Celebrating 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023

Celebrating 100 years 
of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023

A time to celebrate. This year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, motor sport’s oldest and most prestigious endurance race, marked its centenary. In this epic endurance test, the best drivers harness their machine’s performance as much as their own. As a long-standing partner of the event, Rolex counts among its family of Testimonees race icon and record nine-time winner Tom Kristensen.

400 Years Of Watchmaking: Watches From The Hans Wilsdorf Collection

400 Years Of Watchmaking

Watches From The

Hans Wilsdorf Collection

In the past, I have written extensively about Hans Wilsdorf, who founded Rolex in London, England 109 years ago in 1908. Hans Wilsdorf ran Rolex until he died in 1960. Hans Wilsdorf was an extremely passionate vintage pocket watch collector, who in his lifetime amassed an incredible collection of historically significant pocket watches, which we will learn about in this article.

Today, we will gain great insight into what made Hans Wilsdorf tick, literally and figuratively. When we look at vintage Rolex watches today from the 1910s through the 1960s we see how the genesis for the modern watches evolved. In other words we see the inspiration, but what inspired Hans Wilsdorf? In 1905 when he started his first watch company, Wilsdorf & Davis, what vintage watches inspired him?

Remember, when he started in 1905 wristwatches were almost non-existent, so all he had was pocket-watches for inspiration. As a matter of fact, at the time, the consensus was that watch 'wristlets' as they were commonly referred to were considered to be effeminate on men.

In November and December of 1974, Rolex assembled an incomparable collection of watches to show off at the new Rolex Building in New York. This collection included watches on loan from the Metropolitain Museum of Art in New York as well as the Zale Collection of Dallas, the Benis Collection of New York, and most importantly, watches from the Hans Wilsdorf Collection.

When I first saw this 1974 Rolex magazine ad, I was surprised to learn  the Breguet in this ad that was made in 1825 had "One of the first automatic movements." Most people belive Rolex made the first "Automatic" movement when they patented their automatic Perpetual movement in 1931. 

Thus it is fascinating to learn pocket-watches had automatic movements almost 200 years ago!?!?! It just goes to show that indeed, we do learn something new everyday!!!


I must also admit, the more I study this ad, the more I like it. It is really profound, the more you think about it!!!!!

In this incredible article we will be examining just some of the fascinating watches from Hans Wilsdorf's personal collection. The first thing that stands out in my mind about Hans Wilsdorf is that he was extremely passionate about collecting beautiful watches with staggering detail. 

The second thing that stands out is that he loved colorful watches, and particularly jewel-tone colors. Just to be clear, ALL the watches below are from the Hans Wilsdorf Collection.

Fully Enameled Dress Watch

Made in 1665 by Jeremias Flug of Passau. 38mm. Number 116.

This first watch is from 1665 and it was made in Germany by Jeremias Flug of Passau. The watch is fully enameled and the form has silver-set turquoise and the back enamel depicts the Departure of Ulysses. The diameter is 38mm, which means it is bigger than a current Rolex Datejust (36mm), but smaller than a Rolex Submariner (40mm). 

The most fascinating thing in my mind is that the original pocket-watches only had one hand and that was an hour hand. Having a second hand (pun not intended) did not come along for many, many years.

XVII Century Gold Enamelled Dress Watch

Made between 1670-1680. 36mm. Number 118.

This next dress watch (pictured in the next three images) is from 1670-1680 and was made my Thomas Willimson of London. The movement has no hairspring and the bassine case is painted inside and out in multicolored enamel by Huade le Puisne (1665-1723), whose signature appears in the cartouche. Puisne was an eminent member of a famed dynasty of early Geneva painters in enamel. 

The back of the watch which is pictured below shows Cleopatra and the Asp. The Asp is a poisonous snake and as legend goes, Cleopatra put the snake to her chest to kill herself rather than surrender to Caesar Augustus. This watch is 36mm.

The watch case also has mythological landscapes inside

XVII Century Gold Enamelled Dress Watch

Made between 1676-1680. 36mm. Number 119.

This next watch (as seen in the next three photos below) was made by a Parisian named Dumoulin sometime between 1676-1680. The watch has an open face bassine and dial. The inside and outside are done in multicolored enamel by the great Huaud le Pusine. The dial represents Salome with the head of John the Baptist and the outer cover shows Herod, Herodias and Salome. This watch is 36mm.

Pair-Case Window Automaton Watch

Made in 1702 by Baltazard Faure. 62mm. Number 118.

This next watch is really interesting. It is called a pair-case window automaton watch and it was made by Baltazard Faure of Geneva in 1702 out of silver. 

The oval aperture is the silver dial successively reveals fine multicolored enameled figures representing stage personae. The panels are moved by depressing the pendant. This watch is a whopping 62mm.

 Enamel & Gold Bedside Watch

Made in 1760. 36mm. Number 138.

This next watch is know as a Bedside Watch and it is a jumbo 79mm. It was made in England and strikes hours and quarters and has a center second hand which is not visible in the photo below. The case is pierced and engraved with splendid detail on Geneva enamel. The flowers are inlaid in gold. The case and bezel have two circles of rubies and pearls.

Louis XV Sedan Chair Watch

Made between 1750 by Julien Le Roy. 110mm. Number 140.

This next watch is called a Lois The 15th Sedan Chair Clock-Watch. This French made beauty has an alarm movement and is signed by Julien Le Roy of Paris and was made in 1750. The watch is a quarter repeater–on a string with a silver acorn–and has alarm and calendar subsidiary dial. The case and bezel are pierced and engraved silver. This 110mm watch has a swivel suspension that enables it to follow the movements of the sedan chair thus avoiding injury.

Opera-Glass Telescope With Watch

Made in 1760 by James Cox, London. Length 237mm. Number 145.

Next we have an Opera-Glass Telescope with a built in watch from the Loius the 15th era. This telescope has a wooden interior tube that is covered with transparent lacquer on a gold ground. It is decorated with pierced gold, repousse and open work. The six golden panels contain enamel silhouettes of birds and animals. The hinged , swing-out watch at the end is movable and signed by James Cox, London and was made in 1760. The bezel on the watch is studded with rubies and the telescope is 237mm long.

Danish Gold Dress Watch

Made between 1750-1760 by I. Iac. Lincke of Copenhagen. 55mm. Number 146.

This dress watch has an outer case that  depicts the Three Graces with and the watch features a repeater movement.

Chatelaine With Watch In Geneva Enamel

Made between 1750-1760. Length 190mm. Number 150.

This next contraption is a Chatelaine with a watch in Geneva Enamel. This elaborately jeweled fob is named a chatelain and it caries a watch with a rare-half quarter repeater movement that was signed by Benjamin Gray and Justin Vullimay in London in 1750-1760. The watch has a double Geneva-made case is gold with enameling and engraving. The Chatelanin has charms that include a locket of hair, a good luck horseshoe, a watch key and a hand-shaped amulet. It is 190mm in length.

Louis XVI Ring Watch 

Made in 1770. 23mm. Number 154.

Next we have a Louis The 16th Men's Ring Watch. This watch was likely made in Geneva around 1770 and has a cylinder escapement movement with  a repeater which chimes quarter hours on an invisible bell. The ring diameter is 23mm.

Directoire Silver Decimal Watch

Made in 1793. 60mm. Number 159.

This next watch is really unusual. It was made in 1793 and was designed for the post-French Revolutionary era and it is called a Republican calender Directoire Decimal Watch. The watch has a twelve month year, thirty day months and ten-hour days with hundred minute hours. The dial represents the new decimal system which only lasted a year. It shows the ten days of the Republican week, with their quaint and forgotten names. A small traditional dial synchronizes the classic twelve-hour cycles with the new ten-hour day. This watch is 60mm.

Breguet Pair-Case Gold and Enamel Watch

Made in 1810 by Abraham-Louis Breguet. 57mm. Number 168.

This next masterpiece was made by Abraham-Louis Breguet and it has his secret signature on the dial of the ruby cylinder movement. The white enamel dial has both Turkish and Western numerals. The multi-color enamel on the outside of the watch is amazing as you can clearly see. The watch is 57mm.

French Empire Self-Winding Gold Watch

Made in 1820 by Abraham-Louis Breguet. 66mm. Number 170.

This next watch is a highly complicated self-winding watch and is a so-called Perpetuelle which contains a platinum rotor. It has an hour, quarter and minute repeater, as well as a 31-day calendar that shows the moon phases. The engine-turned dial is silver and contains a centered calendar hand. Breguet's tiny, but not secret signature and shop number are engraved on both sides of the XII indices. It is just amazing to realize this watch was made in 1820, long before Hans Wilsdorf was born.

Triple-Case "Turkish" Dress Watch

Made in 1824. Movement By Rundell & Bridge, London. 56mm. Number 173.

This watch has a triple case in gold that is highly decorated with Turkish landscapes done in magnificent Geneva enamel.  The watch has a quarter repeater movement.

Gold and Enamel Automation Watch

Made in 1815 with a Piquet & Meylan of Geneva Movement. 55mm. Number 174.

This next watch is a musical repeater type. It has an automaton of a moving figure which becomes visible by opening the back. The figures on the front are of Titus and Berenice.

Gold and Enamel Bonbonnier-shaped Watch

Made between 1815-1820. 63mm. Number 175.

This French Empire watch skillfully painted in enamel. The center panel has a fruit motif encircled by 12 floral segments which is surrounded by 750 pearls.

French Restoration Pistol Watch

Made in 1820 signed by Garrand. Length 125mm. Number 176.

This gold and enamel automaton pistol watch with pomander has a watch hidden in the handle. When the trigger is pressed a lotus flower springs from the barrel end which sprays perfume.

French Empire Mandolin-Shaped Watch

Made between 1815 & 1820 by Piguet & Meylan, Geneva. Length 130mm. Number 179.

This mandolin shaped watch has a music box and repeater gongs that play O du Lieber Augustin.

Conclusion

I must admit I was never a fan of pocket-watches before putting together this article, but I learned so much about the evolutionary steps of the pocket-watch that made it absolutely fascinating. 

I think the greatest takeaway point from this story is that Hans Wilsdorf was extremely passionate about exploring watch design and had a very deep appreciation for horology. 

Sylvester Stallone: Pavé-dial Submariner 116659SABR

 

‘Rocky’ Rocks 

Rock-Filled Rolex 

in Las Vegas

It's that time of the year again...time for black tie and holiday cheer. Sylvester Stallone chose a blue Submariner for the Fontainebleau Hotel Grand Opening in Las Vegas Wednesday. 

Las Vegas seemingly sucked up all of Hollywood — folks like Kim Kardashian, Cher, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner, and many more flocked to the desert to schmooze, entertain and, of course, gamble at the grand opening of the city's new resort.

The Fontainebleau Hotel, a longtime Miami landmark, just expanded to Sin City with a brand new $3.7 billion luxury casino. Stallone's Rolex — reference 116659SABR — was therefore needed to fit in with the meaning of the celebration. 

The blue ‘Rocky’ Sub’s bezel is made of 27 dark-blue sapphires, 9 light-blue sapphires and 11 diamonds, all baguette-cut. Fun fact: Rolex watches with pavé dials are the only models not baring “Oyster Perpetual” on the dial, except for the 1908.

More Sly and Subs

Below, a younger Sly rocking a 1680.

Sly is pictured below sporting his yellow gold Rolex Submariner with the black dial and bezel in the late 1970s or early 1980s. 

Paul Newman with Morgan Fairchild

...Rolex Coolness...

Paul Newman 

with 

Morgan Fairchild

Paul Newman is pictured below with Morgan Fairchild, and Paul is sporting his exotic white dial Rolex Daytona on a Fatstrap.

Rolex Middle Sea Race...

Rolex Middle Sea Race
Relentless determination of crews produces thrilling finish

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is one of the world’s premier classic yacht races. First held in 1968, it is renowned for the camaraderie among its entrants, with both professional and amateur crews sharing a start line set against the historic backdrop of Malta’s capital Valetta, one of the most spectacular points of embarkation in offshore sailing. 

This year’s race will be remembered for the spirit of the competitors, who maximized every opportunity, overcame the complexity and unpredictability of the weather, and sailed with great determination right to the finish line. The seconds separating the leading boats reflected this ceaseless endeavour. 

Emerging victorious as overall race winner was Andrea Recordati’s Italian yacht Wally 93 Bullitt, with Leopard 3 sealing back-to-back monohull line honours. United States yacht Red Ruby, sailed by owners Christina and Justin Wolf, came close to making race history as the first double-handed winner. 

Supported by Rolex since 2002 as part of the brand’s long-standing relationship with yachting dating back to the late 1950s, the Rolex Middle Sea Race is organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club and ranks as the Mediterranean’s most renowned offshore race.

Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day: Abel's Rolex Rose Gold Bubbleback

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

Abel's Rose Gold Rolex Bubbleback

[Reference 3131: Circa 1940]

Abel is from Argentina and he is a daily reader of Jake's Rolex World. He owns this beautiful Rose Gold Bubbleback that was made in 1940. This beautiful watch is all original and it almost looks like it was made yesterday. It is amazing how timeless this watch is...

How the CyberTruck design may have been inspired by a Paul Newman "Big Red" Daytona?

CyberTruck Launch 

How the CyberTruck design may have been inspired by 

Paul Newman's "Big Red" Daytona?

Four years after Tesla founder, Elon Musk and lead designer, Franz von Holzhausen originally showed off the Tesla CyberTruck, they finally delivered the first models to customers at a special event held at Tesla's Texas Gigafactory, where they are being exclusively manufactured.

Beginning Friday before last, which was Black Friday, in anticipation of the official product launch which occurred this past Thursday, production Tesla CyberTrucks models began showing up in key Tesla stores around the United States, many of which are located in malls. The image above shows a Tesla CyberTruck being driven through the mall in order to get it to the Tesla Store and notice it went driving by a Rolex authorized dealership.

Over on TeslaMagazine.org I just completed a super-detailed article all about the launch of the Produciton model of the CyberTruck which is pretty fascinating. 

 Franz von Holzhausen 

Tesla CyberTruck Designer

Rocking a Paul Newman "Big Red"

The lead Tesla designer, Franz von Holzhausen not only designed all the existing Tesla models, including the Model S, 3, X, Y, as well as the CyberTruck is perhaps most famous for having thrown a steel ball, the size of a tennis ball at the CyberTruck at the launch event four years ago, and much to his surprise, cracked the special glass that was supposed to be unbeatable.

A while ago, I could not help but notice Franz von Holzhausen was rocking a Paul Newman 'Big Red' Paul Newman Daytona [Reference 6263] as seen in the photo below on his wrist and I wrote a story about his Daytona as well as Elon Musk's Datejust.

The screenshots of Franz rocking his stainless steel Paul Neman Daytona were taken from the fascinating video interview below:

Franz's 'Big Red' Daytona (pictured above) appears to be identical to Paul Newman's Reference 6263, which begs the question of whether he was the person who bought Paul Newman's second Rolex Daytona that came to auction? 

So what if anything does Franz's Daytona have in common with the CyberTruck he designed? It's hard to say exactly, but as a fellow designer I could not help but wonder if Franz's CyberTruck design was inspired or informed by the design of his stainless steel Rolex Daytona?

After all, Paul Newman's 6263 Daytona and the CyberTruck have a great deal in common, beginning with the fact that are moth made primary from stainless steel. When Rolex originally debuted the Daytona back in the early to mid 1960s, it was considered to be an unusually large and sporty watch. 

Interior of CyberTruck features user definable multicolor RGB LED accent light strip which is pictured above in red, which matches Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona [Reference 6263] which is pictured below.

Paul Newman's 6263 Daytona was accented with a black dial, and matching black bezel insert, along with white subdials—just like the CyberTruck has black accents. So basically, they were both big, bold, sporty designs that were initially highly polarizing, while offering an unusually rugged build quality, with unbreakable glass. Also both are considered icons of modern design. The more I think about it, the more I realize how remarkably similarly uncanny the color and material vibe is between Paul Newman's 'Big Red' Daytona and the Franz's CyberTruck!!!!

Paul Newman's Holy Grail Rolex "Big Red" Daytona picture above. This model of Daytona was nicknamed by collectors "BIG RED" as the "DAYTONA" dial designation is bigger and bolder red than on any other Rolex Daytona models. It was gifted to Paul Newman by his wife Joanne Woodward in 1983 as a gift to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

If you are interested, you can learn much more and see all my coverage of Tesla's CyberTruck Launch over on JAKE'S TESLA WORLD.

The One More Thang 

If you made it this far, chances are you are probably totally enjoying the launch of the CyberTruck, and I saved the best for last. The review of the CyberTruck below by Hagerty is by far and away the single best review, and the second video is where he discusses the making of the review and shares some shockingly profound insight on the CyberTruck.