Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative: New York 2020–2022

Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative 
New York
2020–2022 



Protégés from the 2020–2022 Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative provided a thrilling programme of premieres, performances and talks during the Rolex Arts Weekend, co-presented with the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), as part of a celebration of their mentorships with world-renowned artists. Established in 2002, the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative exemplifies the company's pursuit of excellence, symbolized by the word “Perpetual”. The programme was established to aid in the transmission of artistic knowledge and craft from one generation to the next.

Updating the Deepsea Challenge

ROLEX SHOULD MAKE ITS MOST

CAPABLE WATCH EVEN BETTER

In 2012, when James Cameron landed at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the Earth's deepest abyss, he looked at the manipulator arm of the submersible he singlehandedly piloted and saw the Rolex Deepsea Challenge ticking. 

"Oh, I see the second hand going!" he said out loud. "Yeah baby, we are good! We have us a working watch!!!"

HMS CHALLENGER

This year marks 10 years since Cameron's historic dive to the Mariana Trench. But 2022 marks also 150 years since the HMS Challenger left on the scientific mission that first discovered the deepest point on the planet where Cameron landed his submersible—a spot aptly named "Challenger Deep," after the British vessel.

The 12,000-meter-rated Rolex watch attached to the outside of Cameron's submersible is now a decade old and should be updated.

POST-DIVE, CAMERON CHECKS ROLEX TIMEKEEPING

Since 2019, Omega on its website is claiming the No. 1 spot from Rolex: Omega says its Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional holds the record for the deepest dive. In 2019, Victor Vescovo piloted his submersible to the deepest point on planet Earth after having sonar-mapped the ocean floor to find the deepest spot in the Mariana Trench, deeper than Cameron's landing spot, according to depth measurements of that day. The Planet Ocean strapped to Vescovo's submersible had been tested in Omega's labs to 15,000m. 

11,900M MORE OF WR THAN THE APPLE WATCH ULTRA

A decade ago, when Rolex watchmakers were testing Cameron's Deepsea Challenge for the first time in the so-called "Mariannes" tank inside Rolex labs in Switzerland, the tension in the room was palpable. The design engineers, watchmakers and several other people involved in the project had gathered to attend the test. And when the watch came out of the tank unscathed, everyone burst into applause, a rare display of emotions for the cool-and-collected, buttoned-up Swiss company.

DEEP SEA SPECIAL (L) & DEEPSEA CHALLENGE (R)

To be sure, in 1960, another experimental Rolex, the Rolex Deep Sea Special, was attached to the exterior of the bathyscaphe Trieste piloted by U.S. Navy Lt. Don Walsh and oceanographer Jacques Piccard reaching a record depth of 10,916m. But it looked nothing like Cameron's Deepsea, which had all the updated technology, complete with a ceramic bezel, sapphire crystal and Rolex's 3135 movement.

 

Now Rolex should update further its 2012 record-setting watch. 

For starters, the watch should be equipped with the new, state-of-the-art 3230 movement, a no-date movement which is a departure from Cameron's Deepsea Challenge. No one really needs to know what date it is at 10.9km below the surface, where the bigger concern is being crushed by the pressure equivalent of six SUVs piled on top of your Rolex. Design-wise the no-date choice makes the watch dial more balanced and more pro-looking. Omega's Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional also eschews a date complication.

The new watch should be made entirely from titanium. A year ago, I wrote about Sir Ben Ainslie's Rolex Yacht-Master prototype in full titanium which has yet to be commercialized. Cameron's watch in 2012 was built with the heavier 904L steel and a case back in titanium. Still, the new Deepsea Challenge should be updated with the full case in ultra-resistant Grade 5 titanium.

The Swiss watchmaking industry is competing against the biggest watch seller of our days—Apple—with the four pillars untouched by smartwatches: 

1. Timelessness. Rolex uses the word "perpetual" while Patek talks about watches lasting generations. 

2. Cosplay. Whether it's a watch worn on the Moon, by James Bond, aviators, or in ocean's greatest depths. 

3. Heritage. Faux patina, model reissue, or just a red text saying "Sea-Dweller." Rolex's historical arc, beginning in 1905, is unmatched. 

4. Luxury. Two-tone Explorer, Rootbeer GMT, Bluesy Sub or meteorite-dial Daytona, luxury watches are still men's jewelry—a domain hardly touched by smartwatches.

While the Deepsea Challenge has timelessness, cosplay and luxury (it's a Rolex after all), it does lack the heritage angle essential to the four pillars of today's mechanical watch marketing. I would add a throwback James Cameron gradiant blue dial or a commemorative engraving on the caseback à la Speedmaster.

THIS WATCH DOESN'T EXIST

Either way, the Deepsea Challenge is an important watch in the history of watchmaking and in the history of exploration. After 1960 and for more than half a century, the Rolex Deep Sea Special remained the only watch to be tested at the deepest ocean floor in real life conditions. When James Cameron made his historic dive, fewer people had gone to the deepest point of the ocean than to the Moon. It's time for Rolex to update its Deepsea Challenge and reclaim the title of King of the Deep.

Just arrived at the ocean's deepest pt. Hitting bottom never felt so good. Can't wait to share what I'm seeing w/ you @DeepChallenge

— James Cameron (@JimCameron) March 25, 2012

The New Yorker Rolex Ad

It Doesn't Just Tell Time

This ad featuring luminaries, visionaries and champions appeared in the May 20, 2013 edition of the New Yorker. 

 

Rocking Roger Federer Retires from Professional Tennis

 

Roger Federer

Retires from Professional Tennis

They say that all great things must come to an end, and Rocking Roger Federer announced that he is going to be retiring from playing professional tennis soon. Roger Federer is arguably the greatest tennis player in history—basically, being the Michael Jordan of tennis. Rolex put together this AMAZING video to congratulate Federer for his incredible career achievements to date.

Iga Świątek Wins 2022 Tennis U.S. Open

 

Iga Świątek Wins U.S. Open

Congratulations to Polish tennis player Iga Świątek on winning the U.S. Open, claiming her 3rd Grand Slam title. 

I first announced in Jan. 2021 on Jake's Rolex World Twitter feed Rolex had just picked up Iga Świątek as its newest Testimonee. She was the youngest Testimonee then, a bet from Rolex that proved, again, to be right. 

More on Apple Copying Rolex...

 

More on

Apple Copying Rolex...

Ever since my coverage of the Apple Watch 8 launch Event earlier this week, I can't seem to stop thinking about how blatantly Apple appears to be going after Rolex with the advent of their Apple Watch Ultra model. I'm not surprised as I originally predicted this moment would come when Apple first launched the Apple Watch back on September 11th in 2014. I mean, why wouldn't Apple aim for the top!?!! And I realize, Apple would defend by saying, "We are NOT trying to emulate Rolex per se. We are seeking what Rolex has sought from day 1". After all, Apple pretty much spelled it all out at their 2017 Apple Watch Keynote.

I was looking at this image of the new Apple Watch Ultra, and for some reason it resonated with me as I had a deja vu moment, like I was certain I had seen it before. It took me a few moments to contemplate, but I figured it out. Particularly, after rotating it 90 degrees counterclockwise...

That being said, I could not help but notice how remarkably similar Apple's Ultra Apple Watch model image above is to Rolex's Explorer ad from 1964 which is seen below. Hmnnn...Basically, Apple is copying a Rolex Ad from 58 years ago, or at least 'borrowing' the vibe/mojo...

So does Rolex have anything to worry about with Apple? This is the metaphorical $64,000 question. Maybe NOT today, but ten years from now, things could change dramatically...In other words, todays quotient is not tomorrows...

To my way of thinking, one of the greatest advantages wearing a Rolex has over an Apple Watch, is if you wear the same Rolex every day, you will pretty much NEVER have to wind or charge it. With an Apple Watch it's a pain as you have to charge it every night...but with the advent of the Apple Watch Ultra, since it is so much thicker and larger, they have double the battery, so now a user can go 36 hours between charges, and if they put the Apple Watch Ultra into a lower power mode, which turns off of the always on screen, it can last 60 hours on a single charge. 

What if Apple continues on this trajectory and figures out a way to create a perpetual energy source, like Rolex's Perpetual movement features? In other words, an Apple Watch that no longer needs to be charged, but somehow charges itself, using light, or kinetic energy, or wireless energy? What if Apple figures out a way to charge your Apple Watch while you sleep with it on your wrist???

One could argue Rolex is in the Luxury Jewelry business, and Apple is in the high-tech computing/gadget business...The flip side of the coin suggests, what is good for the goose is good for the gander, and one could easily argue Rolex is far more successful today due to the advent of the Apple Watch as it called a tremendous amount of newfound novel attention to the wrist. As they say, only time-will-tell...

Hmmmn!?!! I'm pretty sure I've seen this somewhere before???? I mean, the thickness, the crown guards...

1964 Rolex Explorer Ad v. 2022 Apple Explorer Ultra Ad

A Rolex King? Crowning Achievement

 

Crowning Achievement

Her Royal Majesty

Queen Elizabeth ll

Belongs To The Ages

1926-2022

Like so many people, Queen Elizabeth's passing marks a touchstone moment. For me, being born and raised in San Francisco, California, The Queen was a permanent fixture in my life. In other words, when I was a small child, I would see Princess Elizabeth on TV, and despite being American, she seemed like my queen. 

But is was not just me that came of age under Queen Elizabeth, as Rolex did as well. You see, Rolex really hit its stride in the early 1950s with the advent of their tool watches, and 1953 was a particularly momentous year for Rolex as they developed the Submariner, Turn-O-Graph, and Explorer. The following Rolex Magazine ad for a Rolex Explorer is from my upcoming 12 Volume set of books I am preparing to publish on Rolex History, and I thought it would be fitting to share it with you today. This add heralds "The New Elizabethan Age", which began in 1953, the same year the Rolex Explorer was launched. Basically, in a nutshell, Rolex tool watches were born and came of age just as Queen Elizabeth was coronated more than 70 years ago. The following Rolex Explorer Ad brilliantly encapsulates and epitomizes this transcendental zeitgeist...

Notice the early Rolex Explorer model featured in the pictured above ad lacks covered end links. This is due to the fact the Rolex Explorer predates the Submariner, which was the first Rolex to feature solid bracelet end covers.

A Rolex King

Rolex leadership has always been fascinated with Royalty, and featured many different Rolex watches with names like The Rolex King Midas, The Rolex Queen, The Rolex Prince, and The Rolex Princess. Former Rolex CEO, André-Jean Heiniger is pictured below speaking with future King Charles of England, who is speaking with Gérard Souham (left) whose amazing career achievements are featured in one of my upcoming Rolex history books.

Photo appears courtesy of S3C Collection

In the photo above, ironically, the four gentlemen are discussing the Rolex King Midas model, of which King Charles has owned a special version of for many years. Below, King Charles offers a heartwarming tribute to his mother's amazing lifetime achievements.

It is a fact all four of Queen Elizabeth's children have worn Rolex watches, as well as some of her grandchildren, including King Charles' son, Prince Harry of Wales, who is pictured below rocking his Rolex Explorer "Orange Hand". In the future I plan to publish some amazing revelations on just how much the Royal Family has depended on Rolex to keep the time of their lives, but I will save that for another day, as now is a great time of mourning and reflection for Queen Elizabeth II's amazing career achievements. May she Rest In Peace...

Apple Titanium 49MM Beast Apple's DEEP-SEA/Explorer

 

Apple Titanium 49MM Beast

Apple's Ultra DEEP-SEA/Explorer

During Apple's iPhone Keynote today, they also introduced the Apple Watch Series 8, which includes a curious new model named The Apple Watch Ultra, which is a 49MM beast made out of titanium as seen below with a SAFETY Orange strap. I believe this new model is aimed directly at Rolex tool/professional watches. Essentially, this new model is like a DEEP-SEA had a baby with a Rolex Orange Hand Explorer, that then had a baby with an Apple Watch, which then had a baby with a Daytona :-0

Apple's video for the Apple Watch Ultra titanium sports watch almost looks like it was produced by Rolex...

The Apple Watch Ultra below is identical to the model pictured above, but this model features a strap named the Midnight Ocean Band, which totally give it a Casio G-Shock/ Seiko Divers Watch kind of vibe... 

Speaking of Titanium Tool Watches on a black strap, this puppy reminds me of the exclusive story our Captain Danny broke on Sir Ben Ainslie rocking his prototype 42MM Yacht-Master on a black strap.

The new $799 Apple Watch Ultra / Tool Watch model is also being offered on a new strap named the "Black/Gray Trail Loop" which looks like Sir Ben's strap pictured above.

If you are wearing a Rolex on your wrist, or an Apple Watch for that matter, you likely are rocking an iPhone. Perhaps the most outstanding announcement today from the Apple Keynote, which can see seen below was the 48 Megapixel camera on the new iPhone 14 Pro, which also features an always on screen...

1970s Rolex Day-Date Ad

1970s Rolex Day-Date Ad

Mikhail Gorbachev Belongs To The Ages

Mikhail Gorbachev  

Belongs To The Ages

1931-2022

Mikhail Gorbachev, the Russian leader who reformed and dismantled the former Soviet Union passed away today at age 91. In the past I have documented many former Soviet leaders who ironically wore Rolex, including Leonid Brezhnev and Boris Yeltsin, and despite being aware that Gorbachev wore a Rolex Datejust was planning to include this in my upcoming set of 12 Rolex history books, but decided since he passed away to share it now.

In the photo above we see Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986 pointing to his stainless steel and gold Rolex Datejust during a visit to London, England. I believe it was Nick Gould who first discovered Gorbachev rocking a Rolex...

Gorbachev worked closely with then President Ronald Reagan to end the Cold War, which unfortunately has been recently restarted as a result of Russia invading Ukraine. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail soon so the world can move on.

In the photo below we see Mikhail Gorbachev during a visit to New York City where he met with President Reagan and Vice President Bush in 1988.

Other Russian leaders wore Rolex Datejust models including Leonid Brezhnev who was the General Secratary of the USSR, as well as Boris Yeltsin who was the President of Russia are pictured below rocking their Rolex watches.