LV Submariner: Hanging in Hawaii

...Hand In Glove Shot Of The Day...

LV Submariner

Hanging in Hawaii

I took this wrist shot photo of my LV Submariner years ago when I was in a Hawaiian Jungle. Turns out it was a pretty cool Rolex Hand in Glove Shot...

Sir Sean Connery Rolex Submariner

...Rolex Coolness...

Sir Sean Connery

Rolex Submariner

Dr. No

In this photo we see Sir Sean Connery with Ursula Andress on the set of the first James Bond movie, "Dr. No," and we see Bond sporting his big crown Rolex Submariner.

All-New Apollo 11 Documentary...

APOLLO 11

All-New Documentary

I have some great news and some not-so great news... There is a new Apollo 11 documentary out in movie theaters, which was transferred from 70MM footage that was well preserved, to IMAX. I went to see the movie and paid for my ticket, went in the theater and instantly realized I was not in an IMAX theater. I went out to talk to the AMC manager and she said, "Oh, yesterday was the last day we showed Apollo 11 in IMAX. It's playing in the normal theater now." So I decided since I had already paid and was at the theater, why not just watch it, and boy was that a HUGE Mistake. Watching it on the normal AMC screen was like watching a VHS version playing on an old color tube television. 

The documentary was excellent, but the horrible quality picture stopped me from getting immersed in the picture. When you transfer 70MM film to IMAX, it should look like 8K video, NOT like you are watching a 480P DVD on an old color TV from the 1970s!?!! I have no idea what the documentary looks like in the IMAX theater. My advice would be to wait until it hits Netflix or on-demand, and watch it on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, which will look a Million times better!!! I looking for Rolex watches in the documentary but the resolution was so grainy and poor I could not see enough detail—that's how bad the picture was. If you watch the trailer above on your computer or iPhone it looks absolutely stunning—as it should.

Last month, I ran a story about how I discovered that Apollo 11 Astronaut, Michael Collins wore a Rolex Day-Date along with his other Rolex Turn-O-Graph, which I had previously documented. 

2019 is the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11's amazing achievement, and I have MUCH more undocumented Astronauts wearing Rolex news coming up!!!

ROLEX Ranked #1 for Fourth Year In A Row by Reputation Institute...

ROLEX

Ranked #1 

for Fourth Year In A Row

by Reputation Institute

For the fourth year in a row, Rolex maintained the #1 position in the Reputation Institute's RepTrak 100, which is the World's Largest Corporate Reputation Study!!!

Rolex responded to to this with the following statement:

“It is very rewarding to be ranked first on the Global RepTrak 100 for the fourth year in a row,” said Virginie Chevailler, Head of Public Relations at Rolex. “The company has a history of more than a century of perpetual improvement and innovation at every level. We believe this is recognition of our commitment to always reach further, along with our desire to contribute to society.”

Below is the press release from the Reputation Institute:

About Reputation Institute

Reputation Institute helps leaders at the world’s largest companies build credibility with the people that matter most to them by delivering data-driven insights about how they are truly perceived. We do this with RepTrak®, an unrivaled technology that provides actionable insights across industry, competitor, and company analysis.

MARCH 7, 2019

In Era of Elevated Risk, Reputation Institute Says it’s ‘Reputation Judgement Day’ in 2019 Global RepTrak® 100 – World’s Largest Corporate Reputation Study

Rolex, LEGO Retain Leadership, Netflix Makes Top 10, Google Declines, Facebook Free Falls
- Companies Delivering Assurances Made Strongest Gains -

BOSTON, March 7, 2019 – It’s a new age for corporate reputation, in which companies are scrutinized on every aspect of their operations, and it’s putting tremendous pressure on companies who are increasingly on trial in the court of public opinion.

In the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100, an annual ranking of public perception toward the world’s top companies, researchers at the Reputation Institute – a leading provider of reputation measurement and management services – surveyed more than 230,000 individuals in 15 countries.

While the overall results of the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100 show improvement over 2018, which saw a reputation decline, Reputation Institute Chief Reputation Officer Stephen Hahn-Griffiths says companies must continue to work hard to convert “fence sitters who are much less likely to give companies the benefit of the doubt.”  

“It’s reputation judgement day, given that 52% of the world have doubts about the good intentions of all companies,” said Hahn-Griffiths. “At the same time, companies have a great opportunity to create and deliver reputation assurances that, over time, can convert fence sitters to promoters. Companies that elevate positive perceptions of the enterprise, prioritize corporate responsibility, leverage strong leadership, are ethical, speak to the corporate brand purpose and engage market influences are those who will win in this daunting new reputation era.”

While a lack of assurances means that overall company support did not bounce back to the lofty levels of 2017, an increase of 1.0 points in reputation in the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100 signals the potential for a true reputation recovery.

“The reputation bubble burst in 2018, but there has been a reputation recovery in the past 12 months,” said Hahn-Griffiths. “Companies like Netflix and Microsoft have strengthened their reputation. Others like Facebook, even Google, have declined and have been punished in the court of public opinion. And some have even started to turn things around, such as Uber.”

In the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100, Rolex and The LEGO Group maintain the leading positions. Netflix surged from 24th place to ninth place while Michelin moves up to the eight spot. The BMW Group, which placed ninth a year ago, and Google (third in 2018), slipped out of the top 10. Facebook had the biggest overall decline in reputation, largely driven by its perceived short-comings on governance and in the workplace.

The top 10 companies in the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100 are:

“We’re humbled to be recognized amongst the five most reputable global brands as it reflects our commitment to ethics, transparency, and corporate responsibility” said Steve Clayton, General Manager – Communications, at Microsoft.

To access the full list of the world’s most reputable companies, data, insights, and expert perspectives on key trends, please visit:  http://www.reputationinstitute.com/Global-RepTrak-100

Companies interested in getting their 2019 score and learn how to improve their ranking should visit https://reputationinstitute.com/about/contact-us.com

1. Rolex
2. The LEGO Group
3. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS)
4. Adidas Group (OTCQX: ADDYY)
5. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT)
6. Sony (NYSE: SNE)
7. Canon (NYSE: CAJ)
8. Michelin (OTCMKTS: MGDDY)
9. Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX)
10.  The Bosch Group (NYSE: AVS)

Roger Federer Celebrates 100th Career Title

...Rolex Super-Coolness...

Roger Federer
Celebrates 


100th 
Career Title
Rockin' Roger is on a roll, as he just won his 100th career singles title at the Dubai Duty Free Championship on March 2, 2019.

Roger Federer's amazing milestone is only surpassed by fellow Tennis legend Jimmy Connors who won 109 singles titles in his career. 

Class personified Jimmy ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/QhJmMdHIyI

— sharon forte (@snowbunny100) March 2, 2019

‘Heartiest congratulations @rogerfederer
Winning 100 titles during your unbelievable career is a truly mighty achievement.
I expect more to come this year and beyond! #RF100
Rocket

— Rod Laver (@rodlaver) March 2, 2019

The extraordinary @rogerfederer. A gift that keeps on giving.#RF100 pic.twitter.com/srMtYMV153

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) March 2, 2019

Also, in women's tennis, Martina Navratilova won 167 singles titles in the Open Era which began in 1968. Also, Chris Evert won 154 singles titles, and Steffi Graf is at 107.

Roger's 100 titles break down as follows: Roger has won 69 hard-court titles, which is the highest number in the Open Era. He won 20 Grand Slam titles which is the highest number in history to be won by a male. Roger also won 18 grass-court titles, which is also the greatest to be won by a male in the Open Era. 

Lady Gaga Explains Going Goo-Goo over Bradley Cooper

Lady Gaga

Explains Going Goo-Goo over Bradley Cooper

Tudor Watch Ambassador Lady Gaga recently went on Jimmy Kimmel and shared the truth about her command performance with Bradley Cooper that I covered last week.

International Space Station: The World Below

International Space Station (ISS)

The World Below

I am fascinated with Earth, and some of the best views come from the International Space Station as it hovers outside of Earth's orbit between 205 to 270 miles (330 to 435 km) above Earth. The video below shows footage of Earth taken by different astronauts about the ISS (NASA/ESA). The ISS orbits around earth 15.54 times per day at a speed of 17,100 mph (27,600 km/h)

Another Paul Newman DAYTONA!!!!

The original article from 2017 that showcased my discovery can be seen below:

FOUND!!!!!

Another

Paul Newman


DAYTONA

 Paul Newman's Rolex
Black-Dial Daytona Reference 6263

On a Day-Date 'President' Bracelet

Just when you thought everything had been discovered and documented regarding Paul Newman and his Daytona watches, there is more. It's hard to believe, but I discovered another Paul Newman Daytona!!!! By now everybody knows Paul Newman's trademark Rolex Daytona he wore with an exotic white dial was just auctioned for close to $18 million. To date, I have documented Paul Newman wearing and owning six different Rolex Daytona models, and today we can add another one to the list, with a twist.

In the photo above and below we see Paul Newman as he appeared on the cover of Esquire Magazine in October of 1989, and we see him wearing what appears to be a stainless-steel Rolex Daytona. But wait a minute, something is unusual about this Daytona! Paul Newman is wearing—get this—his stainless-steel Rolex Daytona Reference 6263, on platinum or white-gold Rolex Day-Date "President" bracelet!?!!

What's so profound about this? Rolex NEVER made such a watch. My best guess is Paul Newman decided to have it customized this way. In other words, he took a Rolex Day-Date President bracelet and somehow had it fit to his Reference 6263 stainless-steel Rolex Daytona. 

My best guess is when he gave his exotic white dial Daytona Reference 6239 to his daughter Nell's boyfriend, James Cox, Paul probably kept his black crocodile fatstrap, and put his black dial Rolex Daytona Reference 6263 on it. So far as I can tell, Paul wore his first two Daytona models exclusively on his now trademark black crocodile fatstrap, from the early 1970s to around 1987 or 1988. My best guess is when his fatstrap wore out, he put the Day-Date bracelet on it as seen above and below. Therein lies the twist. 

In the photo below we get a crystal-clear shot of his Rolex President bracelet, and if you look closely you can see the trademark Rolex crown logo clasp.

Once again, for clarity sake, Rolex never made a stainless-steel production Rolex Day-Date. I am aware Rolex has made pre-prototype stainless-steel Rolex Day-Date models, which were never available for purchase. Rolex did this to not waste gold or platinum on a watch that would not be sold. The photo below from John Goldberger's book, "100 Superlative Rolex Watches," shows a stainless-steel Rolex Day-Date pre-production prototype which lacks a Rolex Reference number.

It is interesting to note this Paul Newman Daytona combination was hiding in clear sight. If you closely examine the photo below of Paul Newman wearing his Daytona Reference 6263 in 1988, after careful analysis, it appears he is wearing it on the Rolex President bracelet. I always assumed he was wearing it on a standard stainless-steel Rolex Oyster bracelet. The telltale sign of a President bracelet is the polished center links, which did exist on the Rolex Daytona Reference 6263. Granted, the current Daytona has polished center links and has ever since the midlife of production of the Zenith Daytona.

Paul Newman Rolex Day-Date!?!?!?

Speaking of hiding in plain sight, back in 2014 I published a story, where I said, "I was shocked when I looked closely at this photo taken in 1988 at the Indianapolis 500 and noticed Paul Newman wearing a Platinum or White Gold Rolex Day-Date."

Why was I shocked? Paul Newman is renowned for wearing at least five different Rolex Daytona models, as well as having worn a stainless steel Rolex Datejust, which I documented in detail in "The Complete History Of The Paul Newman Daytona". This new photograph shows him rockin' what appears to be a Rolex Day-Date, which is very cool...

Little did I realize, on the opposite side of the photo above, he was likely NOT wearing a Day-Date, but a Daytona!!!

A not so obvious question may be, "Is it possible that Paul Newman was wearing a prototype Rolex?" Anything is possible. Look no further than the early 1970s White Gold Rolex Submariner prototype (pictured below) which set a world record for a Submariner when it sold earlier this year at Christie's Auction for more than $600,000. 

The thing the prototype Submariner pictured below has in common with Paul Newman's Daytona, is that neither one of them was ever made available to the public with a President bracelet, which has always been exclusive to the Day-Date. Do I think it is possible Paul Newman is wearing a prototype Daytona? Yes. Do I think it is probable? Probably not, although maybe Rolex custom-made it for Paul Newman. Either way, it is interesting to see a previously undocumented piece of Paul Newman Daytona history.

Ryan Gosling and Rolex Space History...

...Rolex Coolness...

Ryan Gosling

Vintage White Dial Rolex Air-King

Cover Of GQ

Less than a month ago, I published a fascinating story on how GQ Magazine had interviewed me about the history of the Rolex GMT-Master. Ryan Gosling is pictured below on a recent cover of GQ, which discussed his recent movie, "First Man," the story of Neil Armstrong aboard Apollo 11. Of course, Apollo 11, in 1969, was the first NASA mission that allowed astronauts to land and walk on the moon. Notice Ryan Gosling is wearing his vintage white-dial Rolex Air-King in the photo on the cover of GQ.

Rolex Space History

2019 represents the 50th Anniversary of mankind's conquest of the moon. 2019 will also be a huge year for Jake's Rolex World as we will be revealing all kinds of fascinating Rolex space history that has never been published or documented. There is more to the image above than meets the eye, yet it's hiding in plain sight, and you will discover through the rest of the year!!! I will go as far as to say, based upon all the amazing research findings I have seen, that the space race is still on, and the scholarship of the history of Rolex in space is about to go much deeper. Much, much deeper!!!!

Before I started publishing Jake's Rolex World eleven years ago, there really was very little Rolex space history. That has all changed as I have published so many of my discoveries over the past decade, but Rolex space history as we know it is about to change significantly, and all I can say is that things are not what they have appeared to be...
This Rolex space history news discovery began this year with my Wally Schirra (Apollo 7) GMT-Master story, and went on to my Michael Collins (Apollo 11) Rolex Day-Date story, as well as my Pete Conrad (Apollo 12) story. Let the countdown begin!!!

Rolex Submariner Triplock Winding Crown

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Year...

Rolex Submariner

 Triplock Winding Crown

There are macro shots, and then there are Amazing Macro shots—and this is one of them. The only weird thing is this stunning Rolex macro shot comes directly from Rolex!!?! Rolex recently posted this stunner on its Official Rolex Instagram page, and it blows me away. Particularly the level of magnificent engineering that is visible when you get this close up.