Rolex Introduces a New Titanium Submariner Yacht-Master Model!!!

 

"A Submariner by any other name would smell as sweet." 

—William Shakespeare ;-)

[Romeo & Juliet]

Photo credit Clément Entretemps

Rolex Introduces a New Titanium 

Submariner Yacht-Master Model!!!

Rolex just introduced a new Submariner, I mean a Yacht-Master made entirely out of Titanium. Let me be specific. In my original story titled The Complete History of the Rolex Yacht-Master I told the story of how Rolex set out to modernize the Submariner when they created their first Yacht-Master, but they renamed it as the Yacht-Master since they did not want to disrupt the design language of the classic Submariner which has been their bread and butter for may decades. Rolex put a plantium bead-blasted dial with a matching platinum bezel insert to throw everybody off, but other than those two features, the watch was basically identical to a Submariner. Of course, I would be remiss if I did not point that the Yacht-Master, just like all the SEA-DWELLER models are aquatic Submariner variants...

Well guess what!?!! Rolex just inched the Yacht-Master that must closer to being a hyper-modern Submariner as it now features a black dial and bezel with a non-polished Oyster bracelet. In other words, the Yacht-Master now features everything Rolex could do to modernize the Submariner, including a 42MM case, while leaving their classic Submariner alone, not to mention the significant weight loss from Stainless Steel to Titanium. 

If you take a close look at the photo above, it's like Rolex is knocking itself off. As we see in the photo below the all new Titanium Yacht-Master features a wider Oyster Bracelet which does not taper as much as a Submariner clasp, while incorporating a satin brushed finish, which definitely makes it a very cool new tool watch. I predict this is going to be the HOT new model that is going to be really difficult to get, and is kind of another link in the daisy-chain friendly competition between Rolex and the Apple Ultra...

Of course we predicted this 42MM Titanium Yacht-Master model earlier this year, but it is great to finally see it in the flesh, and of course a special shout-out to our eagle eyed Captain Danny!!! Below is a photo of Sir Ben rocking his prototype Titanium Yacht-Master he was testing for Rolex a few years ago...

Sir Ben Ainslie rocking his Titanium Yacht-Master

Juliet:

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

Romeo:

[Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Juliet:

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.

What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,

And for that name which is no part of thee

Take all myself.

Romeo:

I take thee at thy word:

Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;

Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

From Act II, Scene II of William Shakespeare's love story of Romeo and Juliet.

Return of the Rolex Exhibition Caseback

 

Return of the Rolex Exhibition Caseback

After 93 years, Rolex FINALLY brought back, or introduced, a model with an exhibition caseback—kind of! There are a bunch of cool surprises from Rolex this year at Watches And Wonders in Geneva, Switzerland, and over the course of the next week I will be commenting on ALL them

I will share my single most favorite, which is the fact Rolex FINALLY introduced a model with an exhibition caseback!!! Hopefully this will become a standard feature or option available for every Rolex model in the future...The 60th anniversary Platinum Daytona (so far) is the only model to feature this exhibition caseback. 

It's interesting to note that Rolex in the past refrained from putting clear sapphire exhibition casebooks on their watches as they thought Rolex movements were workhorses that were not that pretty. Many people, including myself disagreed with this notion and think Rolex movements are absolute works of high-art!!!

1931 Rolex Exhibition Caseback

Below is photo of the first and ONLY exhibition caseback Rolex ever made in the past and it was placed on the first Rolex Oyster Perpetual, and this one was made in 1931, but was NOT available to the public for sale. I might be wrong, but I don't recall seeing a watch with an exhibition caseback before Rolex?

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual pictured above and below was made in 1931 and Rolex put an exhibition case back on it to easily show potential customers how it worked. As you can see in the photo above there is a rotor that says "Rolex Auto Rotor" which automatically spins clockwise or counter-clockwise just from the movement of your wrist, thus "Automatically" winding the mainspring. 

In other words, even the slightest movement of your wrist (using gravity) will wind the watch, thus keeping the mainspring at optimum tension. Rolex, of course, was the first watch brand to successfully launch an automatic movement that worked well and transcended obsolescence.

Watches and Wonders 2023: Rolex Teaser Dropped

...Watches and Wonders 2023...

NEW ROLEX

TEASER

Rolex Drops 20-second Video

The question on every Rolex fan's lips is what will the brand reveal when it trumpets its 2023 lineup Monday at 8:30 CET in Geneva. But the 20-second clip Rolex released today says it will have something for us "from the slightest detail to the greatest inspiration."

PLAY-BY-PLAY ANALYSIS

EXPLORER 

The key to these teasers is to always look at the environment. The first watch we see has a smooth bezel and an Arabic "6" marker, and the environment is cave-like with crystals. It's interesting to see that Rolex might be releasing a new Explorer just two years after it released the 36mm Explorer which came in steel and also two-tone. Moreover, the bracelet doesn't look like a steel Oyster bracelet. Could it be an Explorer on Oysterflex? Let's do a slow-mo, back and forth, back and forth. It is hard to tell, but if it is an Oysterflex then the Explorer will be in full precious metal.

YACHT-MASTER

The second watch we are treated to (below) has raised numerals on its bezel which means a Yacht-Master. But the watch is not sporting an Oysterflex. Instead the case, case flank and bracelet seem brushed. Is this an Oystersteel bracelet or are we seeing the titanium Yacht-Master first spotted on Ben Ainslie's wrist? Notice also the beveled lugs on the case. Beveled lugs were brought back with the Deepsea Challenge last November.

GMT-MASTER II

The watch below is another professional model. The GMT hand is barely perceptible but it's there. If it's a yellow-gold GMT then it would be a first in the 1267XX line. But if it's a rose-gold GMT, it begs the question: What is so different about a rose-gold GMT which we already have with the Rootbeer? Will it be equipped with a Jubilee bracelet this time, like the Rootbeer of yore? More radical still: Was the GMT case redesigned to resemble the one of a Submariner 41, with finer lugs?

OYSTER PERPETUAL

For less than a second, Rolex shows us the bottom half of a watch with a brushed Oyster bracelet. But if we look at its shadow, we can see two things: A crown on the left. And no crown guard. The OP and Explorer are the only two Rolex watches with both a brushed Oyster bracelet and no crown guard in the collection. 

DAYTONA

 

In the second half of the teaser, we can't miss the road markings, the racetrack and two race cars. That means a new Daytona. But no part of the Daytona is being teased... unless it is one of the color dials we see in the teaser video. (On that dial, it's unclear if the second hand at 12 o'clock is actually a chrono hand; more on that later.) Notice also that the racetrack is ice-blue.

SKY-DWELLER

Is the hand below a second hand or a chrono hand? Hard to tell. Though based on the racetrack above we will see a new Daytona, I don't think the dark-teal dial below is the one of a Daytona simply because of the marker at 11 o'clock. The marker is completely rectangular while the one of a Daytona is pointed at the bottom.

So let's take a look at another option: The 11 o'clock index appears, at least at this angle, to be unusually close to the "R" of "Rolex", coming down almost halfway through the "R". This is typical of a Sky-Dweller dial which sports oversized indices. Please see a picture of a Sky-Dweller here to compare.

DAY-DATE

For the dial below, with the orange color, I believe we are entering into dress-watch territory. Look at the curve just above the coronet. It doesn't look like a bezel or rehaut; but rather, a day window. After all, Rolex admonishes us to be ready for the "greatest detail" just before showing us this amazing dial.

CELLINI

Speaking of dress watches, the coin-edge bezel and gold crown are typical of the Cellini line. The Cellini is still using a 31XX movement so we might expect an update on this one. Currently, there is only one Cellini in the collection: the Cellini Moonphase. 

With the slow-mo we can see on the right side of the dial almost the shape of a star reminiscing of the star dials of the old Rolex 6062.

danny@rolexmagazine.com

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping 
Equestrianism’s ultimate challenge

Rolex and Equestrianism have always made a great combination—just like Peanut Butter and Jelly, or Mac & Cheese. Rolex recently posted these two magnificently fascinating equestrian videos which I am certain you will enjoy!:

It is the most coveted prize in equestrianism. The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping rewards the rider who, consecutively, wins the Grand Prix at three of the four Majors, namely: The Dutch Masters, the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament and the CHI Geneva. The quest for this honour involves years of attentive craftsmanship, creating a unique bond between horse and rider that equates to precision and reliability on the big stage. 

To date, only Scotland’s Scott Brash, in 2015, has completed the feat, on his horse Hello Sanctos. Discover more https://on.rolex.com/3ZAuCKD Through its support of the finest international riders, competitions and institutions, Rolex has been a long-standing supporter of equestrianism, encouraging the global development of the sport. This enduring commitment is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 60 years, starting with Rolex’s relationship with pioneering British Olympian Pat Smythe. 

The brand is a founding partner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, the sport’s ultimate prize, which is awarded to any rider who, consecutively, wins the Grand Prix at three of the four Majors: The Dutch Masters, the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, and the CHI Geneva. Rolex’s partnerships with key figures in the equestrian community – Steve Guerdat, Scott Brash, Kent Farrington, Rodrigo Pessoa and Isabell Werth to name a few – run across generations and span the globe, enabling knowledge and experience to be shared. As part of this perpetual process of growth and constant improvement, Rolex supports the Young Riders Academy which nurtures future talent.

The Dutch Masters 2023 highlights presented by Rolex

 

The Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters is one of the four equestrian Majors that form the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping and is one of the most prestigious Grand Prix on the international circuit. Re-live the excitement of this competition at the world’s leading venue, as the finest riders compete for this prestigious title. Discover more https://on.rolex.com/3JbOixR
Through its support of the finest international riders, competitions and institutions, Rolex has been a long-standing supporter of equestrianism, encouraging the global development of the sport. This enduring commitment is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 60 years, starting with Rolex’s relationship with pioneering British Olympian Pat Smythe. 
The brand is a founding partner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, the sport’s ultimate prize, which is awarded to any rider who, consecutively, wins the Grand Prix at three of the four Majors: The Dutch Masters, the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, and the CHI Geneva. Rolex’s partnerships with key figures in the equestrian community – Steve Guerdat, Scott Brash, Kent Farrington, Rodrigo Pessoa and Isabell Werth to name a few – run across generations and span the globe, enabling knowledge and experience to be shared. As part of this perpetual process of growth and constant improvement, Rolex supports the Young Riders Academy which nurtures future talent.

Nadia Comăneci: The First Perfect 10

...Rolex Super Hotness...

Nadia Comăneci

The First Perfect 10

1976 Montreal Olympics


Stainless Steel Rolex Daytona

Nadia Comaneci is considered to be on of the greatest Olympic athletes in history. At the age of 14, in 1976, she stepped into history as she became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0. She went on in that Olympics to win seven perfect 10 scores in the 1976 Olympics, thus winning three gold Olympic medals. At the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Nadia wood two gold medals. Nadia is one of the most famous gymnasts in the world, and is widely credited for popularizing gymnastics internationally.

"Hard work has made it easy. That is my secret. That is why I win."

—Nadia Comăneci

In the photo above, we see Nadia wearing her stainless steel Rolex Daytona. You have got to watch Nadia's 1976 Olympic performance in the video below. She is absolutely amazing!!!

2023 Rolex Predictions for Watches And Wonder in Geneva, Switzerland

 

70TH Anniversary Rolex Submariner?

You can't help but notice that everybody and their mother have been speculating on what Rolex will be introducing at Watches And Wonders later this month in Geneva. Rolex is extremely unpredictable and you never know what they will do!?!! My best guess is Rolex might introduce a special edition 70th Anniversary Rolex Submariner—perhaps in a model made out of Titanium or Platium. 

Of course, this is dependent on wether or not Rolex perceives the introduction year of the Submariner as 1953, or 1954, as Rolex tested many prototypes of the Submariner in 1953, but formally debuted it at Basel Fair in 1954. So, maybe Rolex will surprise us with something unusual like a left-handed Submariner. 

 

In the photo above we see a vintage "Lefty" Rolex Submariner which lacks crown guards. You can learn much more in my 20 part series titled "The Complete History of The Rolex Submariner & SEA-DWELLER: Rolex's Conquest of the Ocean."

70TH Anniversary Rolex Milgauss?

Our Captain Danny mentioned that he thinks they might come out with a new Rolex Milgauss model as it's the last sports model that doesn't have the 32XX movement. Also, the earliest the Milgauss could have been introduced was 1954, or later.

60TH Anniversary Rolex Daytona?

Many people have been speculating that Rolex might introduce a 60th Anniversary Daytona model. The challenge is that Rolex really didn't formally launch the Daytona name until 1965/1966. Many Rolex models have a confusing genesis date for many different reasons. Rolex claims the "Cosmograph Daytona" was introduced in 1963 as seen below. This would be accurate if you based it upon the actual chronograph watch model they came out with.

As we see below, Rolex filed a trademark with the United States Patent Office (USPTO) in 1961 for use on their watch and chronometer, claiming it was first registered in Switzerland on June 11, 1953. 

This is confusing because Rolex first used the COSMOGRAPH designation on their Rolex triple date moon phase model (Reference 6062) as we see in the Rolex ad below.

Below we see a 1964 Rolex 'Le Mans' magazine ad from the Concannon Collection introducing the Rolex Le Mans. In other words, Rolex originally intended to call their chronograph the Le Mans, and NOT Daytona.

In early 1965 Rolex published the following advertisement linking their Chronograph with racing, but did NOT use the name "Daytona".

Later in 1965. Rolex Rolex re-introduced the same Rolex Chronograph as the Rolex Daytona Chronograph as seen in the Rolex Magazine ad below which is also from the Concannon Collection.

To make things even more confusing, there were Rolex chronograph models as seen below [Reference 6263] where one has the 'Cosmograph' designation on the left, but without a 'Daytona' dial designation, whereas the model on the right also features a 'Daytona' dial designation!?!!

Now that I have probably confused you to death with my Daytona history analysis above, keep in mind we will have complete live coverage on March 30th, and I might update this article as news comes in, but stay tuned!!!

Spy Pilot: Gary Powers' Datejust 1601

"So, how are you doing?" I was on the phone with Gary Powers Jr., the son of the famous U-2 pilot shot down at 70,000 feet over the Soviet Union during the Cold War. We were just a couple of hours before his dad's Rolex was being auctioned in Geneva. "I'm a nervous wreck," he tells me. I laughed, then I told him I'd call back and check on him after the auction.

I have known a few former U-2 pilots. The Dragon Lady, the nickname for the spy plane, is still in service, one of the few military jets that has been in service for more than half a century. 

My friends, who now fly for the same major airline as I do, tell me about the long missions in the small cockpit, but especially how hard it is to land the U-2. "You have to stall the wings just a few feet above the runway or you'll overshoot the runway," one told me. "You are literally falling out of the skies every time you come back from a mission."

Above, U-2 designer Kelly Johnson with Gary Powers. The jet was born under secrecy in what would become Area 51, when Eisenhower was growing nervous over Soviet technological advances. For me, Gary Powers is a true hero. He resigned his commission from the U.S. Air Force to join the CIA program and fly deep into the USSR. He was immortalized in the blockbuster Steven Spielberg film, “Bridge of Spies.” He was also portrayed by actor Lee Majors. 

Gary Powers was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the National Defense Service Medal, the CIA's coveted Director's Medal for extreme fidelity and extraordinary courage in the line of duty. He was also awarded the Silver Star medal for "demonstrating exceptional loyalty while enduring harsh interrogation in the Lubyanka Prison in Moscow for almost two years." 

Most of his medals were awarded posthumously, unfortunately. Few know that he accomplished one last heroic act before he died in a helicopter crash in California in 1977, when he worked for a TV station.

When power is lost to an engine, helicopter pilots are trained to autorotate, meaning to use upward flow of air through the rotor to land without crashing the helo. As Gary Powers used aerodynamic forces to slow the fall, he noticed children playing in the area, and he directed the helo elsewhere to avoid landing on them. Experts believe he might have landed safely if not for the last-second deviation, which compromised his autorotative descent.

The world didn't know about his Rolex, pictured above, until his son decided to put it up for auction, six decades after he was shot down over the Soviet skies. 

After two years in prison camp in the Soviet Union, Gary Powers, who had been sentenced for 10 years, is traded on a foggy morning on a bridge in Germany. A few months after he comes back to the U.S., in 1962, he uses the money the CIA paid him and buys himself a Rolex Datejust. Powers had found a new appreciation for life and freedom. 

"He owned other watches but the Rolex is the one he preferred and wore as daily use," Gary Powers Jr. tells me. 

The Datejust is a reference 1601, 14-kt gold in 36mm, with jubilee bracelet. "My wrist is a little bit bigger than my dad's, so it was too tight," he said. "So for me, it was an easy decision to let it go after all these years." The Rolex comes with original box and papers.

Gary Powers Jr. co-founded in 1996 the Cold War Museum in Warrenton, Virginia, which spans the end of World War II to the disbandment of the Soviet Union, including the time his dad was taking photos of military installations from the sky. The Americans believed that the U-2 was nearly invincible against the Soviets, since it traveled at high altitudes. What they didn’t know is that the USSR had developed a new surface-to-air missile capable of reaching the U-2's heights. 

Above, Aurel Bacs of Phillips is about to award Powers' Rolex to a British bidder. When I call Gary back, after the auction, he said he is happy for the person who will own the watch. "It's been sitting in a closet for the last 40 years, gathering dust," he tells me. "I was very comfortable putting it up for auctions and letting the new owner enjoy it."

The auction closed at 38,000 CHF, or $40,000—not bad for a 36-mm Datejust. When I finally asked Gary Powers Jr. if he owned a Rolex, he responded no. He has owned some pilot watches, he said. But only Russian ones. He is pictured as a kid sitting with his dad below.

Under The Pole DEEPLIFE | Svalbard Expedition Episodes 1-3

Under The Pole

DEEPLIFE | Svalbard Expedition 

Episodes 1-3

Rolex recently published this stunningly beautiful & magnificent documentary trilogy which among other things discovers the first arctic marine animal forest. The videos are in French, so if you don't speak French, be sure to turn click on the Subtitles button, which should offer English subtitles. The following text accompanies each Rolex video:

The ecosystems of the Arctic seas remain mysterious even as the sea ice retreats due to climate change. To learn more, Under The Pole’s Ghislain Bardout and Emmanuelle Périé-Bardout led an expedition to Svalbard, supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. The explorers dived into the frigid waters in search of marine animal forests. These ecosystems are just as essential to life on Earth as forests on land, yet little is known about them.

When the explorers at Under The Pole dive into the Arctic Ocean, they face formidable challenges. The water is so cold it hurts, and the chill also wears out their equipment. Arctic dives require careful preparation and the right frame of mind but the reward is discovery. The team has found the first-ever marine animal forest in the Arctic off the coast of Svalbard, as part of its ongoing DEEPLIFE programme supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. 

By exploring the Arctic seas, the team at Under The Pole aims to document the region’s hidden ecosystems and preserve them. Only by understanding the marine animal communities that exist in these icy waters – and how they are changing – is it possible to take action. Divers Ghislain Bardout and Emmanuelle Périé-Bardout want to ensure a living world for the next generation. Their science-driven exploration is supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative.