1956 Rolex Oyster Ad
30th Anniversary Of the Waterproof Watch
Showing posts with label Concannon Collection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Concannon Collection. Show all posts
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
...Rolex NASCAR Racing History...
Joe Weatherly
1962 and 1963 NASCAR Champion
Rolex Datejust
2013 represents the 50th anniversary of the Rolex making the Rolex Daytona, but there are still many unanswered questions about the origins of the Rolex "Daytona" dial designation. This 1962 Rolex advertisement appeared in Car & Driver Magazine, and it offers clues. It is peculiar, since Rolex is showcasing the Datejust as the choice of a NASCAR champion, and not the Daytona!?!
Also, notice the ad states "Official Timepiece, Daytona International Speedway." Later in the year, I will shed more light on the significance of this. Joe Weatherly went on to win to also win the 1963 NASCAR Championship. Unfortunately "Little" Joe Weatherly was killed during in a racing accident during the 1964 Motor Trend 400 at Riverside Raceway.
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Early 1960s Rolex Add
Celebrating 700,000 Officially Certified Swiss Chronometers
Putting together the pieces of the Rolex history puzzle over the years has been absolutely fascinating for me. Doing so is kind of like putting together a jigsaw puzzle–you begin by separating all the edge pieces and you figure out how to assemble them to form the frame, they you work your way toward the center, and completing the puzzle.
This early 1960s add was likely created just after Hans Wilsdorf's death. I don't have the exact date, but I would guess it was probably around 1962-1963. It is fascinating to note that Rolex talks about how it took them over 50 years to produce their 700,000th Officially Certified Chronometer. Ironically, Rolex makes more than 700,000 Officially Certified Swiss Chronometer a year now!!!
Friday, 25 January 2013
1964 Rolex Fishbowl Ad
"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl–year after year." –Pink Floyd
When Rolex introduced the revolutionary Oyster in 1926 it was an amazingly useful innovation. In other words, prior to the introduction of the Rolex Oyster, there were NO waterproof watches. It is hard to fathom (no pun intended) a world without waterproof cases, since we take them for granted today, but back in the late 1920s, through the 1960s, having a waterproof watch was a HUGE DEAL.
One of the most brilliant ways Rolex accurately communicated the waterproofness of their Oyster models, was for Rolex Authorized Retailers to showcase them in fishbowls, and this Rolex Magazine ad from 1964 probably represents the tail end of Rolex communicating waterproofness by using a fish in a fishbowl. Fascinating, uh?!?!
Friday, 26 October 2012
Rolex PAN AM Ad
[Reference 6582]
It is interesting because Rolex really tried to push the Rolex ZEPhYR Reference 6582 in the early 1960s, but it never did that well. Still this is a fascinating vintage Rolex ad. It almost looks like the Good Humor President is asking the Pan Am Captain for a hand bump...
Saturday, 8 September 2012
Rolex
The Swiss Inquisition
For some reason, I really like this ad from the which is from the mid to late 1960s. It has this early LeRoy Neiman, slash–The Odd Couple was originally airing on TV, kind-of-vibe.
It is also funny to note what a strong sense of humor Rolex had. This is night and day different compared with the Rolex ads of today. I enjoy vintage Rolex ads every bit as much as I enjoy the beauty of vintage Rolex Watches. BTW., don't ever forget, the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time ;-)
You have go to love the end of this ad where Rolex says:
"So now you may begin to understand just how much trouble we go to in making each Rolex. Which is probably why a man like Red Adair fights oil fires while wearing his Rolex Day-Date. And why portraits of most most of the worlds leading heads of state line a corridor in our Geneva headquarters, each one testifying that he wears a Rolex watch, too."
When Rolex mentioned "And why portraits of most most of the worlds leading heads of state line a corridor in our Geneva headquarters, each one testifying that he wears a Rolex watch, too." Rolex is specifically referring to the Rolex hallway photos from the ad and photo in this story.
Obviously Rolex is referring to the President Of The United States, Lyndon Johnson, who wore a Rolex Day-Date while serving as President Of The United States. Actually, Johnson was appointed President in 1963, after JFK was assassinated, and he started wearing his yellow gold Day-Date in 1964, and wore it through the rest of his entire presidency, and continued to wear it proudly until he passed away.
Saturday, 9 June 2012
...Rolex Super Coolness...
Ted Williams
The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived
Two-Time Triple Crown Winner
Ted Williams is considered to be one of the greatest baseball legends that ever lived. Ted Williams Major League Baseball career spanned 21 years and the entire time he played left fielder for the Boston Red Sox. He began his major league career in 1939, and in 1942 had to leave to fight in World War II as a U.S. Marine Corps fighter-bomber pilot. He restarted his career in 1946, and continued through 1960. He was an All-Star nineteen times, and enjoyed a career batting average of .344, while hitting 521 home runs. Two-Time Triple Crown Winner
Ted Williams was the last Major League Baseball player to bat over .400 in a single season, which occurred in 1941 when he hit .406. To this day, Ted Williams maintains the record for highest career batting average of anyone with 500 or more home runs. Ted Williams was an avid sport fisherman, as we see in this 1955 Rolex ad which appeared in Sports Illustrated.
1955 Ted Williams Rolex Magazine Ad
Ted williams is pictured above sporting the a Rolex Oyster model with a white dial. It appears to be a very similar model to the one Sir Edmund Hillary wore when he conquered Mount Everest just two years prior in 1953.
This next Rolex Explorer also belonged to Ted Williams. It appears to be a 1960 Rolex Explorer model. The watch is unusual in that it has a Rolex Jubilee bracelet, since these models typically came with a Rolex Oyster bracelet.
In the photo below we see Ted Williams Rolex Explorer which is engraved on the outside of the case back with his name.
Ted Williams was in the absolute prime of his baseball career, when in 1942, in the middle of World War II, he was drafted into the Marine Corps and served as a Naval aviator. As a U.S. Naval aviator, Williams broke records in aerial gunnery and broke the all-time record in reflexes, coordination and visual reaction time.
In 1952, at the age of 33 Ted Williams was recalled from a list of inactive reserves to participate in the Korean War where he flew 39 combat missions. In a twist of fate, during the Korean War, Ted Williams served in the same Marine Corps unit as John Glenn, and Williams ended up being John Glenn's wingman. Williams returned back to his baseball career in 1953.
Ted Williams and Babe Ruth
I borrowed this image from "Jake's Who Knew They Knew Each Other World?" This superb photos shows Ted Williams shaking hands with fellow Baseball legend, Babe Ruth. As mentioned above, During World War II Ted Williams was drafted into the Marine Corps, but in between military training was sent to Fenway Park to play on an all-star team managed by Babe Ruth. It was reported by newspapers that when the Babe met Williams, he said:
"Hiya, kid. You remind me a lot of myself. I love to hit. You're one of the most natural ballplayers I've ever seen, and if my record is broken, I hope you're the one to do it."
Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio
Ted Williams is picture below with another one of his role models, Joltin' Joe DiMaggio.
President Kennedy grew up in Boston and was not only a big Red Sox fan, but also a great admirer of Ted Williams. In the photo below, taken at Fenway Park, Boston, in April of 1946, we see Ted Williams, Eddie Pellagrini, JFK and Hank Greenburg.
Ted Williams said that in his lifetime he never asked a baseball player for an autograph, with the exception of Babe Ruth.
Ty Cobb and Ted Williams
Here is a photo of Ty Cobb with Ted Williams who was one of his idols growing up.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
...Rolex Speed King...
Sir Malcolm Campbell
Set's 300MPH Speed Record on Bonneville Salt Flats 1935
I just added this great Sir Malcolm Campbell Rolex ad from 1935 to my story named "The Complete History Of The Rolex Daytona Cosmograph."
More than a decade before Chuck Yeager set the all-time speed record for level flight, when he broke through the sound barrier in 1947, Sir Malcolm was breaking one land-speed record after another, and one thing both men had in common, was they both depended on their trusted Rolex Oyster watches to keep their time. Both Chuck Yeager and Sir Malcolm Campbell depended on their Rolex watches as pure tool watches. Does Campbell's Bluebird look like the modern Bat-mobile or what?
Monday, 23 April 2012
Monday, 9 April 2012
1966 Rolex Submariner Chronometer Ad
Handsome In A Big, Brawny, Uniquely Rolex Sort Of Way
Everything-proof to an ocean depth of 660 feet
Yachting Magazine: March 1966
One of my favorite features on Jake's Rolex World is exploring vintage Rolex magazine ads, and this one is just stunning and eye-opening in an amazing way!!! Why am I so fascinated with older Rolex ads like this 1966 Rolex Submariner ad from March of 1966? Because it conveys Rolex design intent and ethos, and it is just so cool, innovative and authentic.
Rolex history is just so incredible!!! To put things in a proper context, consider the fact this ad came out only 12 years after the Rolex Submariner had been on the market–that's 45 years ago!!!
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