Rolex Luminaries, Visionaries, Champions New Yorker Magazine

ROLEX 

Luminaries. Visionaries. Champions.

New Yorker Magazine

May 20, 2013 Issue

Wow!!! I can't believe my eyes!!! This is a seminal moment in Rolex advertising history!!! I recently wrote an article about how Rolex recently immersed themselves into their amazing history, with the recent complete overhaul of Rolex.com, and in particular, with adding a whole new Rolex history section.

For years, I have been arguing Rolex should use images of Dr. Martin Luther King in modern Rolex ads, because I argue he is the greatest hero in Rolex history, so to finally see Dr. King in a Rolex ad brings tears to my eyes. All I can say is Bravo Rolex!!! Bravo!!!

Pictured below from upper left to bottom right we see Tiger Woods, Elvis Presley, Pablo Picasso, Robert De Niro, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, Dr. Martin Luther King, Marlon Brando, Sir. Jackie Stewart, Sophia Loren, and Roger Federer.

I love the copy in this all-new Rolex History ad. It is superbly written and precisely articulate. Especially the line that reads "IT'S DARED MEN FASTER. FURTHER." This is true, and it goes all the way back to Sir. Malcolm Campbell in the 1930s breaking one land-speed record after another, and continues up to Chuck Yeager breaking the speed of sound barrier in 1947. 

It continues with Sir Edmund Hillary, and Tenzing Norgay conquering Mount Everest in 1953, and Captain Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard setting the deepest dive history in 1960, up to the U.S. Astronaut and Air Force Pilot William "Pete" Knight setting the all-time speed record for level flight in 1967 in his venerable X15.

This daring continued with the NASA Apollo Astronauts who went and walked on the moon with their Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master watches, and continues all the way up to last year when James Cameron returned to the Challenger Deep with Captain Don Walsh by his side. 

People can say whatever they want about Rolex, but one thing is for certain, Rolex history is unparalleled. Many, many men have pushed the envelope of what is possible, inspired by a Rolex on their wrist. This amazing Spirit Of Inquiry is what has made Rolex the International Mark Of Success and Achievement.

So the obvious question, is have we discovered all the incredible Rolex history, or is there more? Yes. There is more. Much, much more unexplored and undocumented Rolex history, and I sincerely hope Rolex continues to delve into it...