Rolex Day-Date Rainbow Puzzle Dial

...Rolex Studio Shot of the Day...

 Rolex Day-Date

Rainbow Puzzle Dial

Rolex Coolness: Dabney Colman

Dabney Coleman

Belongs to the Ages

1932-2024

Kept the time of his life with his Rolex Datejust

Dabney Coleman passed away today at age 92. He had an amazing career as an actor in movies and TV spanning over 50 years and wore his two tone Rolex Datejust for 5 decades. His Film career has covered many decades and began his film career in an Elvis Presley movie named The Trouble With Girls.

Dabney went on to star in mega-hits like The Towering Inferno, Nine To Five, Tootsie, War Games, On Golden Pond, Dragnet and the Beverly Hillbillies. He also had a great voice that will always remain highly iconic.

In Television, he played many different roles, including being on The Outer Limits, Barnaby Jones, Columbo, Mary Hartman-Mary Hartman, and Fernwood Tonight. He starred in two hit TV series, Buffalo Bill, The Slap Maxwell Story and Boardwalk Empire, and was most recently in an episode from Yellowstone.

One of Dabney Coleman's most memorable roles came in Nine To Fine and he is seen below with his costars from Nine To Fine, Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.

Rolex Daytona Beach Models

 Rolex Daytona

Beach Models

Christie's Auction House Rare Watches, Including The Property of Michael Schumacher sale this week in Geneva, Switzerland was filled with some magnificent Rolex watch models including a full set of Rolex 'Beach" Daytona models in white gold as see below.

Rolex made these beauties in the year 2000, under the tutelage of Patrick Heiniger, and and Christies offered all four of these watches individually, instead of as a complete set. 

The 'Beach' Daytona models all feature beautiful mother of pearl dials, in mint green (CHF 70K), sky blue (CHF 75K), canary yellow (CHF 70K), and pretty pink (CHF 85K).

The white gold Daytona Beach models all included matching lizard skin straps with matching white gold deployment buckles.

Michael Schumacher's PAUL NEWMAN DAYTONA Coming To Auction with Christie's

 

Life in The Fast Lane

Legendary Formula 1 Champion

Michael Schumacher's

PAUL NEWMAN DAYTONA 

Auctioned by Christie's for $276,000

Michael Schumacher's magnificent 1971 Paul Nemwman Rolex Daytona Reference 6262

Man & His Machines

Michael Schumacher is one of the greatest Formula 1 racing champions having won the Formula 1 World Championship seven-times. Schumacher was also a collector of some magnificent Rolex Daytona models and we see him pictured below in 1993 rocking his Zenith Rolex Daytona with a white dial.

Formula 1 Racing Legend, Michael Schumacher rocking his 

stainless steel Daytona [Reference 16520] back in 1993 

Michael Schumacher's stainless steel Rolex [Lot 137] sold at Christie's for CHF 250,000 on May 14 in Geneva, which is approximately $276K. You can watch the entire Christie's auction on YouTube which is totally fascinating.

Special thanks to our Captain Danny who first brought this story to my attention on his excellent Coronet Rolex blog. 

You can learn more and see additional photos of this magnificent Rolex Daytona which belonged to legendary Formula 1 racer, Michael Schumacher by visiting Christie's Auction House sale catalog. This beauty, along with Schumacher's other watches will was auctioned off in Geneva, Switzerland on May 13, 2024.

Michael Schumacher's Paul Newman Daytona, Reference 6262 is a STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL example of this rare Rolex Chronograph model, which was one of last to feature push-down chronograph pushers. 

Update May 18, 2024: Several sources reached out to me to suggest there are a few details on this watch that are incorrect. Jose from Perezcope.com was the first to notice the irregularities on this watch and on an Instagram story commented: "OK, who sold this made up 6262 to Michael Schumacher? A 6262 with 300 bezel and a first generation Paul Newman dial? Seriously?". I asked Cameron Barr from Craft and Tailored and he said "Jose is correct. The bezel is too early and should be a BASE 50, and the dial is sing-a-song text which should be straight text."

Lot Essay from Christie's Auction House

This fantastic looking Paul Newman Daytona represents the synthesis of two great sporting icons – Rolex’s most recognizable and desired vintage steel chronograph, and its present owner, the former seven-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher.
The present chronograph provides collectors with not only the opportunity to obtain one of the scarcest references of the Daytona, reference 6262, but also to own an example with incredible and direct provenance to one of the world’s greatest ever Formula 1 Champions.
Reference 6262
No other model of Rolex watch focuses so much attention as the manual-winding Rolex Cosmograph, its many dial variations and different references now so intensely sought after by collectors, it can be said quite unequivocally to be the most desirable vintage watch in the world.
Requiring almost no introduction, Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches fitted with ‘Paul Newman’ dials have been, and continue to be, the most iconic and coveted of the Daytona.
One of the rarest vintage Rolex Daytonas, reference 6262 was in production for only a very short time between 1970 and 1972. Together with reference 6264, it was the last Rolex chronograph watch featuring the simple round push-down buttons. All future chronograph references, starting with references 6263 and 6265 in 1971 bear screw down chronograph buttons. Reference 6262 was available in stainless steel, as well as 14k and 18k gold. It has a polished metal bezel with engraved tachymeter graduation.

One More Thang!

Michael Schumacher also owned a yellow gold 1966 Rolex Daytona Reference Number 6241, which was also auctioned for CHF 220,000 by Christie's Auction House [Lot 138] in Geneva, and it came with an extra beautiful dial.

Lot Essay from Christie's Auction House

With the most incredible provenance, This incredible Daytona timepiece belonged to no other than seven-time Formula 1 World Champion racing driver Michael Schumacher, this extremely rare 14k gold Rolex reference 6241 is both a key piece for the serious Rolex collector and car enthusiasts alike.

The overall appeal of this 14k gold ref. 6241 is further enhanced by its very good overall condition and matching 14k gold riveted bracelet. The case retains full proportions and crisp gold mark, serial and reference numbers. It displays the traces of bluish oxidation to the case that are a typical indication that the watch has been carefully stored and not used in a very long time. The shade of the full gold reference 6239 bezel with engraved tachymeter scale perfectly matches the case. 

It can therefore be assumed that this bezel must have been added a very long time ago to bestow a new aesthetic by replacing the original ref. 6241 bezel which, for this model is in gold with a black plastic insert. A further noteworthy fact is the designation ‘ROW’ engraved on the movement, confirming that the original destination for this watch was the North American market.

Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day: Larry's Stainless Steel Daytona

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

Larry's Stainless Steel Daytona

Watch & Clock Maker May 15th 1929 :

THE ROLEX OYSTER

Watch & Clock Maker

May 15th 1929

This is a fascinating art-deco style Rolex ad from May of 1929, which means it was published 95 years ago!!! It is interesting to note they refer to what we refer to today as a wristwatch, as a wristlet. This ad was obviously published after the advent of the Rolex Oyster, but before the Oyster Perpetual. Notice the art-deco cushion case in the bottom left looks similar to an early Panerai.

Weekend Watching Bill Burr & Bill Maher

 

Weekend Watching

Bill Burr & Bill Maher

CLUB RANDOM

This weekend, Bill Maher had comedian Bill Burr on his Club Random show as a guest, and I couldn't help but notie that Bill Burr was rocking a two-tone Rolex RootBeer GMT-Master. Enjoy!! 

Yamila Diaz-Rahi Summer Supermodel Submariner

...Rolex Hotness...

Yamila Diaz-Rahi

Summer Supermodel Submariner

We are just a few weeks away from Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, which means warmer weather and longer days are on their way, so I thought I would share this image of Yamila Diaz-Rahi sporting her Rolex Submariner, just after snorkeling. Yamila grew up in Argentina, and in the photo below she is wearing a JLO bathing suit, by Jennifer Lopez. 

Tommy Lasorda Belongs To The Ages...

Tommy Lasorda

MLB Baseball Legend

1927-2021

Tommy Lasorda was a professional baseball pitcher and manager who famously managed the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1976 through 1996. Tommy Lasorda wore a yellow gold Rolex Day-Day date as seen in the photos below. Lasorda passed away in January 2021 at age 93 and left behind an amazing list of achievements.

The Face & Soul of The Dodgers

"I Bleed Dodger Blue!"

Tommy Lasorda played for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1954-1955, and in 1956 move on to play for the Kansas City Athletics. The Dodger's moved from Brooklyn to Los Angles in 1957.

Tommy Lasorda became a coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1973 to 1976, and then took over as their manager. Lasorda won two World Series Championships while serving as manager of The Dodgers.

As we can see in the photo above Tommy Lasorda wore a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date with a blue dial with diamond markers which matched his Los Angeles Dodgers uniform.

The Rolex China Sea Rac—Double delight for Happy Go in 2024

The Rolex China Sea Race
Double delight for Happy Go in 2024

The Rolex China Sea Race is Asia’s oldest, most prestigious blue water race. Inaugurated in 1962, the biannual event is organized by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and charts a 565-nautical mile (1,046 km) course from Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong to Subic Bay in the Philippines. In 2024, Happy Go became the first yacht in 14 years to take both line and overall honours, Nie Hua and his crew crossing the finish line in just over three days and 20 hours on corrected time. As part of its extensive support for yachting dating back almost 70 years, Rolex has partnered the race since 2008.

Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. 

Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup.

It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.