Man This Looks Good!!!

Man This Looks Good!!!

I noticed this unusual strap on Instagram from rolex_lover and I have to say I think it looks great!

View this post on Instagram

Rolex Submariner On: @everestbands By: @mo_watches #Rolex #Mondani #Rolexero #wwatches #DeRelojes #TheWatchesClub #RolexWrist #Horology #Menstyle #instawatch #Watches #Watchgeek #Wristgame #Wristshot #Dapper #Timepiece

A post shared by Watch Lover ⌚️♛ (@rolex_lover) on Dec 26, 2018 at 9:27am PST

Lloyd Blaine Hammond The Earlist Rolex Aboard A Space Shuttle Mission

Earliest Documented Rolex GMT-Master 

Aboard a NASA Space Shuttle Mission




Lloyd Blaine Hammond

1991 Space Shuttle DISCOVERY Mission STS-39 

Pepsi-GMT-Master

As we head into 2019, I am really excited to share this superb story with you of the first Rolex aboard a Space Shuttle Mission which was STS-39 Discovery, and the Pepsi GMT-Master was space worn by Lloyd Blaine Hammond as seen below in his official NASA portrait.

Lloyd Blaine Hammond pictured above in 1984 wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master

The photo above shows Lloyd Blaine Hammond 35 years ago—in 1984—sporting his Pepsi GMT-Master. Hammond is a Gulfstream test pilot and former US Air Force officer and former NASA Astronaut who flew on two Space Shuttle Missions. 

The photo above and below show Hammond taking-off aboard Space Shuttle Mission STS-39 on April 28, 1991 from Kennedy Space Center on Launch Complex LC-39A at 11:33:14 UTC.

The photo below shows the prime crew of Space Shuttle STS-39 and we see Hammond pictured third from the right where you see his GMT-Master peaking out of his NASA space-suit.

The photo below shows Hammond aboard Space Shuttle STS-39 in 1991, and he is pictured in the back row in the center wearing his Rolex GMT-Master. STS-39 was the twelfth Space Shuttle Mission of Shuttle Discovery

This story is obviously a very exiting revelation in putting together pieces of the Rolex In Space puzzle and it comes with a superb twist. I have been communicating with Philip who is the administrator of the Moon Watch Universe MWU-blog which focuses on space-flown wrist watches. 

Philip is working on a new article which will be published in the BIS monthly magazine Spaceflight, and his upcoming article is named "Shake Rattle & Rolex." This exciting new article will add many new puzzle pieces to the space-flown Rolex story and feature many never before published photos that document the history of Rolex in space. The photo above and below of Hammond wearing his Pepsi GMT-Master in this story appear courtesy of Philip. Philip worked for 35 years as an officer in the NATO Integrated Air Defense System.  To learn more about Philip you can check out this fascinating interview on MoonwatchOnly.com.

The photo below above and video below show Space Shuttle Discovery Mission STS-39 successfully landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The photo below shows the crew of STS-39 standing in front of the Space Shuttle after landing. You can learn more about Rolex aboard Space Shuttle in my story on Dr. Leroy Chiao.

 Space Shuttle DISCOVERY 

1994 STS-64

Lloyd Blaine Hammond was the pilot of the 1994 Space Shuttle Mission and we see him wiping his glasses with his Pepsi GMT-Master front and center. In between STS-39 and STS-64 Hammond's personal Rolex GMT-Master stayed 19 days and 6 hours in space!!!

STS-64 was an unusual mission that tested Lidar-In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE) which studied cloud formations and Earth's atmosphere with laser beams. 

STS-64 was also the first untethered space walk in a decade. STS-64 also studied the sun's corona and solar wind with a Spartan satellite that was deployed and later retrieved by the Space Shuttle.

The photo below shows STS-64 touching down at Edwards Air Force Base in Califorina by pilot, Lloyd Blaine Hammond in 1994.

The photo below shows STS-64 Discovery riding piggyback on a 747-SCA as it takes off from Edwards Air-Force Base in California on its ferry flight ride back to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Wei Koh Explores Ron K's Paul Newman Daytona Collection

Wei Koh Explores Ron K's
Paul Newman Daytona Collection
Wei Koh from Revolution Watch Magazine just published this AMAZING video where he interviews Ron K in Singapore and they discuss Ron's INCREDIBLE Paul Newman Daytona Collection. By watching this video it's incredible how much you can learn from Wei about the history of Paul Newman Daytona models. The history of Paul Newman's Daytona of course is intertwined with the The History of The Rolex Daytona Chronograph in many ways.

I am a HUGE fan of Wei Koh who is EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGABLE and his level of Rolex scholarship blows my mind!!! I love listening to Wei wax poetic as his wisdom is Buddha-like profound! I am also including this extra video that not only features Wei Koh, but also features another absolute favorite watch scholar, Aurel Bacs from Phillips Auction House. In this video they discuss—among other things—how collectable wrist watches have become the last bastion of male peacockery :-0
"Style and a love for watches are completely aligned... Style is a manifestation of the universe hidden to others—but visible to you." —Wei Koh

Why Is Rolex So Expensive?

Why Is Rolex So Expensive?
I stumbled onto this fascinating video that attempts to answer the question of why Rolex watches are so expensive. Ironically, the video points out that the Rolex depreciation curve over a short period of time can actually result in being an appreciation curve. 

On a personal note, it's alway interesting to me how other people perceive and communicate Rolex value-proposition ethos. Some of the details in this video are an oversimplification, but the overall message and conclusion seem to be accurate and on-point...

Robert Maron Happy Holidays Card..

Robert Maron

Happy Holidays Card

I've seen some interesting Holiday Cards in my time, and I have to say this Snowman made out of three vintage Rolex Daytona exotic dials in the Red, White and Black which just appeared in my inbox is really creative! Bob Maron has been one of the top vintage Rolex and Patek Phillippe dealers in the world. He is located in Southern California and his website is www.RobertMaron.com. Thanks for the superb Holiday card Bob!!!

Hans Wilsdorf in Hong Kong and Bahrain

Hans Wilsdorf

in Hong Kong

Do You Remember The Time?

Last week when Rolex launched Rolex.org, I wrote extensively about thier coverage of  Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf. I also published a story about a reader of Jake's Rolex World in Hong Kong named Alan who somehow keeps unearthing never before seen photos of Hans Wilsdorf, and yesterday in my inbox I found this image from Alan that shows Hans Wilsdorf in Honk Kong with his wife enjoying Chinese food with the owners of Lane Crawford, which was one of seven Rolex Authorized Dealers in Hong Kong at the time.

Hans Wilsdorf in Hong Kong

I am trying to figure out who all the people are in this photo, and I know that we see Hans Wilsdorf, second from the left on the bottom row, sitting next to his second wife, Betty Wilsdorf-Mettler. I can't help but wonder if the bald man in the center of the photo is Rolex Director, Rene-Paul Jeanneret?

Alan also discovered this next image of Hans Wilsdorf which was taken in 1949 in the Gulf Kingdom of Bahrain, which shows Hans Wilsdorf with Naj Murad, who founded Modern Art Studio in Bahrain, which remains a successful Rolex Authorized Dealer today. One thing is for sure and that is the fact Hans Wilsdorf loved traveling the world and kept in seemingly constant communication with the Rolex dealer network he built over more than half a century...

I would like to thank Alan for his invaluable contribution and photographic research on Hans Wilsdorf. Alan, you are amazing and I don't know how you do it, but please keep going!

Also, I had a nice conversation today with David Boettcher who is a horological expert located in the U.K. and we spoke about Hans Wilsdorf. David was one of the first researchers I am aware of to write a definitive biography of Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf which he originally published in 2006. 

In 2010 I reached out to David when I was preparing my definitive story on Hans Wilsdorf named, The Complete History Of Rolex Leadership: Part 1-The Hans Wilsdorf Years. Just a few days before I was preparing to publish my story, David sent me scans of The Vade Mecum Rolex story, which was published by Rolex in 1946, which provided an invaluable contribution. David is an accomplished horological researcher and he maintains VintageWatchStraps.com which is filled with fascinating information. On his website, David tells the story about how he became interested in vintage watches in 2004 when he inherited his grandfather (1918) and grandmother's (1917) Rolex watches which are pictured below.

David is a member of the Antiquarian Horological Society, and The British Horological Institute, as well as The National Association of Watch and Collectors (NAWCC).

In Search Of Hans Wilsdorf...

In Search Of 

Hans Wilsdorf

What an amazing week it has been in the world of Rolex. Seeing Rolex's founding father, Hans Wilsdorf almost come back to life on Rolex.org is so heartwarming and interesting! As a leading Rolex historian I have been in pursuit of unearthing and sharing Hans Wilsdorf's story for over a decade. Why? Because Hans Wilsdorf is one of the most successful and interesting entrepreneurs in the history of the world.

Hans Wilsdorf, Founder of Rolex in 1952

When I started Jake's Rolex World 11 years ago, there was almost zero information available anywhere on Hans Wilsdorf—and this frustrated me to no end. More than anything, it make me dig that much faster and deeper, and the result of all my research can be seen in my story titled, "The Complete History Of Rolex Leadership. Part 1: Founder Of Rolex—The Hans Wilsdorf Story, "Ghost In The Machine." 

Now Rolex seems to be more committed than ever to documenting his amazing story, and I hope they continue to share more details on what made him tick! In the coming years I hope to put even more puzzle pieces in place to complete my biography of Hans Wilsdorf!!! The single most inspirational detail about this endeavor is that I have only been able to put together so much detail based upon so many of my incredible international readers who constantly send in Hans Wilsdorf puzzle pieces.

As a matter of fact, the photo above just seemed to magically appear in my inbox minutes ago, and it came from a dedicated reader of mine named Alan who lives in Hong Kong, and is an AMAZING researcher!!! I have never seen the photo above of Hans Wilsdorf before today, and I am certain there is much more rich Wilsdorf content out there, and together we will find it and share it with the world!!!

LIEDL Jewelers

Linz, Austria

Founded in 1830

The source of this amazing Hans Wilsdorf photo is from the leading Rolex Authorized Dealer in Austria named LIEDL, which has been around since 1830. From what I understand, like with many of the Rolex authorized dealers in existence today, Hans Wilsdorf personally granted LIEDL their Rolex dealership, which made them the very first Rolex Authorized Dealer in Austria. LIEDL is the oldest jeweler in Linz and has was founded in 1830. As a matter of fact, Claudio Fallerini who was the chief architect of Rolex first took a look at the old LIEDL shop on Landstrasse, he said, "This can be really nice!"

LIEDL is pictured above in a recent photo and is located on Linzer Landstrasse. LIEDL has been offering high-quality mechanical watches for 188 years! Maximillian Carmann is the master watchmaker at LIEDL and has been a watchmaker for a quarter century. Maximillian is the only qualified master watchmaker in Upper Austria with all Rolex special training.

As an added bonus to this story I am including the only known video footage of Hans Wilsdorf which was filmed in 1959—one year before he passed away. Hans Wilsdorf speaks French in this interview and even if you don't speak French you get a good idea of his personality.

The Return of Hans Wilsdorf

The Return of The King of Rolex


Hans Wilsdorf

Welcome Home Old Boy!!!

Rolex.com just added links to Rolex.org as well as showcasing The Return Of Hans Wilsdorf to the front page of Rolex.com. It's heartwarming to see Rolex exploring and celebrating its brilliant Founding Father!!!

@ROLEX ROLEX'S FIRST TWEET ON TWITTER!

@ROLEX

ROLEX'S FIRST TWEET ON TWITTER!

I got so excited about Rolex.org I almost forgot to mention Rolex just posted their very first Tweet on their @ROLEX Twitter page. Rolex has been on Twitter since 2012 but never publicly tweeted until today. Rolex's first tweet was announcing Rolex.org and shows a video that talks about Rolex's founding father, Hans Wilsdorf's mission. Be sure to check-out Twitter.com/rolex and follow Rolex...

The Rockin' Robin rocks in the treetops all day long

Hoppin' and a-boppin' and singing his song

All the little birds on Jaybird Street

Love to hear the robin go tweet-tweet-tweet

ROLEX.org Is Live!!!

ROLEX.org

Has Launched!!!

Rolex.org is just went live, so go check it out!!!!!

Below you can watch the all-new Rolex mini-documentary on Rolex's founding father, Hans Wilsdorf, which is included as part of the launch of Rolex.org. It's really interesting to see how different people are responding all over the web to Roles.org, which is mostly very positive. 

David Bredan from A Blog To Watch wrote a superb article that offers and excellent overview or Rolex.org, which I highly recommend reading. You can also get a good overview by reading my preview of Rolex.org article I published a few days ago.