JK's Stainless Steel Clasp Coronet

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day...

JK's Stainless Steel Clasp Coronet

Stainless Steel Rolex Yacht-Master II

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

Stainless Steel 

Rolex Yacht-Master II

44MM Reference 116680

90th Anniversary Of The Rolex Oyster

90th Anniversary Of The Rolex Oyster

1926-2016

It's hard to imagine that only ninety years ago, Rolex invented and brought to market the first waterproof watch. I say this because it seems like so long ago, and at the same time not so long ago. In order to really understand the significance of the Rolex Oyster in horological history, you have to understand Rolex's founder Hans Wilsdorf.

Hans Hilsdorf, Founder of Rolex pictured above in 1905 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

The watch below is not a vintage Panerai. It is an incredibly timeless, elegant Rolex Oyster which was one of the first waterproof models that Rolex offered in 1926. Happy 90th Anniversary to the Rolex Oyster!!! 

Stefano Mazzariol Yellow Gold Daytona with White Porcelain Dial

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day...

Stefano Mazzariol

Yellow Gold Daytona with White Porcelain Dial

A Rolex Letter From Brazil July 1953

A Rolex Letter From Brazil

July 1953

It has been said that every Rolex has a story behind it, and Rolex used to publish many of these great anecdotes, and this one is from Brazil in 1953. The article mentions "Don't forget that the more junior member of the Rolex family, the Tudor, is also protected by the Oyster case." Rolex officially launched the Tudor line a year earlier in 1952. If you click on the magazine image below, it will get bigger and easier to read.

Vintage Rolex Ad Appears Courtesy of The Concannon Collection

Vintage Rolex Day-Date Ad...

Rolex Day-Date

Change The World Ad

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day...

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day...

Ryan's Double Red SEA-DWELLER

Submariner 2000: Reference 1665 Mark II

Donald Douglas: Founder of McDonnell Douglas Corporation

...Rolex Super-Coolness....

Donald Douglas

Founder of McDonnell Douglas Corporation

1892-1981

"When you design it, think how you would feel if you had to fly it! Safety first!"

Donald Douglass is one of the greatest aviation pioneers in history, and he is featured below in the 1952 Rolex Datejust ad. Donald Douglas was a highly talented aeronautical engineer who played a key role in the building out the American aviation industry.

Early in Douglas' career he built an airplane known as the Douglas Cloudster, which was the first airplane that could cary a payload heavier than its own weight. In 1921 he founded the Douglas Aircraft Company which would later merge into The McDonnell Douglas Corporation.

Donald Douglas is pictured below with American President FDR, on the eve of World War II. At the beginning of World War II, Doulas' Airplanes made up 80% of all commercial aircraft in the U.S. Fleet, which was dominated with his Douglas DC-3. Also, his Douglas C-47 Military Transport version of the DC-3 was the dominant airplane in the U.S. Military Fleet.

In the video below we learn how Donald Douglas was deeply inspired by the Wright Brothers, and how he witnessed the dawn of Military aviation.

The following video is fascinating as it features the pioneer aviation founders of Lockheed, Northrop and Douglas himself.

Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day Antiquorum Rolex Moonphase [Reference 8171]

Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day

Antiquorum Rolex Moonphase

[Reference 8171]

This is an outrageously beautiful yellow gold Rolex Moonphase that was made between 1949 and 1952. This Rolex reference is was dubbed "Padellone" by Italian collectors. "Padellone" translated into English means "Frying Pan." I understand the translation, but referring to such a magnificent masterpiece as "frying pan" is not reasonable, so today I am renaming this watch as "The Magnificent Moonphase."

One of the other really cool things about the Rolex Moonphase [Reference 8171] is that even though it was made between 1949 and 1952, it was unusually large at the time at 38mm, which makes it very cool and timeless today.

I prepared a stunning higher resolution version which is 2560 x 1440.

Rolex Macros Shot of the Day: Daytona

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day...

Magnificent Macro

B took this amazing macro shot of his Rolex Daytona dial up close. Something about these colors is so great looking together...