Keeping The Time Of His Life with a Rolex GMT Master
Who is the greatest Rock n' Roll band of all time? Led Zeppelin–of course!!! Or another way to put it, is that NOBODY ever rocked like Led Zeppelin, and I mean NOBODY!!! I would even go so far as to say that Led Zeppelin is in a class all by itself, just like Rolex is like no other watch. I am really excited to share this fascinating story with you, which has three amazing full-length Led Zeppelin concerts included at the end of the story.
John Paul Jones is a founding member of the Led Zeppelin and is considered to be one of the greatest and most innovative musicians alive today. John Paul Jones has always been really low-key, and kind of quiet, but a giant in the world of music.
John Paul plays many, many different instruments, and in Led Zeppelin he plays bass guitar and keyboards.
If we take a close look at John Paul Jones Two-Tone Rolex GMT Master, we can see it is definitely a vintage Rolex GMT with nipple indices, and a Jubilee bracelet. I saw a photo of him wearing it in 1977, and my best guess is that it was made in the early 1970s. He still wears it today, so we know he is in his fourth decade of wearing it–at least.
Led Zeppelin are one of the best-selling, most innovative, successful rock bands is history. Not only is their music unlike anything else, it is otherworldly. All their songs are unusually long-form, and almost more like a hard Rock n' Roll symphony. It's also interesting to note, that despite being a British band, in many ways they seem a lot more American, which likely makes sense since they were so deeply influenced in their early day by American Rhythm and Blues.
John Paul Jones is pictured below sitting between fellow founding Led Zeppelin band members, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, in a photo taken in 1985 at the Live Aid concert, which represented the first time Led Zeppelin got back together for a reunion after they broke up in 1980, and you can see that John is wearing his two tone Rolex GMT-Master.
John Paul Jones is pictured below in in 1985 wearing his two-tone Rolex GMT-Master.
John Paul Jones is pictured below, chillin' backstage with Jimmy Page in 1977, and John Paul is wearing his Rolex GMT Master.
As I mentioned earlier, John Paul Jones was the quiet giant of Led Zeppelin, and that is easy to understand when he was on stage with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, who rocked like nobody else ever has, or likely ever will. Led Zeppelin was together going full-speed ahead from 1968, to 1980, when they disbanded after their drummer, John Bonham died.
Nobody Ever Rocked Like Led Zeppelin!!!
In many ways Led Zeppelin music definded a generation, and in the photo below we see Robert Plant and Jimmy Page rocking out on the Madison Square Garden stage in 1977.
Stairway To Heaven
Founding Led Zeppelin members, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page are pictured below with U.S. President Obama, at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012, where they were presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
In the video below, we see President Obama celebrate Led Zeppelin at the White House.
You can and SHOULD watch Led Zeppelin at the Kennedy Center Honors in the video below which is superbly INSANE!!!!! Heart's rendition of Stairway to Heaven, featuring Ann and Nancy Wilson with John Hohman's son, Jason Bonham is absolutely mesmerizingly otherworldly and outrageous!!!!! I mean it's almost impossible to believe that anybody could ever top Led Zeppelin's own version of Stairway to Heaven, but this version certainly is a great candidate for doing so...It's so great, I could listen to it a million times!!!! Even, Rolex brand ambassador, Yo Yo Ma, is rocking out super hard to Stairway to Heaven...
Next we see a performance from their seminal Robert Plant and Jimmy Page reunion in 1995, as they rock-out to Kashmir.
I must begin this story by thanking Nick "Eagle Eyes" Gould for discovering and sharing with me the fact that Chiang Kai-shek wore two different Rolex models, including an OP and a Rolex Bubble Back. Nick is one of the greatest Rolex historians and we have learned and discovered so much together. Thus, I wish to dedicate this story to Nick who has remained a constant source of inspiration and invaluable insight and I just wanted to thank you for being super awesome!!!
This is a fascinating story about a Chinese family that ruled China and Taiwan and wore Rolex watches for at least 3 generations which begins with Generalissimo, Chiang Kai-Shek. Chiang Kai-sheck was a Chinese statesman, revolutionary, and military commander.
Chiang was the head of the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) party, as well as serving as the General of the National Revolutionary Army, where he was commonly referred to as Generalissimo, and went on to be the leader of the Republic of China (ROC), in mainland China from 1928 to 1949.
Chiang was ultimately defeated during the Chinese Civil War by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1949, and he fled to the Island then known as Formosa, which today is commonly referred to as, Taiwan, where he lived until he passed away in 1975. Taiwan is an island 100 miles off the southeastern east coast of China, which is about twice the size of New Jersey. Taiwan today is a technological powerhouse that is the world leader in the fabrication and production of microchips, like you would commonly find in an Apple iPhone.
Chiang Ching-kuo
1910-1988
President of Republic of China (ROC)
Chiang Kai-Shek's only son, Chiang Ching-kuo is pictured below wearing his Rolex GMT-Master, Reference 6542. Chiang Ching-kuo served as the Premier of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1972-1978, and went on to serve as the President of the Republic of China from 1978 to 1988.
Chiang Hsiao-wu
1945-1991
Chiang Kai-Shek's is pictured below walking with his grandson, Chiang Hsiao-wu, who also wore a Rolex GMT-Master [Reference 6542], which you can see in the photo below on his left wrist.
Jake Ehrlich Sr.
1900-1971
As they say, it's a small world after all. Chiang Kai-shek was a client of my grandfather, Jake Ehrlich Sr., who is pictured below wearing a pair of yellow gold cufflinks that Chiang Kai-shek gave him as a gift. The cufflinks are of Chinese foo dogs that guarded the Emperor's Temple in the Forbidden City in China. These dogs were also know as Chinese Guardian Lions.
Generalissimo
Chiang Kai-Shek
In the photo below taken in November of 1943 in Cairo, Egypt af the First Cairo Conference, which was codenamed, SEXTANT we see Chinese Generalissimo, Chiang Kai-Shek, chatting with U.S. President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, while we see Sir Winston Churchill chatting with Chiang Kai-shek's wife, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, Lay-ling.
In the video below, we see Madame, Chiang Kai-shek address the Congress of the United States, during World War II in 1943.
In the photo below we see Chiang Kai-Shek wearing a Rolex Bubble Back on an early Rolex Oyster Bracelet.
A Tale of Two China's & Two Rolexes
Chiang Kai-shek v. Mao Zedong
One of histories greatest rivalries existed between Chiang Kai-she and Mao Zedong, who are pictured together below in August of 1945.
The documentary below goes into great detail on the Chinese Civil War, and explains how the history to make it easy to understand.
Chairman and founder of The People's Republic of China (PRC) Mao Zedong, also wore two different Rolex watches.
The two really cool photos below are of Taiwanese Frogman taken during the Second Taiwan Straits Crisis in 1958 and notice both of them are rocking Rolex Submariner tool watches. The 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis was also referred to as "The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis", and U.S. Secretary of State Christian Herter (1959–1961) was said to have later referred to the antagonism as: "the first serious nuclear crisis".
This event was part of an altercation between the Republic of China (ROC), A.K.A. Taiwan, formerly know as Formosa, prior to 1945and The People's Republic of China (PRC) A.K.A. Mainland China. During this conflict the PRC shelled Kinmen (Quemoy) and Matsui Islands located on the East Coast of Mainland China—part of the Taiwan Straits) as part of a mission to try to take control of Taiwan from the Chinese Nationalist Party, which was also known as the Kuomintang (KMT).
This scrimmage was regarded as a test to explore the United States resolve and defense capabilities of Taiwanese territory. A fierce naval battle ensued near Dongding Island as the Taiwanese ROC Navy defeated an attempted amphibious landing by the Mainland Chinese PRC Navy.
Notice the tachymeter scale on this vintage Rolex chronograph is on the outside of the dial, as apposed to the Daytona which has it on the outer bezel.
Bill Russell, who was one of my childhood heroes passed away today at the age of 88. Russell was arguably the greatest NBA basketball player in history, and certainly the winningest having been an 11 time NBA champion.
Russell was also the first black basketball player in the NBA and was a major role model. Nick Gould discovered this superb photos of Russell, rocking his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date.
I will never forget, when I was a kid (more than 40 years ago), Bill Russell was interviewed on 60 Minutes, but Morley Safer. I remember Morley asked Bill:
"Many professional athletes these days have drug and alcohol addictions. Did you ever experiment with drugs?"
Russell responded:
"You know Morley, that's an interesting question, as my two sons asked me the same question to which I responded 'No. I have not tried drugs, which are stupid. There is something to be said for living life at its own speed.'"
For some reason, Bill's eternal words have stuck with me to this day, and I often remember them!
It's been said reality-is-stranger-than-fiction, and President Trump recently appeared on Adin Ross's, Adin Livecast on YouTube, and the interview was filled with MANY YOUUUGE surprises, including Adin gifting President Trump with a new EverRose 40MM Rolex Day-Date which is commonly referred to as a "Rolex President".
As we see, Adin gifted President Trump with an 18 kt Rolex Day-Date 40, in EverRose Gold, with an Olive Green Dial, featuring raised rose gold Roman numerals. Adin Asked President Trump if he liked Rolex, and Trump responded:
"That's a beautiful watch. That's a great watch company. They're (Rolex) a good company. They like Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player and Arnold Palmer—all the golf guys, and all the other guys. This is beautiful. Thank You! Don't they have nice boxes? WoW!!!"
—President, Donald J. Trump
President Trump is no stranger to rocking a Rolex President, as he has been wearing a Rolex Day-Date for decades.
Golf's Big 3
President Trump mentioned in his solilaquie to Adin, which I quoted above, golf legends, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Arnold Palmer, who are commonly referred to as Golf's Big Three.
Trump specially offered his assessment or opinion on Rolex being The International Mark of Success, as he waxed poetic, by apparent way of an unrehearsed, off-hand-remark, that seemed more like a stream of consciousness flow—kind of like a scat singer, or jazz musician who was simply riffing on Rolex:
"They (Rolex) like Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player and Arnold Palmer—all the golf guys, and all the other guys." —U.S. President, Donald J. Trump
Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus have all been Rolex brand ambassadors, which Rolex refers to as Testimonies.
Golf's Big Three are featured below in a vintage Rolex Magazine ad.
The screen capture below appeared on Rolex a few decades ago, and featured The Big Three.
Golf legend, Arnold Palmer was the first major Rolex brand ambassador in modern history.
Speaking of firsts, President Eisenhower was the first U.S. President to publicly rock a Rolex, as we see in the photo below, Eisenhower is wearing his trademark yellow gold Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet back in the 1950s while serving as the President of the United States. This may be what Trump was referring to when he quipped, offering his off-hand-remark, when he said "all the golf guys, and all the other guys."
In other words, it's safe to assume Adin caught President Trump off-guard, and truly surprised him with gifting him a Rolex President, something that Trump is intimately familiar with the symbolism and power of. It was fascinating watching Adin gift Trump the Rolex, as Trump responded like a small child getting his first Big Wheel, or BB gun, or G.I. Joe—with a Kung Fu grip.
I mean, what could you possibly give a man who is a billionaire and seemingly already owns everything money could buy!?!! Yet, when you examine Trumps response, his eyes lit up like a Christmas Tree, when he received the Rolex "President" as a gift. You see, for Trump, it's not the gift per se, but recognition of the symbolism of the surprise gift that emotionally charged him so much.
It's also interesting to note, and yes I am going deep in my psychological evaluation of The Teflon Don, that Trump with his rudimentary prose, offered the world his first and only verbal evaluation of Rolex being The International Mark of Success.
I mean wearing a Rolex President, as a political tool watch is one thing, but actually expressing or articulating in words, is quite a different thing, and I found "The Donald's" verbiage to be fascinating. As a matter of fact, I believe this might be the first time a President of the United States has actually offered up their specific opinion of the Rolex brands symbolism and what it means in its broader context!?!!
President Nixon
The Summer of 74
Speaking of The Rolex President, and Arnold Palmer, we see him pictured below in the Oval Office hanging out with President Nixon and Palmer is rocking his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date. It's interesting to note today marks precisely the 50th Anniversary of Nixon's resignation of the U.S. Presidency.
Ironically, when I was a young child, I was 7 years old, and I was at summer camp in Northern California, at a magnificently beautiful summer camp named "Forest Farms", which was located north of Marin County, in Northern California—and I will never forget how the camp counselors quickly rounded us up late on the afternoon of August 8, 1974, and brought us to the owners residence on the camp grounds, and sat us down to watch President Nixon resign the presidency. I remember watching Nixon's resignation speech as seen below.
I specifically remember all the Forest Farm Camp counselors were all freaking out, saying "this is the first time in American history an American President has resigned". I added the photo of me, pictured below, at Forest Farms with my camp counselor, Tom, which was taken when I was 7 years old. I was too young, obviously to be wearing a Rolex, but I was rocking my favorite, gold Hang-Ten T-Shirt with the two feet logo, with my Levi's jeans, and Jack Purcell, low-top Converse All-Star sneakers.
As a very confused 7-year old, I had no idea or interest really of what was going on with President Nixon's resignation. For all intents an purposes, at the time, I was far more interested in The Easter Bunny, and the tooth fairy, who might leave some money under my pillow if I devoured enough watermelon, cherry, or grape Jolly Rancher bars.
PresidentialCyberTruck
ONE MORE THANG!
Adin also presented President Trump with a Tesla CyberTruck with an over-the top-custom vehicle wrap graphic which is seen below with its American Flag wrap design with a highly symbolic image of Trump fist-pumping the crowd with blood on his face, after he overcame the recent alleged assassination attempt on his life in Pennsylvania.
Since we are on the subject of Paul Newman's Daytona #2, it strikes me there is a good chance that Franz von Holzhausen may very well be wearing Paul Newman's actual "Big Red" Rolex Daytona #2, which he may have purchased at auction back in 2017.
So what exactly is the symbolism of this fascinatingly bizarre and exotic CyberTruck gift from Adin Ross to President Trump? I almost can't believe what I am seeing when I look at the wrap design of this CyberTruck. Also, it's worth drawing an analogy between the two gifts Adin Ross gave President Trump, being a Rolex President and a CyberTruck.
Both gifts are hardcore masculine symbols of over-the-top, alpha-male status symbols. Yes, the Rolex President watch model has been around since the mid 1950s, and the CyberTruck is much newer, but they are both extreme symbols of cutting edge, avante-garde, modern technology designed for masculine men.
One could argue, the Rolex President it no longer modern, but complexity classic today, and that the CyberTruck is not classic, but completely modern, to which I would respond: everything today that is considered classic, was once considered to be modern.
If you really think about it, the 40MM version of the Rolex Day-Date that Adin Ross gifted President Trump, represents Rolex's brilliantly and flawlessly executed attempt to modernize their timeless and classic 36MM version of the Rolex Day-Date.
You can watch the entire Adin Ross, President Trump interview below.
Every great story deserves to have it's own soundtrack, and in this case, Trump be like:
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.
