Jennifer Lopez and Rolex

Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born July 24, 1969. Often nicknamed J.Lo, Jennifer Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in the U.S. according to People en Español's list of "100 Most Influential Hispanics".

Jennifer Lopez's Rolex

Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Lopez subsequently ventured into acting with Selena (1997), Out of Sight (1998) and Angel Eyes (2001), for all of which she won ALMA Awards for outstanding actress. She also appeared in The Cell (2000), The Wedding Planner (2001), Maid in Manhattan (2002), Shall We Dance? (2004) and Monster-in-Law (2005). She parlayed her media fame into a fashion line and various perfumes with her celebrity endorsement.
In 1999, Lopez released her debut studio album, On the 6. She followed it up with two number one albums on the Billboard 200, J.Lo (2001) and J to tha L-O!: The Remixes (2002). Her third studio album, This Is Me... Then (2002) peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 as well as her fourth studio album, Rebirth (2005). In 2007, Lopez released two albums including her first full Spanish-language album, Como Ama una Mujer and her fifth English studio album Brave. She won the 2003 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and the 2007 American Music Award for Favorite Latin Artist. She has sold over 48 million albums worldwide.








[ Rolex at Interwatches ]

[ Rolex Official Web Site ]

[ Jennifer Lopez Official Web Site ]

Why is the Rolex Day Date or Rolex President so wanted?

The exquisitely brilliant Rolex Day-Date belongs to the Oyster Perpetual collection of the Rolex line. This perfect wristwatch is well known for being as perfect as it looks, not only for its aesthetic but also for the way it workds. 


Hans Eberhard Wilhelm Wilsdorf was born in Kulmbach, a tiny village 50 kilometres from Nuremberg in Bavaria in March 22, 1881. He came from a family of ironmongers, a business initially founded by his grandfather Carl Traugger Wilsdorf in 1842. After working in Geneva for Cuno Korten, the watch making company, he moved to London in 1903. Two years later, he was able to start his own watch business. When seeking for a partner, he met through his lawyer Alfred James Davis. The relationship was further strengthened when Davis married Wilsdorf’s younger sister. [ Read Full Rolex’s History at Interwatches.com's blog]

So, according to the way in which, just by naming the wristwatch makers, for us, their consumers, it evokes to a feeling of trust, its only a way of contribuiting to the company for their magnifiscent effort on the part of the company to deliver nothing but the best to its patrons. Every Rolex watch although exclusive in its character and beauty yet has a commonality threading it all along and that is its engineering finesse. Not only does the watch has a striking design and exterior it has great functional utility and an unfaltering watch mechanism within which is sturdy, dependable and amazing.



The Rolex President or Day-Date  like the name suggests displays not only the date of the month but also the day of the week in 26 different languages. This wristwatch comes fitted with a certified chronometer and the 36 mm radial that add to its charm. The self-wound watch is also waterproof to 100 meters leaving its other contemporaries far behind. Nothing takes the heart and the soul of the wearer the way the platinum and diamond finish of this watch does.



Rolex President or Rolex Day Date, it is the one chosen by many celebrities. Stars like: actress Katherine Kelly Lang, the actor Benjamin Bratt, Liv Tyler, theatre actor Sam Shepard, filmmaker Martin Scorsese, actress Clea DuVall, actress Dana Elaine Owens Queen Latifah, Carmen Electra and Andy García, between many many others.

Victoria Beckham and her Rolex Day-Date Presidential Champagne Stick Mens Watch

Victoria Caroline Beckham was born 17 April 1974. She is an English singer, songwriter, dancer, fashion designer, author, businesswoman, actress and model. During her rise to fame with 1990's pop group the Spice Girls, Beckham was dubbed Posh Spice, a nickname first coined by the British pop music magazine, Top of the Pops, in their July, 1996, issue. Since Spice Girls separation, she has dabbled in pop music, scoring four UK Top 10 singles as a solo artist. Her first single to be released, "Out of Your Mind", reached number two in the UK Singles Chart and is her highest chart entry to date. During her solo music career she has been signed to Virgin Records and Telstar Records.

She has developed a career in fashion, design and created her own denim brand, dVb Style. Beckham has brought out her own range of sunglasses and fragrance, entitled Intimately Beckham, which has been released in the UK and in the United States. In association with the Japanese store Samantha Thavasa, she has produced a range of handbags and jewellery. She has released two bestselling books: one her autobiography and the other one is a fashion guide. Beckham is married to English footballer David Beckham with whom she has three sons. As of 2009, the couple's joint wealth is estimated at £125 million.

Posh Spice or Victoria Beckham, loves to wear men's gold Rolex Presidential wristwatch with a Champagne Stick Dial Fluted Bezel. The Rolex Day-Date Presidential Champagne Stick Mens Watch fits Day, Date, Hours, Minutes, Seconds indicators; moreover magnified quick-set date display at 3 o'clock position. The case is made of Solid Stainless Steel Coated with 18K Yellow Gold. This Rolex watch dial has an elegant Custom Champagne Stick and Roman Minute Track Perimeter. Scratch-resistant Sapphire Conversion Crystal. The Rolex watch model features 18k Yellow Gold Fluted Bezel. The posh Stainless Steel Presidential Bracelet suits Victoria's sunburned skin perfectly and the Hidden Clasp just improves the watch model elegance.

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Carmen Electra and Rolex: Rolex Day Date

Precision and innovation, transparent rarities differentiate the best from good. Rolex wristwatches captivate full attention. Rolex is a brand that has been producing unique watches since their beginning and has never stopped. Rolex enjoys a fine reputation of being the one that produces the finest wrist watches

Carmen Electra, born as Tara Leigh Patrick, worked as a fashion model and also as a dancer. She acted in low budget movies till she worked in the legendary TV series Baywatch as a chic lifeguard and shaped multiple appearances in Playboy. She was also awarded at the MTV Movie Awards for her role in Starsky & Hutch.

The Rolex Day Date is a symbol of a decorated exclusive watch.

Carmen Electra has a lot of vivacity, one of the main characteristics of the Rolex Day Date together with the personified elegance. With a streamlining shape and the finishing reflects the precision that has gone into making this timeless piece,  this watch is meant to epitomize time. Sparkling diamonds have been encrusted in the watch making it a visual treat with the flagship feature being the weekday display which can be preset in 26 distinct dialects. The 18 Carat Gold in which it is embellished is spectacular and the calendar mechanism in the watch takes a mere three milliseconds to navigate to the next day. The Oyster case in which it gets sheltered is put through 150 manufacturing strides to certify its waterproof ability. The watch can be taken to a depth of 330 feet and will still emerge unscathed by its effect. This is one model that is also preferred by divers wanting to keep a check on time while going beneath waters. The watch symbolizes style, a virtue exemplified by Carmen Electra.

Madoff auction welcomes bids on wristwatches like: Rolex, Ulysse Nardin, Blancpain, Piaget, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, IWC and Jaeger LeCoultre.

(Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff)

Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff was born on April 29, 1938. He is the former Chairman of the NASDAQ stock exchange and the admitted operator of the Ponzi scheme that might be "the largest investment fraud in Wall Street history".
In March 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 felonies and admitted to turning his wealth management business into a massive Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars. Madoff said he began the Ponzi scheme in the early 1990s. However, federal investigators believe the fraud began as early as the 1980s. The amount missing from client accounts, including fabricated gains, was almost $65 billion. The court appointed trustee estimated actual losses to investors of $18 billion. On June 29, 2009, he was sentenced to 150 years in prison, the maximum allowed.
Madoff founded the Wall Street firm Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC in 1960, and was its chairman until his arrest on December 11, 2008. The firm was one of the top market maker businesses on Wall Street, which bypassed "specialist" firms by directly executing orders over the counter from retail brokers.
On December 10, 2008, Madoff's sons told authorities that their father had just confessed to them that the asset management arm of his firm was a massive Ponzi scheme, and quoting him as saying it was "one big lie". The following day, FBI agents arrested Madoff and charged him with one count of securities fraud. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had previously conducted several investigations into Madoff's business practices since 1992, which critics contend were incompetently handled.

Madoff lots are 196-299 & 301-386.
U.S.Marshals Service
National Forfeited Jewelry Auction
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 10 AM



During the auction conducted live on Saturday, November 14th at the New York Sheraton Hotel & Towers and online simulcast utilizing www.proxibid.com., many of Madoff’s belongings were auctioned. And so, his wristwatch collection. Between the wristwatch brands he was a fun, like Rolex, there were many Cartier, Ulysse Nardin, Blancpain, IWC, Hublot, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Piaget and Bulgari’s expensive watches.

Some of them, the most expensive Rolex and some from other wristwatch brands:



234
ROLEX: Gents 18kr vintage Rolex chronograph wristwatch; silver/white dial w/ black sticks & Arabics; 36.10mm round case; Black stitched crocodile strap (tang); Serial 66658 (1936); professionally restored.
$23000 - $26500


235
ROLEX: Gents 18ky vintage Rolex Oyster chronograph wristwatch; Monochrome motif; gold dial w/ luminous sticks & Arabics, 3 gold sub-dials; 35.1mm round case; Brown stitched Alligator strap (tang); 17 jewel Rolex Genève mechanical winding mvmt; Case 4048; Serial 58105 (1935). Note: Professionally restored.
$54000 - $58000


236
ROLEX: Gents st.steel & 18kr & 18ky vintage Rolex Oyster chronograph wristwatch; rose gold bezel, yellow gold crown; white dial w/ black sticks & Arabics; 34.6mm round case; Brown stitched Alligator strap (tang); 17 jewel Rolex Genève mechanical winding mvmt; Case 3668; Serial 146583 (1940). Note: Professionally restored.
$60000 - $63500


237
ROLEX: Gents 18ky vintage Rolex O.P. "Monoblocco" chronograph wristwatch; aka "Prisoner Watch"; domed plastic crystal; black dial w/ rose tri-sticks & Arabic numerals; gold hands; polished bezel; 35mm round case; dk brown alligator strap (tang); Model 3525; 17 jewel Rolex mechanical winding mvmt; Serial 380223 (1945).
$75000 - $87500


248A
WATCH: Gents st.steel Ulysse Nardin San Marco GMT wristwatch; black dial w/ luminous Arabic numerals; syn saph crystal; date at 3 position; dual-time at 11 position; 37mm round case; Black stitched leather band w/ tang buckle; Automatic mvmt; Model 203-22; Serial No 978.
$1500 - $2000


250
WATCH: Gents st.steel Blancpain Leman chronograph flyback wristwatch; white dial w/ white sub-dials (3); syn saph crystal; date at 6 position; 38.2mm round case; brown alligator strap w/ deployant buckle; Automatic mvmt; Model 2185-1127-53B; Serial No 294.
$4000 - $5200


251
WATCH: Gents 14kw Piaget Gouverneur Automatique chronograph wristwatch; light blue dial w/ matching sub-dials (3), Arabics; syn saph crystal; date at 6 position; 34.2mm round case; black alligator strap w/ 18kw Piaget tang buckle; Automatic mvmt; Model 12978; Serial 810797.
$4500 - $5800


253
WATCH: Gents 18kw Patek Philippe Annular Calendar wristwatch; black dial w/ silver Roman numerals; date at 6 position; 3 black sub-dials; syn saph crystal front & back; 36.95mm round case; black alligator band w/ 18kw deployant buckle; Model 5035G; 35 jewel Patek Philippe automatic mvmt, Cal. 315/198, Serial 3059777.
$12500 - $15600


254
WATCH: Gents 18ky Audemars Piguet Huitieme chronograph wristwatch; crème colored dial & sub-dials (3); date at 3 position; gold hands; 40.4mm round case; dkBrown alligator strap w/ 18ky AP double deployant clasp; Automatic mvmt; Serial C54966.
$6000 - $8000


258
WATCH: Gents st.steel IWC Portuguese chronograph wristwatch; silver dial w/ rose gold markers; 40.9mm round case; stitched brown alligator strap w/ tang buckle; Automatic mvmt; Model IW3714-01; Serial 2697455.
$3000 - $4000

264
WATCH: Gents 18kt rose gold Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duo wristwatch; Night/Day dials; brown crocodile strap w/ 18kr deployant buckle; Mechanical, winding mvmt; Case 270.2.54; Serial 1961500.
$4000 - $5100



Metropolitan Ballroom
New York Sheraton Hotel & Towers
811 Seventh Avenue
New York City, NY 10019

The auction was conducted by:
´Gaston & Sheehan Auctioneers











[Source: CanadaEast]

20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall: French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Rolex.

The Berlin Wall was breached after the East German government moves to lift restrictions on travel across the border to West Germany in November 9th, 1989. It was erected in august 3rd, 1961.
Communist East Germany erected the 155-km (96-mile) concrete wall in 1961 to encircle West Berlin and prevent citizens from fleeing into the capitalist enclave. More than 100 people are believed to have been killed at the Wall while trying to escape.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy posted on Facebook a picture of himself at the Berlin Wall.
The image shows Mr Sarkozy, then a 34-year-old French MP, standing before a graffiti-covered section of the wall back in 9 November 1989. Mr Sarkozy will today join world leaders in Berlin to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall.
Nicolas Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa was born on 28 January 1955. He is the 23rd President of the French Republic. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier.

Nicolas Sarkozy is a true Rolex collector, with a particular appreciation for the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, which was made famous by the late American acting icon Paul Newman. He has been pictured many times wearing the classic white faced Daytona, but he seems to prefer the rarer black faced Daytona. The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is easily recognized for its stainless steel case and an oysterlock bracelet. Rolex Cosmograph features an intricately fashioned dial, whether white or black, and a synthetic sapphire case. It is also water resistant to 100 meters. [Full article]












[Source: BBC News and Interwatches]

President's Watches: Nicolas Sarkozy's Rolex Collection.

Nicolas Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa was born on 28 January 1955. He is the 23rd President of the French Republic. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier.

Before his presidency, he was leader of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). Under Jacques Chirac's presidency, he served as Minister of the Interior in Jean-Pierre Raffarin's (UMP) first two governments (from May 2002 to March 2004), then was appointed Minister of Finances in Raffarin's last government (March 2004 to May 2005), and again Minister of the Interior in Dominique de Villepin's government (2005-2007).

Sarkozy was also president of the General council of the Hauts-de-Seine department from 2004 to 2007 and mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, one of the wealthiest communes of France from 1983 to 2002. He was also Minister of the Budget in the government of Édouard Balladur (RPR, predecessor of the UMP) during François Mitterrand's last term.

Nicolas Sarkozy is a true Rolex collector, with a particular appreciation for the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, which was made famous by the late American acting icon Paul Newman. He has been pictured many times wearing the classic white faced Daytona, but he seems to prefer the rarer black faced Daytona. The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is easily recognized for its stainless steel case and an oysterlock bracelet. Rolex Cosmograph features an intricately fashioned dial, whether white or black, and a synthetic sapphire case. It is also water resistant to 100 meters.

Probably one of the rarest and most expensive vintage Rolex watches on the market today, the anti-magnetic Rolex Datocompax Oyster Chronograph has always gone by the adopted name of the “Jean-Claude Killy” Rolex. Popular as the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona identified with Paul Newman or the Rolex Explorer II connected to Steve McQueen, the “Jean-Claude Killy” Rolex was only ever produced infrequently from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. Never reaching mass popularity during its production, this Rolex watch has become incredibly rare and valuable, selling at recent auctions for over $80,000.

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Watches in Series: America’s Next Top Model, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Dr. House, Heroes and Grey’s Anatomy.

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America’s Next Top Model

America’s Next Top Model (known as well as Top Model or ANTM) is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America’s Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modelling industry.

Nigel Barker – Rolex DateJust – America’s Next Top Model.

J. Alexander - Rolex - America’s Next Top Model.

CSI: Miami

CSI: Miami (Crime Scene Investigation: Miami) is a spin-off of the CBS network series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. The series is an American crime drama television series that trails the investigations of a team of Miami-Dade forensic scientists as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths and other crimes.

Lieutenant Horatio Caine (David Caruso) – Ritmo Mundo Ponce.

CSI: New York

CSI: NY (Crime Scene Investigation: New York) is an American police procedural television series premiered on September 22, 2004. It was the second spin-off, indirectly, from the popular CBS show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and directly from CSI: Miami, during an episode of which several of the CSI: NY characters made their first appearance.

Dr. Sheldon Hawkes (Hill Harper) – Kobold – CSI: NY.

House

Gregory House, M.D., is a fictional character and protagonist of the American medical drama House. Portrayed by Hugh Laurie, the character is a maverick medical genius with two specializations, in infectious diseases and nephrology. He works as the Chief of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital heading a team of diagnosticians.

Hamilton Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) – Hamilton Khaki King

Heroes

Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring. The series begins by telling the stories of apparently ordinary individuals who mysteriously develop superhuman abilities and who then seek to use them to prevent the end of the world as foreseen in images produced by a precognitive painter.

Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar) – Rolex Submariner

Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy is an American medical drama television series that follows the lives of five surgical interns, later residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital. Besides their careers the series also follows their personal lives.


Panerai196Dr. Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) – Panerai PAM 196 Chronograph.












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James Bond's Watches

(James Bond's Rolex Submariner in Dr. No)

James Bond’s movies have been among the most popular since the very beginning. Watches and cars played a very significant role as survival gadgets. James Bond, known for his good taste and sophistication, has a very refined style. Always seen surrounded by beautiful women, driving the most desirable cars and traveling to the most exclusive places around the globe.
Watches has always been a very defining part of the character so, as important as it is, he has been choosing the most luxurious ones.
Not only he wore Rolex watches, but also he has worn Omega’s watches and Seiko’s watches as well. He was as well given specialty watches from Q-Branch, with gadgets such as a powerful magnet, perhaps best used when he unzipped a dress or a wrist dart gun as seen in Octopussy.

James Bond Omega Seamaster

(Omega Seamaster Professional 300m)

For over a decade, the Omega Seamaster Professional 300m, has been James Bond’s choise. This watch features a Co-Axial Escapement for precision timekeeping and it is also water resistant to 300m. It features a 41 mm case diameter
This Watch has been worn since 1995, when it was Bond’s choice for GoldenEye movie, worn by Pierce Brosnan.

James Bond Rolex Submariner

James Bond wore a Rolex Submariner, although this fact wass never explicitly revealed in any of the novels and the Submariner model 6204 wasn't released until 1954, a year after the first Bond novel, Rolex turned to be the chosen watch brand.
When James Bond, the character, was introduced to us in the film Dr. No (1962) played by Sean Connery, it was decided that James Bond would wear a Rolex Submariner. But, when the production crew intended to deal with Rolex, they refused to offer a watch for the film. So, Cubby Broccoli decided to use his own Rolex Submariner with black crocodile strap.

The Rolex Submariner accompanied the sophisticated character for years.Its next appearance was in From Russia with Love, followed by Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice.
In a bid to update the appearance of the Bond character, Q Branch decided to issue the new Bond played by Roger Moore with a Seiko digital watch.

(James Bond's Seiko's Wristwatch)

These digital watches had numerous gadgets worthy of a spy's 1980s digital watch, but after 5 films, it felt like time for Bond to return to the classic Rolex Submariner, for two more films, The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill.
Soon though, the production crew felt the Rolex a bit old fashioned and so they preferred a more minimalistic watch, the Omega Seamaster.










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What is an anti-shock device and how does it work?

The anti-shock device is a flexible comportment intended to soften shocks so that the pivots inside of the case do not brake by receiving violent movements.

In 1933 Hans Marti, an engineer, patented a system called “Incabloc ®”. This system was based in a conical setting placed in a solid truncated cone located in the watch’s frame. The whole unit was supported by a cautiously calibrated mechanism.

In presence of a shock episode, the setting would slide into the cone allowing the pivots to transfer the shock to the frame. Then, wheels would be pulled back till being placed in the center again by the spring. This would allow the setting apart into its constituent pieces without having to remove the balance.

Some of the most prestigious watchmaking companies that have incorporated this mechanism are:

Between many others watchmaking companies like Rolex, in which in its Sea Dweller DEEPSEA watch features a Parachrom hairspring with high resistance to shocks and magnetic fields, most of the wristwatches' comapanies have incorporated such mechanism.

Similar systems are ETA's Etachoc, Rolex's Kif', Seiko's Diashock, and Citizen's Parashock.

Rolex Sea Dweller Watch

THE SEA DWELLER

While the Submariner was capable of working at the depths the divers did, the long exposure to high pressures had not been anticipated by its designers. The Subamriner was designed to be waterproof and airtight and to survive the pressures of the deep water.

Rolex and Comex (COmpagnie Maritime d’EXpertise) started working together in order to design a watch that would be efficient enough to work properly under the conditions the industrial deep-sea diving as Comex is the world leader in sub-sea engineering and in manned and unmanned sub-sea interventions, scoured all the seas on earth and worked at depths of over 300 meters. Although both companies working together first took one normal Submariner and modified it till they reached the perfect model: “The Submariner 2000 Sea Dweller”. The divers require the best equipment that is available because precision and perfection according to watch quality can mean the difference between life and death. The Sea Dweller differs from a regular Submariner by being much thicker and heavier. It has no “Cyclops” date lens because the glass because of the glass thickness placing the lens at a greater distance from the date disc. According to its bracelet it is machined from solid metal.

The advantage of the Sea Dweller over a Submariner is its ability to undergo repeated compression/decompression cycles in a helium-oxygen atmosphere.

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Rolex Submariner Watch

THE SUBMARINER

In 1954 Basel, Rolex presented the Submariner model, Rolex pride. The model number 6204 watch was waterproof to a more realistic 200 meters (or 660 feet). It was sold as the watch that was the diver’s friend. When the development of the SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diving as a sport really began to take off toward the end of the fifties, a reliable watch was needed as much as a reliable oxygen tank. Rolex developed the Submariner 6204, which had simple parallel hands and it had no protective shoulders by the winding crown and the rotating bezel had only five minute markers. Two years later, this model was replaced by two Submariner models. Theses ones were: the 6538 model (waterproof to 660 feet) and the 6536 model (waterproof only to 330 feet), commonly known by collectors as the “James Bond” models. Then, although the model was redefined it kept the same model number and it introduced a more robust case with bezel markings for the first 15 minutes and a red triangle at the 12 position. Besides, it featured a larger “Triplock” style crown which had the “Brevette” sign under the crown or patented around the circumference. The watch had an officially certified chronometer powered by the new 1030 movement.
When model 5512 was launched in 1959, the new case featured the protective shoulders which defended the weakest part of the watch from inadvertent knocks and harms underwater. The new Submariner was launched on the back of Jacques Piccard’s latest adventure where he dove into a new record depth of 25, 798 feet (10.916 meters). The watch was exposed to pressures of over seven tons per square inch, the watch was found in perfect conditions with no evidence of moisture inside the case.
In 1965, when the 1565 calibre movement was fitted to the Submariner divers had the joy of combining the benefits of both chronometers movements and date function in one watch. The new model’s number was: 1680.












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Rolex Explorer Watch

THE EXPLORER

With black dial, large luminous triangle marker at 12 and luminous Arabic numerals for the other quarters, The Explorer is one of the most recognizable Rolex watch together with the Datejust. An explorer watch is the one that has its dial described. It was first designed and made in honor of Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay, the first to reach the summit of Everest wearing Rolex watches. The Explorer was design for explorers and so it had a high visibility dial, an extra strong case and, under request, they could even be lubricated with a special oil which could withstand temperatures between -20ºC and + 40 ºC without changes in its viscosity. The Rolex Explorer line was designed with extremely challenging conditions in mind. This Rolex watch line was the one that received first the triangle marker at the top of the dial.












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Rolex Datejust Watch

THE DATEJUST

In 1942, with the introduction of the bubbleback powered by a perpetual version of the classic 10 - 1/2”’ Hunter, Rolex made one of the most significant movements of its history. This new model had two additions: a sweep seconds hand and a date disc visible though and aperture in the dial at 3.
The first Datejust was a seminal one, a model and a design that would last for the next 50 years. This model is still the most beautiful of the Datejusts. Even though the registered name was Ritedate, by the time the watch was presented, it was called “Datejust” and the model was “Jubilee”, applied later to the bracelet.
The date function also retained its alternating red and black numbers, presumably to let the wearer know that the date had indeed changed. The only obvious change was when Rolex introduced the Cyclops date magnifier at Basel becoming a signature for the Rolex line.
The stainless and gold Datejust was introduced around 1962 and has proven to be one of the most popular models Rolex has ever produced. The new “two-tone” look not only fit the times, but also enabled Rolex to increase the margins on a very popular watch.
Since the end of the 1980s, all Datejust have been equipped with a “sapphire” crystal. This crystal is sliced out of a lab-grown sapphire with the Cyclops date window cut from a smaller crystal and the applied.












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Rolex Chronograph

THE CHRONOGRAPH

In 1930, when sportsmen begun to demand chronographs, Rolex started to fulfill that demand. Seven years later, Rolex catalogue shows for the first time the chronographs wristwatches. Rolex chose 10- ½” to 14” movements in one button models allowing the customers to time a single continuous event. The demand came not only from racing spectators, but also from anyone whose profession required having an accurate measuring of and exact elapsed time.
In the late 30s, the real breakthrough happened as a consequence of the two button configuration making possible for the customers to stop the timing for breaks in the action.
The “Zerograph” is one of the most interesting Rolex Chronographs. It was produced in very limited quantities at the end of the 1930s. It had a 10-1/2”’ Hunter sweep seconds movement, it was the first model to feature the Oyster crown.
Afterwards, the first Oyster Chronograph was the model 4500. Models: 6232 and 3668 followed model 4500 and the proved to be as unpopular as the first one. The reason: the depths of World War II.
After years of making imperceptible and trivial changes, Rolex reached the final watch: The Cosmograph (model 6239), one of the most popular watches ever produced.
In the late 1970s, when Rolex introduced the 6263 Cosmograph, the model was the first to have truly waterproofed pushers. The screw down pushers were added because the customers kept trying to operate the push buttons while the watch was underwater so that let water into the movement. Another advantage of the locking buttons was that it also prevented inadvertent operation pushers.












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Rolex Accuracy

ACCORDING TO ACCURACY

Wilsdorf was the visionary man who created an accurate wristwatch that can be compared to the finest contemporary mechanical chronometers around the globe.
In 1905, when Wilsdorf and Alfred James Davis created Wilsdorf & Davis they never imagined how important the company would become. At the very beginning, the company was just two businessmen trying to make a living in a hard environment. When Wilsdorf registered “Rolex” as the trade mark in Switzerland and began to use the name inside the watches on movements and cases, he then started advertising the name in order to make people asking for the watches by their name: Rolex.
In 1914, perfected Rebberg obtained a Kew A certificate for one of their 11”’ movements. The Royal Observatory at Kew (in London) was an outstation of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, where all the initial work on accurate time keeping had been initiated such as: the search for a method of accuracy finding longitude, the institution of an universal time standard, the development of the first marine chronometer and the establishment of a central facility to test timepieces and certify them were all products of Greenwich. Its principal purpose was to teste marine chronometers, whose accuracy was vital to marine navigation until the 1930’s. The Kew tests were designed to time watches for the Royal Navy would offer to purchase it. Beyond that, based on the chronometer tests at Kew major manufacturers could state that their watches were the most accurate in the world becoming another powerful sales promotion device. Wilsdorf put Rolex watches through such test. Rolex was the only watch in the world to hold a Kew A certificate, getting to promote the success.
In order to avoid hurting the watches badly while they were imported to London, Hans Wilsdorf was finally convinced to move the administrative offices of the company from London to Geneva. Later, when it started exporting to United States of America, Wilsdorf made another astute move. While the European market was sinking as a consequence of the war, the American one was rising from the dust. Once again, Rolex was in the right place at the right time.

Rolex Prince

After Davis sold his shares to Wilsdorf and Aegler they both got to be the directors of Rolex Company. Just over a year later on October 1, 1927, the patent number 120849 was granted for the movement that was to be named Prince. The main advantage of the movement design was that, by placing the winding barrel and the balance at opposite ends of the watch, they could each be much larger than if they were arrayed closely to each other, as would be the case in a normal round watch.
The Rolex Prince watch proved to be one of the most accurate wristwatches made to date. The accuracy comes from the very high quality balance wheel, which most unusually for a wristwatch used solid gold screws to add extra weight and, thus, momentum. The watch also had a very high quality finish to the whole escapement, even the wheels. All of these efforts went to ensuring the accuracy of the Prince.

(Rolex’s latest style, the “Prince,” in 18k rose gold)

Many years went by… many models were designed.

The name Marconi was the fourth brand name that Wilsdorf registered. Rolex was registered in 1908, Omigra later the same year, Elvira the following year, and then Marconi Lever, registered as a name for watches and watch parts.
Marconi was, of course, named after Gugliemo Marconi who successfully sent radio signals over the Atlantic Ocean in 1901. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1909 in recognition of this achievement.
By the time the Marconi brand hit the market, it had one small problem: Marconi was a figure whose time had passed.

According to LON, Wilsdorf had gone though a phase of registering company and brand names in 1919 and 1920. On March 17, 1919, to celebrate the end of the “war to end all wars” and the foundation of the League of Nations (the predecessor to the U.N.) in Geneva, he registered the name LON (League of Nations) as a brand name. At the same time, he also registered the names Brex and Unicorn Lever. Unicorn took over from Marconi and a few years later it was joined by Rolco, a simple contraction of “ROLex Company”.

In 1946, the year Rolex celebrated their 40th anniversary or jubilee, it introduced its most expensive watch, the “Datejust”. At the same time Rolex launched its final attempt at penetrating the lower cost watch market: the Tudor which was, at first, symbolized with a stylized rose, representing the Tudor rose. Then it was replaced with a stylized shield.
Rolex Tudor was at first, introduced as a “workingman’s” watch. The people most often seen wearing a Tudor watch are the ones leading an active lifestyle requiring a sturdy watch with good timekeeping abilities. Although the Tudor movements may have fewer jewels than the traditional Rolex, they are just as good time keeping as their more expensive “sister brand” watches and also just as durable.

In 1932, the company introduced a new pocket watch movement, the “Rolex Prince Imperial”. This new movement was redesigned to prove one of the most accurate watches ever made by Rolex.

During the 50’s decade, two of the most esoteric models the company ever produced were introduced. The “Tru-beat” (model 6556) and the “Milgauss” (model 6541). The “True-beat” was a standard chronometer grade non-date Oyster Perpetual, but it had a dead beat sweep seconds hand that would make the second hand stop at each seconds mark before jumping to the next one. According to the “Milgauss”, it was made in response to people working in areas of high electro-magnetic radiation, such as research labs or power stations, in which the effects of radiation would make the watches unreliable because of magnetizing the balance work of a watch.

At the Basel Fairm in 1954, Rolex launched four major models: The Explorer, the Turn-O-Graph, the Submariner and the Lady’s Perpetual Chronometer. The “Turn-O-Graph” (model 6202) was a simpler version of the “Submariner”. The “Turn-O-Graph” watch was Oyster Perpetual Precision grade (non-chronometer) with luminous visibility and black dials, luminous hands and rotating bezel. The “Submariner” featured almost the same characteristics, but it was water resistant to 200 meters. It was called “The diver’s friend”. The “Submariner” together with the “President” proved to be one of the outstanding successes of the 1950’s for the Rolex Company. Two years later, the company introduced the “Date-Date” model, a very important model.











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Rolex Perpetual

(Rolex Oyster Perpetual Mid-Size Mid Size Ref. 177200)

The movement that was just as important to Rolex as the Oyster case was the first Perpetual. Rolex had used movements made by Eagler from the very beginning. The first one was de Rebberg which came in a wide variety of sizes and also in versions with a subsidiary seconds hand, with a sweep seconds hands or without any seconds hand. It was a simple, robust and versatile movement that served Rolex well for almost 20 years
Then, Rolex produced the Hunter movement which was the first one that was regularly capable of being timed to chronometer precision. These chronometer movements were often either 17 or 18 jewel models with capped escape jewels.
Even though the Oyster was proving very successful and met or exceeded all of Wilsdorf’s hopes for it, there was one problem: he needed an automatic system. Once again Rolex (or Aegler, who actually patented it) took the read of patient modification of an existing product. The first perpetual models are simple subsidiary seconds 8-3/4”’Hunter movements with the “Auto-Rotor” mechanism bolted straight onto the back. This arrangement had three additional benefits. First, the watch could be wound manually if needed. The facility to wind the automatic watch is now something to be taken for granted, but it is interesting to note that all of the early automatics ere incapable of manual winding. Apart from its use during periods of enforced idleness, the manual facility on the Rolex Perpetual gave confidence to those people who still did not trust the watch yet.
Second, because the rotor swung through a full rotation, there was nothing for it to hit, so the movement received no shocks through the sudden braking of a weight. Besides, the watch was less noisy as Rolex advertised: “Rolex, the silent self winder”.
Finally, the arrangement allowed the watchmaker to remove the whole of the automatic mechanism with only two screws and then be faced with a simple manual movement that he would instantly recognize. This is an important factor in the success of Rolex’s automatic movement.
The exact date of the launch of the Rolex Perpetual would seem to be in late 1933 or early 1934. No earlier Rolex advertisement makes any mention of the watch. The first Perpetuals were produced in a case that was another classic Rolex modification, simply the first model Oyster Royal with a new, deeper back.
What we must not forget is that in introducing the Perpetual in 1934, Rolex chose to do so in the depth of the worst depression the industrial world had seen, and as the world’s economies began to improve the Perpetual was waiting.

Rolex Oyster

(Rolex Oyster Precision Mens DATE Circa 1954 Ref. 6294)

Although it is the generally accepted view that Hans Wilsdorf, the famous Swiss watchmaker, sitting alone in his Geneva workshop and working late into night, came up with the idea of the Oyster case and thereby set Rolex off in a new direction, none of this is true. Wilsdorf was never either Swiss or a watchmaker. The Oyster was the result of at least four attempts by the company to produce a waterproof case prior to the introduction of the Oyster.
Despite his British Nationality and Swiss domicile Hans was very much a German and his greatest strengths were his persistence and his dedication to slow progressive development of his existing product and so after trying hardly, in 1914, Wilsdorf and Davis introduced their first watch with a threaded bezel and back. The introduction of the Borgel cases was known to be the first model produced by Rolex in which the case was specifically designed to give protection against some of the elements. When Rolex wristwatches sales took off in the tropical markets on India and East Asia, in hot and humid conditions there were natural challenges: humidity over mechanisms. Baumgartner came up with the “hermetic” cases solution that Wilsdorf patented in London on May 10, 1923. Wilsdorf was so proud of his watch that even before submitting his patent he applied for three new model names, “Aqua”, “The Submariner” and “Diver”. He also registered a new style of window display involving the suspension of a working watch in an aquarium.
Finally, in October 30, 1925, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Paul Perregaux and Georges Peret, two prototype maker, filed a patent that was later given the number 114, 948 which describes the invention for a moisture proof winding stem and button. The button utilized springs and double helical screws to provide the first real solution to waterproofing a watch steam. The both sold their rights to the patent to Wilsdorf and a year later a British patent was then issued bearing the number 260.554 has always been seen as the Original Oyster Patent.
The name “Oyster” it self was Wilsdorf’s own contribution, saying he was inspired by the diffulty he experienced in opening an oyster while preparing a dinner party. He registered the name in Switzerland on July 29, 1926 and two months later in London.












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THE ROLEX HISTORY

THE ROLEX HISTORY

(Hans Wilsdorf)

Hans Eberhard Wilhelm Wilsdorf was born in Kulmbach, a tiny village 50 kilometres from Nuremberg in Bavaria in March 22, 1881. He came from a family of ironmongers, a business initially founded by his grandfather Carl Traugger Wilsdorf in 1842. After working in Geneva for Cuno Korten, the watch making company, he moved to London in 1903. Two years later, he was able to start his own watch business. When seeking for a partner, he met through his lawyer Alfred James Davis. The relationship was further strengthened when Davis married Wilsdorf’s younger sister.

The Company called Wilsdorf and Davis was founded and commenced trading in 1905. They traded from offices at 83, Hatton gardens; the heart of London’s jewellery world, but within 18 months they had moved to 44 Holborn Viaduct, less than 500 yards from Hatton gardens and less than a mile from Clerkenwell, then as now the center of the English watchmaking trade.
The business was, at the time, one of importing movements from Jean Aegler’s ebauche factory in the Rebberg, Bienne, and cases and dials from other Swiss suppliers. The watxhes would then be tested for performance by English watchmakers before being cased and shipped to their customers, many of whom were just down the road in Hatton Gardens. The watches were unsigned on the dials, allowing the retailer to place his own name there. On the movement was the simple mark W&D, which also repeated on the inside of the case back, standing, of course, for Wilsdorf and Davis.

Although they started by trading only two watches, the pocket and purse models, Hans saw a small niche in the market and decided to exploit it. He would specialize in wristwatches. “Rolex” word was first registered in Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland on July 2, 1908 and four years later in London on July 6, 1912. The invention of a brand name for the product allowed the partners to differentiate their product from all others. It had to be a word that wouldn’t mean anything in any language (if possible) and easy to pronounce. They came up with ROLEX, it is not known who of them created because there weren’t left any notes or explanation about this. They then began to mark the watches with the new trademark, first on the movement only and then on the inside of the case back.

Between the company’s innovations, we can name the first self-winding watch; the first waterproof watch case; the first wristwatch with a date on the dial; the first watch to show two time zones at once and, most importantly, the first watchmakers to earn the coveted chronometer certification for a wristwatch. According to prestige, Rolex still holds the record for the most certified chronometer movements in the category of wristwatches. Another known fact is that Rolex participated in the development of the original quartz watch movements. Although Rolex produced a few quartz models for its Oyster line, the company’s engineers were involved in design and implementation of the technology during the early 1970’s.

The first self-winding Rolex watch was accessible to public in 1931, powered by an internal mechanism that used the movement of the wearer's arm. This not only made watch-winding unnecessary but also eliminated the problem of over-winding a watch and harming its mechanism. Rolex was also the first watch company to create a truthfully waterproof watch, another milestone from novelty to functional timepiece. Wilsdorf even went so far as to have a specially made Rolex watch attached to the side of the Trieste bathyscaphe, which went to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. The watch survived and it was as well tested so that the results obtained would be keeping perfect time during its descent and ascent.

Rolex has also a trascendental reputation in watches suitable for the extremes of deep-sea diving, aviation and mountain climbing. Sport models include the Oyster Perpetual Sea Dweller 2000 feet in 1971. This watch features a helium release valve co-invented with Swiss watchmaker Doxa that dispenses helium during decompression. Another similar model is the GMT Master, originally developed as a consequence of a Pan Am Airways request in order to assist pilots in transcontinental flights. The Explorer and Explorer II were developed specifically for explorers who would go through rough environments, such as the world famous Everest Expeditions.

On the most glamorous side, Ian Fleming's James Bond character wore a Rolex Oyster Perpetual in the series of spy novels. In the early EON production of James Bond films, Commander Bond was seen wearing a Rolex Submariner.

Among modern Rolex watches are the Air-King, Datejust, GMT Master/GMT II, Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Daytona Cosmograph, Day-Date, Oyster Perpetual and Yacht-Master. Most Rolex watches have a case design called the Oyster. Dressy designs usually fall under the sister brand called Cellini. The third line in the Rolex Empire is the lesser expensive, but high quality, Tudor brand. The primary types of Rolex bracelets include the Jubilee, Oyster and the President.
Rolex SA, the current company name, is not a public corporation. In fact, it is a foundation initiated and originally established by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred James Davis. According to establishing documentation, the Rolex SA Company can never be sold nor even traded on any stock market.












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