...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day... Wade's Rolex Submariner Close Up

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

Wade's Rolex Submariner Close Up

Sammy Davis Jr. Rolex Datejust...

...Rat Pack Rolex...

Sammy Davis Jr.

The Greatest Entertainer That Ever Lived

Sammy Davis Jr. has been commonly referred to as the greatest entertainer that ever lived, and I would have to agree. Sammy was a big watch collector and wore a number of different Rolex models. This first picture is intriguing because it shows him wearing what appears to be a highly customized Rolex model. 

If you look closely, you notice this is clearly a yellow gold Rolex, but it has a yellow Rolex President bracelet, on what appears to be a yellow gold Submariner body, coupled with a diamond bezel. I've seen some interesting Rolex customizations in my lifetime, but I don't recall ever seeing anything quite like this?

In the photo below we see Sammy Davis Jr. sporting a yellow gold Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee Bracelet. 

Sammy Davis Jr. was one of the original member of the Rat Pack, and is seen below with fellow members, Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra.

Sammy Davis Jr. is pictured below on stage in Las Vegas in the Copa Room at The Stardust with fellow Rat Pack members Dean "Dino" Martin on the far left of the stage and Frank "Old Blue Eyes" Sinatra on the right.

The Candy Man Can

Sammy Davis Jr & Mickey Rooney

The incomparable Sammy Davis Jr., is pictured below hugging actor, Mickey Rooney backstage at Rooney's Broadway show named "Sugar Babies" in 1981. Of course, Sammy Davis Jr., is wearing his trademark yellow gold Rolex Datejust.

Dalai Lama Rolex Keeping The Time Of His Life

What Kind Of Man Wears Rolex?

I recently wrote a story titled, "The Rolex Woman", which explored the Evolution Of The Female Rolex Archetype. So when we think about the male Rolex archetype, many different people come to mind. Macho-men, that are really cool, like Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Steve McQueen. In modern times you might think of Michael Jordan, Brad Pitt, or James Cameron. 

When you think of Political figures who wear a gold Rolex you might think of U.S. Presidents, Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson or Bill Clinton, or even former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. When people think about Civil Rights Leaders who have worn yellow gold Rolex watches, they might think about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., or Jesse Jackson. One man who might surprise people with wearing a Yellow Gold Rolex President, is no other than His Holiness, The Dali Lama of Tibet.

I recently published a story on Jake's Rolex World that showcases a story I wrote that was published in Rolex's paper magazine named, "The Rolex Magazine." The name of my story was "The Rolex Precedent", which is a play on the widely used nickname of the Rolex Day-Date, which is is know as "The Rolex President." The Rolex President gained this name and notoriety as it has been worn on the wrist of many powerful politicians, and political figures. U.S. President, Lyndon Johnson was probably the first figure that not only wore a Rolex Day-Date, but wielded it as the ultimate "Political Tool Watch." In other words, Rolex's Sports Models, which have commonly been referred to as Professional Models by Rolex, are commonly referred to by collectors as "Tool Watches." So many people are surprised to learn that the ultimate "Political Tool Watch" have historically been the Yellow Gold Rolex Datejust and Day-Date models.

...Nobel Peace Prize Laureate...

Dalai Lama

Rolex Keeping The Time Of His Life

 Blue Sunburst Dial

The Dalai Lama is considered to be the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and he is renowned for his wisdom diplomacy, kindness, smile and peaceful nature. It is difficult to discover what kind or watch he wears, because he always wears his watches, rotated 180 degrees around his wrist. When a watch is worn backwards on the wrist, it serves to camouflage the watch, which makes it difficult to observe.

In the photo above, we see The Dalai Lama wearing his Yellow Gold Rolex Day-Date as he stands next to South African President and Civil Right Leader, Nelson Mandela.

As mentioned, The Dalai Lama typically goes out of his way to make certain his watches never appear to be fancy or ostentatious. His holiness does so, by typically putting them on inexpensive stretchable Speidel Twist-O-Flex watch bands. In this recent photo, we see the Dalai Lama with Prince Charles, and the Dalai Lama is wearing a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date with a cobalt blue dial. 

The photo below shows a cobalt blue Rolex sunburst dial which I believe is the same one on the Dalai Lama's Day-Date.

In this next photo, we see the Dalai Lama wearing a two-tone Rolex Datejust on a jubilee bracelet, as he meets with the Head Rabbi of Israel Meir Lau, in Jerusalem, Israel.

Apparently, His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama is not only a big watch collector, but works on his own watches, as seen in the photo below. It turns out that former U.S. President, Franklin Roosevelt was apparently responsible for infecting Dalai Lama with WISitus when he was only seven or eight years old!

During World War II , the Allied Powers wanted to build a road through Tibet, from India that continued to China. In 1943, two American agents from the Office Of Strategic Services delivered a package to the young Dalai Lama from U.S. President Roosevelt, which contained a letter and a complicated yellow-gold Patek Phillipe Reference 658 Pocket-watch model. This story first came to light in the Patek Philippe Magazine, Issue Number 8, from Fall of 2000.

The Dalai Lama once recounted his experience as a young boy while working on watches: "I have always enjoyed repairing watches. But I can remember a number of occasions as a boy when, completely losing my patience with those tiny, intricate parts, I picked up the mechanism and smashed it down on the table. Of course, later I felt very sorry and ashamed of my behavior—especially when, as on one occasion, I had to return the watch to its owner in a condition worse than it was before!" [Dalai Lama, Ethics for the new millennium].

 Goodbye To The Greatest

Muhammad Ali

1942-2016

Scott Eastwood Rolex Yacht-Master II

Like Father Like Son

...Rolex Coolness...

Scott Eastwood

Rolex Yacht-Master II

Scott Eastwood looks just like his superstar father, Clint Eastwood when he was younger. Scott is sporting a stainless steel Rolex Yacht-Master II.

Clint Eastwood

Two-Tone Root Beer GMT-Master

[Jubilee Bracelet]

Scott Eastwood's father is Academy Award Winning Director and actor, Clint Eastwood, who is also a big Rolex fan.

1981 Two-Tone Root-Beer Rolex GMT Master

[Jubilee Bracelet: Reference 1675]

This photo of Clint Eastwood was taken at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in April of 1981, and we see Clint in front of the very first Space Shuttle, Columbia just after it completed its first orbital flight.

Rolex Coolness: Usher Raymond IV Stainless Steel Rolex Milgauss

...Rolex Coolness...

8 Time Grammy Award Recording Artist

Usher Raymond IV

An Amazing Career With Rolex Keeping His Time

Usher is one of the top recording artists today, and throughout his successful career, he has worn many different Rolex watches. In the first photo below we see him wearing a Stainless Steel Rolex Milguass.

In this next image we see Usher wearing Yellow-Gold Rolex Daytona.

The screen shot below shows Usher wearing his Yellow Gold Rolex Daytona, which is featured in the video below the photo.

Usher's performance of "Mercy, Mercy Me/What's Going On?" in the video below is absolutely amazing!!! I highly recommend watching it. Take it full-screen and turn the volume way up!!! Also notice Usher is wearing his yellow-gold Rolex Daytona.

The photo below is of the same model of Yellow Gold Rolex Daytona Usher is wearing, which is a Rolex Reference Number 116528.

In this next image we see Usher wearing an yellow gold Rolex Masterpiece Day-Date.

One of Usher's biggest hit singles is a song named "YEAH", and as we see on the single album artwork he is wearing an iced-out platinum Rolex Day-Date.

In this next image we see a clearer image of Usher wearing an iced-out Platinum Rolex Day-Date, which appears on the cover of his hit-single, "YEAH".

Vintage Rolex Chronograph Yellow Gold Dual Scale

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

Vintage Rolex Chronograph

Yellow Gold Dual Scale

[Reference 6234]

This beautiful 36mm Rolex Chronograph from Robert Maron has a standard chronograph scale and a 1 mile distance telemeter scale. This allows you to simultaneously measure speed and distance. It is also anti-magnetic

Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day Jocke's Pepsi Rolex GMT Master Reference 1675

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

Jocke's Pepsi Rolex GMT Master

Reference 1675

Vintage 1966 Rolex Submariner Sailing Advertisement...

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

Rolex Submariner with 3, 6, 9  'Explorer' Dial
Coming To Phillips Auction House in Hong Kong

Phillips Auction house in Geneva, Switzerland just had a very successful auction, and later this month, on May 31, 2016, they will have another auction in Hong Kong, which will offer this interesting Rolex Submariner. This is a rare Submariner that was made in 1963, which features what is known as the 'Explorer' dial.

Phillips Catalog Essay on this watch reads:

"Today, the so-called 'Explorer' dial is very fashionable and sought after. The name 'Explorer' stems from the original Rolex Explorer dial featuring the 3-6-9-numerals. Other than the Explorer, the only other Rolex watches to feature 3-6-9-dials are the Large Crown Submariner, reference 6200, 6538 and 5510 are known and the later reference 5512 and 5513 with crown guards. In production for only the first half of the 1960s, 5512 and 5513 are rare, however, it is virtually impossible to find these reference fitted with the Explorer dials.

The present watch was manufactured in the last half of 1963 and features the correct 'underline' and 'Swiss T 25' dial, which is the transitional period for when Rolex stopped using radium and transfer to tritium. The watch also features pointed crown guards, which is correct for the period. The dial itself is a gorgeous black lacquer and the case has retained with its original beveled edges and period bracelet. The present watch has great charisma and is an exceptional example."

The Rolex Submariner: 
A Salty Watch

I pulled up this early 1960s Rolex Submariner advertisement from my archive, which I originally published back in May 2008. It features the Rolex Submariner Reference 5513 as seen above.



On a personal note, despite the fact collectors go crazy over the Rolex Submariner models which feature the 'Explorer' 3, 6, 9 dial, I have never liked them! Why? I think having Arabic numerals on the dial, deeply conflict with the Arabic numerals on the bezel insert. In other words, I think the watch ends up looking way too busy, as there is no longer a focal-point. That is why, I believe Rolex never made any more of these models with the conflicting design language, as they realized the circular and rectangular indices found on a standard Submariner look much, much better, and give the watch a far greater balanced look...

Record Set For Rolex Daytona Phillips.com Sells for More than $2 Million!!!

Record Set For Rolex Daytona

Phillips.com

Sells for More than $2 Million!!!

Less than two weeks ago, on May 14, 2016, a new record was set for the selling price of a Rolex Daytona, when Phillips Auction House in Geneva sold this beauty for just over $2 Million!!!

Below is the Catalog Essay from Phillips that accompanied this watch at auction: 

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Paul Newman “Oyster Sotto” is, without any doubt, a dream watch for collectors around the world except for special orders and unique pieces. Of all the different variants, styles, and configurations of Rolex’s iconic Daytona model, the Oyster Sotto is the pinnacle, positioned at the very top of the hierarchical tree in terms of prestige and desirability, but also rarity.

Formerly a highlight of one of the world’s most important private collections, this reference 6263 offered here is one of only two such known Tropical “Oyster Sotto”, having aged to a gorgeous and uniform shade of chocolate brown. With this unique and absolutely stunning dial, the present lot therefore can be considered one of, if not, the world’s most important Rolex Paul Newman Daytona ever offered for auction.

The charming Italian nickname of “Oyster Sotto” for the dial translates literally to “Oyster Underneath”, and was bestowed this name by collectors due to the placement of the “Oyster” designation beneath the word “Cosmograph” at 12 o’clock. These are the very first Paul Newman-style dials made for Oyster-cased Daytonas, whose screw-down pushers permitted greater water resistance compared with the pump pushers of earlier generation models. 

Recognizable by the art-deco style Arabic numerals and squared markers found in the subsidiary dials, only very few examples of this rare Oyster Sotto configuration of the Paul Newman-type dial are known to exist. All of those that have appeared on reference 6263 models bear low serial numbers in the 2 million range – the earliest examples of the reference. It’s fitted with the correct “millerighe”, meaning a thousand lines, Mark 1.5 screw-down pushers.

The dial’s lovely shade of dark brown provides superb contrast with the white outer rim which itself emphasizes the coveted red minute track along the outer circumference of the dial. The bold red “Daytona” logo above the chronograph’s hour-counter at 6 o’clock complements the red outer track perfectly, matching perfectly the “T SWISS T” designation at the dial’s very bottom edge. Manufactured in 1969, the case shows few signs of wear, illustrating how well it was taken care of over the course of its nearly 50 year life.

This watch with its extreme rarity, spectacular dial, and outstanding overall condition is worthy of “crowning” the next collection it enters as the ultimate trophy for enthusiasts of vintage Rolex Daytonas.