Note: I figured since we have been exploring all the NASA Moon Rolex watches, and NASA test pilot, Pete Knight, we should take a look at the man who first pushed the envelope of exploring the sky...
...2012 Story Preview...
...The Complete History Of The Rolex GMT-Master...
Rolex X-Files
...Rolex Supersonic Coolness...
General Chuck Yeager
General Chuck Yeager
Record Setting U.S. Air Force Test-Pilot
The Right Stuff
First Pilot To Break The Speed Of Sound
8 Decades Wearing Nothing But Rolex
The last Rolex X-Files Air Force Pilot I wrote a detailed story about was when we examined the amazing career achievements of Air Force Test Pilot and Astronaut, Pete Knight. Later this year we will be exploring the amazing career achievements of Chuck Yeager.
This all new story will feature many never before published or documented photos of Chuck Yeager that show him wearing different Rolex watches throughout his career. As a sample, I am sharing this photo with you taken in 1962 of Chuck wearing a Big Crown Rolex Submariner [Reference 6538].
Notice the number on the tail of Chuck Yeager's is 6062, which is the same Reference Number as my favorite Rolex Moonphase [Reference 6062].
The photo above is cropped from the photo below which is mind-boggling if you click on it and check out the detail. It was taken in 1947 and is a photo of Chuck Yeager haulin' in his X-1.
In October 1947, at Edwards Air Force Test Center, Captain Charles "Chuck" Yeager forever changed history, when he was the first pilot to fly faster than the Speed of Sound.
And, yes, you guessed it! Chuck Yeager was wearing his Rolex Oyster Perpetual wrist-watch, that he purchased himself. So what does this mean? What kind of man would wear a Rolex Oyster Perpetual in such an environment?
A few days prior to his record flight, Yeager was seriously injured in a horse riding accident and suffered two broken ribs. The injury would jeopardize his flight status resulting in the removal from the mission. Scared, he went to a veterinarian for treatment and only told his wife about the accident. He also told his friend and fellow project pilot, Jack Ridley about the accident.
Yeager, on the day of the record flight, had trouble manipulating the closure of the X-1's hatch, and could not seal it properly. His pal, Jack Ridley, improvised a clever leverage device made from a broom handle, to assist Yeager with sealing the hatch, thus, allowing him to break the "speed of sound" record.
Chuck Yeager was so impressed with his Rolex, he sent an autographed picture (seen below) of his record flight to Rolex in Geneva. For the record, this is the first time this signed photo, from General Chuck Yeager, to Rolex, has ever been published. (And remember, you are seeing it for the first time here on Jakes Rolex World!!!)
Rolex Coolness: Chuck Yeager
Now & Then
Recently I have been going through the archive and I noticed how similar these two images of Chuck Yeager are.
Chuck is wearing a Coke GMT in the photo above and in the photo below taken more than a half-century ago, he is wearing his big crown, no-crown-guard Submariner [Reference 6538] with the lollipop second hand and the orange triangle "carrot-top" bezel insert.
I have been wearing Rolex for more than a quarter century, but Chuck is going on at least his 64th year of wearing Rolex!!! DeBeer slogan is "A Diamond Is Forever." Maybe Rolex should adopt a similar slogan!!! A Rolex Is Forever!?!?
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