000 to $82,000 and it ended up selling for $182,287!!!

On a side note, watches that were made by Rolex that feature Arab logos on the dial are typically know as "Arabic Rolex Watches."

Next up we see another yellow gold Rolex Day-Date made for the Sultan Of Oman, and this one was made in 1979, and it sold also had an estimate selling price of between $42,000 and $68,000, but sold for more than double at $168,700.

Amazing New Rolex Perpetual Planet Videos

Amazing New 
Rolex Perpetual Planet Videos
These new videos from Rolex brilliantly showcase Rolex's commitment to protecting mother earth.

Baselworld 2020 Cancelled

BASELWORLD 2020

CANCELLED

 By DANNY CRIVELLO

Just a day after Watches & Wonders Geneva announced it is cancelling due to the coronavirus (see Jake's story here), Baselworld said it will not hold its yearly trade show either. The next Baselworld will be held in 2021, from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2nd (with Press Day on Jan. 27).

Michel Loris-Melikoff, Managing Director of Baselworld, said in a press release today: "We deeply regret having had to postpone the event as planned due to the coronavirus, in full consideration of the needs of the watch and jewelry industry to be able to benefit from the platform to develop their business. This decision has been all the more difficult in view of all the positives that have been achieved through listening and dialogue over the last few months, which resulted in new concepts and new solutions, that have attracted exhibitors to return and new ones to sign on. We registered encouraging growth in all sectors; watchmaking, jewellery, the gemstone and pearl trade, as well as in the technical branch."

Michel Loris-Melikoff continues: "By postponing the show to January 2021, we have found a solution that enables the industry and all our customers to avoid losing a full year and at the same time reset their calendars for the beginning of the year, a period that is conductive to the presentation of their new products, new trends and order taking. This postponing will also allow Baselworld to continue developing and bringing new formats and solutions as well as improvements to the new concept we propose."

This year's cancellation due to the coronavirus is a blow to a watch and jewelry fair that has already seen a reduction of hundreds of exhibitors including big players, like the entire Swatch Group, the Movado Group, Breitling, Citizen, Bvlgari, Seiko and Grand Seiko resulting in the closing of several halls.

Why BASELWORD 2021 will be held in January

In 2018, in a huge effort by both SIHH and Baselworld to come together to keep both shows alive and operational, the two tradeshows announced it would coordinate dates to coincide for the year 2020 and move both shows to the end of April and early May.

But in another faux-pas, the dates proved to be too late. Breitling immediately said it was quitting Baselworld, and LVMH reacted to the later SIHH dates by announcing that its usual January showcase, which has been held alongside the Geneva-based SIHH event, would move to Dubai.

Retailers and jewelry suppliers have said April/May is too late. Italian brands said they would not showcase because this timeline wouldn’t allow them to fulfill retailer orders before closing for summer. Placing orders for watches that can have six-month lead times, could mean waiting until November for deliveries of new collections. Baselworld admitted the timelines were wrong. 

When will the watches be introduced?

Just like last year, I was invited by Baselworld for Press Day, a day before the fair is open to the public. My appointments with Rolex and Tudor were set. But now that watch brands are not held to the Baselworld timeline, what date will they choose to broadcast their 2020 collections? And what would a Rolex announcement sans-Baselworld look like? Live stream in Geneva?

I believe that the brands will first drum up their announcement dates to create a pre-buzz online. But if they were planning on April to release their new models, it is possible that the brands are not completely ready to announce for another few weeks. 

One thing for sure, the cancellation of Baselworld in 2020 might be the ultimate test for the ailing 103-year-old trade show: Brands this year will be forced to self-promote their new collections. They might learn, one, that it is not that difficult to do; and two, that the cost-benefit analysis might not warrant attending Baselworld in 2021.

I will miss Baselworld. When I went through my phone's photo album today, I found the clip above. I had filmed the pulling of the curtains, which takes place at exactly noon on Press Day, and marks the official beginning of the largest watch fair in the world. This area is exclusively reserved for members of the press, so we can write stories, edit videos or record podcasts. Just before noon, however, there is this "It's Christmas morning" palpable feel in the press booth. And there's a certain camaraderie among us, heads are nodded, and laughs and smiles are exchanged in acknowledgment of the excitement.

          

WATCHES AND WONDERS CANCELS SIHH GENEVA TRADE SHOW

WATCHES AND WONDERS

CANCELS SIHH GENEVA TRADE SHOW

This is such big news I had to borrow Hodinkee's BREAKING NEWS header again!?!!

Watches and Wonder (formerly known as SIHH) cancelled their upcoming Geneva trade show that was scheduled to run from April 25th to 29th of 2020. This is the second major horological watch show after Time to Move, which is the Swatch Group (Omega, Blancpain, Breguet, etc...) trade show, that was also cancelled on concerns of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Meanwhile, the Swiss authorities confirmed three new coronavirus cases today, including one in Geneva. 

Perhaps the most serious question is whether Baselworld will also be cancelled or postponed? This is devastating news, especially after Breitling, Seiko, Citizen and Bvlgari have recently announced they won't be attending Baselworld anymore.

Watches and Wonder just put out this Press Release confirming the Tweet seen above that says it will be cancelled.

PRESS RELEASE For immediate release FEBRUARY 27TH 2020
Watches & Wonders Geneva cancels its upcoming edition initially planned from April 25th to 29th 2020

In view of the latest developments concerning the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, it is the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie’s duty, as organizer of Watches & Wonders Geneva, to anticipate the potential risks that travels and important international gatherings could entail.

Therefore, in order to protect the health and wellbeing of all our guests, press, partners and teams, the decision has been taken to cancel the upcoming edition of Watches & Wonders Geneva (formerly known as the SIHH) and its ‘In the City’ program, initially due to take place in Geneva from April 25th to 29th 2020.

The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie understands the disappointment this year’s cancelation may cause, and remains at the disposal of its partners and guests for any queries they may have. The FHH is already working on the organization of 2021 edition of Watches & Wonders Geneva.


Press Contacts
Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie – Pont de la Machine 1, 1204 Genève, Suisse Christine Noussan Hodara / christine.noussan@hautehorlogerie.org / +41 79 106 85 54 Carole Kittner / carole.kittner@hautehorlogerie.org / +41 78 689 90 17

The Real History of The Rolex Helium Release Valve

The Real History of 

The Rolex Helium Release Valve?

Amazing Historical Findings

Jose and I have worked closely for years now on trying to put together all the Rolex history puzzles around the development of the Rolex Submariner including the SEA-DWELLER Helium Release Valve. The strange thing about being a Rolex historian is that every time you think you solve another Rolex mystery, you find a new one staring you in the face. Jose just published a new story on Periscope named "THE DOXA HRV" which sheds a great deal of light on the development of the SEA-DWELLER and its helium release valve which I highly recommend reading. 

Above we see legendary U.S. Navy SEALAB saturation pioneer, Dr. George Bond whose nickname was "Papa Topside", and notice he is wearing a Rolex Diving toolwatch which is either a Submariner or SEA-DWELLER. If you are not familiar with my research findings be sure to check out my 20 Chapter series named "The Complete History of The Rolex Submariner & SEA-DWELLER."

Jeff's photo below shows an early Rolex Sea-Dweller Helium Gas Release Valve.

A few years ago Jose and I put together the pieces of the Comex/Rolex puzzle, and in Jose's new story he includes this amazing historical Rolex letter.

Jose and I worked together on the development of this really cool poster titled "History of the Rolex Sea-Dweller" which maps out all the steps in the evolution of Rolex's conquest of the ocean.

1967 Helium Release Valve

The three pages below are a copy of Rolex's Patent Application for the Helium Release Valve. Notice it was originally filed on November 6, 1967.

Jose is pictured below standing in front of SEALAB 1. To learn much, much more about Jose's fascinating adventure to visit Bob Barth, and the SEALAB Museum, head over to his story on Perezcope.com.

Hosni Mubarak Belongs to the Ages

Former President of Egypt

Hosni Mubarak

Belongs to the Ages

1928-2020

Hosni Mubarak passed away and left behind a fascinating legacy. Mubarak is a former Egyptian President (1981-2011), Prime Minister (1981-1982), Vice President (1975-1981) and military leader in the Egyptian Air Force where he served as a Commander from 1972-1975. He was born in 1928 and was ousted from office in 2011. In the photos below we see him wearing his two-tone Rolex GMT-Master on a Jubilee bracelet. I recall also seeing photos of him wearing a Rolex Dayt-Date which I will find and add to this story in the future.

Warren Buffett Full CNBC Interview

Warren Buffett
Full CNBC Interview
Who is the wisest man in the world that wears a Rolex Day-Date? Could very well be the Oracle of Omaha, which is Warren Buffett. This interview is absolutely fascinating.