Results for Rolex

Bring a Loupe: A Grail-Level Rolex Paul Newman Daytona, A Jaeger-LeCoultre Triple Calendar, And A Neo-Vintage Daniel Roth Chronograph

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's what's selling where column.

Auction News: The Original Rolex Daytona “Rainbow” Ref. 16599 Emerges at Phillips

A watch known to insiders but largely unknown, the original Rolex Daytona “Rainbow” came long before the modern-day version that arrived at Baselworld 2012. It was a ref. 16599 equipped with the cal. 4030 based on the Zenith El Primero that was produced sometime in the 1990s. Now the one-off “Zenith Rainbow” is going under the hammer at Phillips come November when the auction house stages Reloaded, a thematic sale dedicated to watches made between 1980 and 1999. Having been owned by a well-known collector for several years – the same gentleman sold another record-setting Rolex at Phillips several years ago – this ref. 16599 has a bezel set with sapphires in a rainbow graduated due, along with a diamond pave dial with blue sapphire hour markers. I happened to meet the prior owner of this watch and he related the story of how he came to possess the watch. Knowing that backstory, the lavish stone setting and almost-bespoke nature of the watch certainly makes sense. Today’s Rainbow in Everose, the descendent of the ref. 16599 Estimated at over CHF3 million, the Daytona “Rainbow” will be sold on November 8, 2024 in Geneva at the Hotel President during Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking, 1980-1999. The auction catalogue will be available closer to the date of sale.  

Market Prediction: Rolex Likely to Overtake Apple Watch as World Number One By Value

More Surprising Releases Of 2024 - Unexpected Wristwear From Rolex, Omega, Credor, And More

Let’s face it: 2024 didn’t come loaded with optimism from brands, so we weren’t expecting big changes. Watches and Wonders was filled with evolutionary timepieces and studied tweaks, and the most surprising releases of 2024 so far caught us napping. It might have taken less to surprise me this fairly quiet year, but I’ve still […] Visit More Surprising Releases Of 2024 - Unexpected Wristwear From Rolex, Omega, Credor, And More to read the full article.

Bring a Loupe: A Cotton Bowl Tudor Date + Day, A Tropical Rolex GMT-Master, And A Government-Seized Patek Philippe Nautilus

All that, and more in this week's round-up of vintage (and sometimes modern!) watches from around the web.

HODINKEE Radio: Talking Vintage Rolex And Offbeat Finds With Fred Savage

Ben and I catch up with the actor and director on what he's collecting nowadays.

Comparing Green-Bezel, Black-Dial Subs: 16610LV “Kermit” Vs. 126610LV “Starbucks”

Rolex surprised us all when the brand launched a Submariner with a green bezel in 2003. The stainless steel Sub was steadily monochromatic during the five preceding decades, so this was a bit of a shocker. The model was soon nicknamed “Kermit.” More than two decades later, it seems green is here to stay. We […] Visit Comparing Green-Bezel, Black-Dial Subs: 16610LV “Kermit” Vs. 126610LV “Starbucks” to read the full article.

It’s An “Icy” Monday In August With Two Diamond-Set Versions Of The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

This Monday morning, it is all about making crucial “bling” decisions. Not too long ago we had the pleasure of going hands-on with two diamond-set versions of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in white gold: the reference 126589RBR with a “Panda” mother-of-pearl dial on an Oysterflex bracelet and the reference 126579RBR with a “Reverse Panda” “MOP” […] Visit It’s An “Icy” Monday In August With Two Diamond-Set Versions Of The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona to read the full article.

Putting The Pre-Owned Spotlight On Prices Of Current Rolex References

Is there ever a good moment to buy a Rolex? These watches are just so popular they simply won’t go down in value. Or at least not in any dramatic way. But there are certainly better and worse times to buy one. Watch prices on the secondary market have decreased since the market stabilized after […] Visit Putting The Pre-Owned Spotlight On Prices Of Current Rolex References to read the full article.

Why I Bought It: Rolex Sky-Dweller in Stainless Steel Rolesor

When Rolex put the Sky-Dweller Caliber 9001 in a Rolesor case in 2017 (“Rolesor” is a Rolex term for stainless steel and gold) and dropped the price down to $14,400 Chris Malburg became a player. And, as he soon discovered, so were a goodly number of other Rolex admirers. Here is why he bought this watch and what happened then.

In-Depth: The Prestige and Patents of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date

Arguably the most prestigious Rolex wristwatch, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date was introduced in 1956 and has only ever been available in precious metals – with the exception of a handful of prototypes in stainless steel. From its beginnings the Day-Date had a particular significance in the Rolex catalogue. The brand’s advertising from the 1960s for the Day-Date carried the phrase “Men who guide the destinies of the world of the world wear Rolex watches”. It was also during this time that the now-familiar “President” nickname for the model emerged when American president Lyndon Johnson, along with several of his successors, were photographed wearing a Day-Date. The Oyster Perpetual Day-Date ref. 6611 of 1956 The Day-Date was the first wristwatch to indicate the date as well as day of the week spelled out in full, a technical feat at the time. In the near-seven decades since, the Day-Date has remained consistent in terms of design and function: the date sits in a window at three o’clock, while the day is displayed within the arc-shaped window at 12 o’clock. Though the dial layout has stayed the same, the mechanics behind the display have been refined and improved substantially over the years. Today’s models – namely the Day-Date 36 and Day-Date 40 – are powered by the cal. 3255. The movement boasts all of Rolex’s technical innovations, along with a double instantaneous calendar display, where both the date and day indicators jump instantaneously and s...

HODINKEE Radio: Talking Doxa, Neo-Vintage, Rolex, And More With Analog Shift Founder James Lamdin

The founder of Analog Shift and co-founder of RedBar joins to talk vintage and neo-vintage watches, Doxa (of course), and working with Watches of Switzerland.

New Rolex Short Film Highlights The Worldwide Impact Of The Perpetual Planet Initiative

Nat Geo, Mission Blue, and the Laureates, too.

Opinion: Pedigree, Provenance and a Case for the Newcomers

History is a double edged sword for a budget conscious collector like me. The nerdy half of me loves to get caught up in the horological space race of 1969 and participate in the 1953 drama of debating if Smiths or Rolex wore it best on top of Everest. But while my romantic side finds joy in history, the frugal collector in me has some reservations. This side of me knows that the watch industry is in constant flux as it adapts to new technologies, reacts to wars and navigates economic shifts. It’s the side of me that acknowledges brands brimming with pedigree did not weather this history unchanged, and can’t help but notice the value from those shiny new microbrands with seemingly no history to offer. What is a collector to do when they have a romantic enthusiast on one shoulder telling them the story behind a watch matters and a frugal cynic on the other asking if a plastic chronograph is really worth a premium because its metal counterpart went to the moon? Personally, rambling blog-style until coming to some sort of conclusion aimed at making sense of an often nonsensical hobby has never steered me wrong. Provenance vs Pedigree: A Collector’s Dilemma Historical watch conversations often focus on provenance, which can most simply be defined as the story behind a specific watch. Provenance is what separates Paul Newman’s Daytona from every other “Paul Newman” Daytona. It’s what makes Buzz Aldrin’s out-of-this world, misplaced Speedmaster worthy of obsessio...

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K -Thomas’s Picks From Rolex, Zenith, And IWC

We are back with another series of Fratelli Favorites. After a few more accessible price points, we are now looking at the best watches under €10K - or, at least, our favorites under €10K since this will always be highly subjective. As is often the case, I get the honor of kicking things off, leaving […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K -Thomas’s Picks From Rolex, Zenith, And IWC to read the full article.

Building A One-Watch Collection

Sometimes, our editorial meetings produce the sort of nerdy, off-topic conversations that make us pause and say, "Wait, this should be an article." Okay, more than sometimes. As our team grows, it's become clearer that we should be sharing our takes (hot, cold, or lukewarm) here on the site for your reading pleasure – or just to stir the pot a bit. Today's topic of choice is the idea of expressing what we each would consider to be a one-watch collection. It's important to note that these picks are purely subjective and derive from the minds of our editorial staff. Our hope is that this thought exercise gets you thinking about what a one-watch collection might look like for you. So with that in mind, enjoy this story and let us know what you think of our choices in the comments! Danny Milton, VP of Content Not to spoil anything, but the team really went for it with the picks in our first real editor’s roundup here at Teddy. It’s hard to argue with any of the choices because – well – they represent the tastes and opinions of each individual writer. My approach to something like a one-watch collection is complex, perhaps unnecessarily so. My instinct tells me to go Rolex, but then I start to think about scenarios in my life in which I think “maybe I am not comfortable with a Rolex here.” It does happen. So then my mind delves into the more attainable price segment where I want to identify something bulletproof, something that packs undeniable value. If you’re ...

Opinion - Making Sense Of The Yellow-Gold Rolex Deepsea 136668LB, A Diving Weight For The Wrist

Back in April, the Rolex Deepsea 136668LB was one of the most talked about watches of Watches & Wonders. The Deepsea has always been Rolex’s biggest and boldest dive watch (until the 50mm wide Deepsea Challenge 126067 came along that is, but we’ll ignore that for now). It takes the iconic design codes of the […]

Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches At Three Different Price Points - RJ’s Picks From Swatch, Rolex, And Blancpain

I have just returned from my summer holidays (in Austria), where I brought a handful of watches to wear. Typically, I travel as light as possible. Especially when leaving the EU, I try to bring one watch to prevent problems with customs. This time, staying within the EU, I brought four watches with me: the […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches At Three Different Price Points - RJ’s Picks From Swatch, Rolex, And Blancpain to read the full article.

Ollech & Wajs Recreates the Classic Caribbean 1000 Diver

Ever since humans began exploring the ocean’s depths, watch companies have been creating timepieces capable of withstanding the pressures of SCUBA diving. In the 1950s and 60s, companies like Blancpain, Rolex, and Omega raced to create watches with the greatest water resistance. However, a small collaborative brand outdid them all with a watch capable of reaching a depth of 1000 meters. It took Rolex well into the next decade before they made a watch that could go beyond that. One of those collaborators was Ollech & Wajs, and the legendary timepiece was named the Caribbean 1000. Roughly thirty years later, when the internet was still in its early stages, if you were searching the web for dive watches, there’s a good chance you came across New Old Stock (NOS) Caribbean 1000 watches by Ollech & Wajs or Jenny. In its heyday, O&W; produced nearly 10,000 watches per year. There were still quite a few unused watches available, and collectors were thrilled to have access to them. Despite barely surviving the quartz crisis of the 1970s, Albert Wajs remained in charge until 2017, when the brand was sold to Charles Le Menestrel. Since then, the brand has been revived with reimagined models from the past, such as the Caribbean. To celebrate its 60th anniversary, O&W; is launching the most authentic reproduction of the original Caribbean 1000 to date, the C-1000 A. From its short, triangle-shaped lugs, affectionately referred to as ‘Vampire fangs’ by collectors, to its narrow 12...

Fratello On Air: What’s So Special About Rolex Anyhow?

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we ask: What the hell is so special about Rolex, anyhow? Sure, the brand has been discussed heavily, but having had recent Submariner experiences, both hosts hash out what makes these watches so fantastic. For our faithful listeners, the watch content begins at approximately […] Visit Fratello On Air: What’s So Special About Rolex Anyhow? to read the full article.

3 Reasons The Rolex Day-Date 40 Convinced Me: A Very Rolexy Rolex Discussion

Rolex had never called out to Joshua Munchow as a watch that he must have or that would be the pinnacle of his collection. He thinks that this is because of the downsides to it being the most widely known watch brand in the world: forgeries and overexposure abound. So what is it about 2015's Rolex Day-Date 40 that turned him into a convert? Read on to find out.

Modern And Attainable “MilSubs” From CWC, Marathon, And Seiko

This will be an article featuring some of my favorite watch brands out there. Here are a few examples of watches that, in my mind, earn their rightful place next to the Rolex “MilSub.” The so-called Rolex “MilSub” (short for Military Submariner) is a rare breed. MilSub watches don’t consist of any one reference. Rather, […] Visit Modern And Attainable “MilSubs” From CWC, Marathon, And Seiko to read the full article.

Rolex Watches For WWII POWs And The Great Escape

World War II wreaked havoc around the globe. Many millions died, and at times, it must have felt like the end of the world as nations committed everything to defeating their enemies. Rolex also lent a hand in a small way by providing timepieces to prisoners of war (POWs). As a graduate history student, I […] Visit Rolex Watches For WWII POWs And The Great Escape to read the full article.

Value Buys Pre-Owned from Establishment Brands

Whilst many dream of owning a watch from one of the great Swiss watchmakers, the price points at retail can be discouraging for those on a budget. So where does this leave the enthusiast who wants to dip his or her toes into the world of high-end watchmaking? A little digging into lesser-known models, which we present here. We’re not just discussing the most inexpensive watches from Rolex and the “Holy Trinity”, since that’s too obvious and mundane. So instead, we bring you five watches that are not necessarily the most affordable, but amongst the best value propositions. Majority of the five presented below are ancestors of current-production models, and one is a less popular recent launch. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, first-generation with meteorite dial Rolex is well known for dials in a variety of unique materials such as mineral stones and mother of pearl. Arguably more exotic, at least at the time of its launch, was meteorite. Whilst it’s not exactly known when the first meteorite dials were introduced by Rolex, the material has a constant in its catalogue for some two decades now. The latest meteorite additions to the line were the Daytona models of 2021, but the Daytona has in fact sported a meteorite dial before. In the early 2004 the material was combined with white gold for the first Daytona with a meteorite dial. It was available on a leather strap or a white gold bracelet, which is the version to go for. This first-generation Rolex ref. 1165...

In-Depth: The Ingenuity of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller

At Watches & Wonders 2024, Rolex refreshed the Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller collection with two new models in 18k gold matched with a Jubilee bracelet, giving a new face to its most complicated watch. The Sky-Dweller was the brand’s most complex wristwatch at introduction in 2012 and remains so a dozen years later. Despite its technical sophistication, the Sky-Dweller is very much a Rolex, incorporating innovations geared towards practicality and functionality. Combining the Saros annual calendar with a second time zone in 24-hour format, the cal. 9002 of the Sky-Dweller boasts several patents, marking out the Sky-Dweller as one of the most innovative Rolex watches of the 21st century. Rolex’s take on the annual calendar in particular is perhaps the most unique in contemporary watchmaking. It relies on clever mathematics and gear mechanics, while doing away with traditional levers or cams, in order to maximise reliability and useability. The second-generation Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller movement, the cal. 9002 that succeeded the cal. 9001 Notably, Rolex managed to incorporate all of the complications of the Sky-Dweller into a design that preserves the classic Oyster silhouette thanks to the innovative Ring Command system. The case has no pushers or buttons, but instead relies on the bezel as a clever function selector mechanism that transforms the signature fluted bezel into a functional device while eliminating the need for an additional crown or pushers. The Oyster ...

Editorial: LVMH and Rolex Vying for Formula 1

Rumours started earlier this month that Rolex had “lost” its prime status as official timekeeper for Formula 1 to TAG Heuer. That, as it turns out, is not true – yet. According to a senior LVMH executive speaking off the record, a deal between F1 and the French luxury group – and not just one of its constituent brands – is close but not yet a done deal. This was also echoed by Jean-Jacques Guiony, LVMH chief financial officer, during a conference call with analysts to present the group’s second quarter financial results. In fact, any announcement of LVMH closing the deal will likely come after the Paris 2024 Olympics that counts LVMH as one of its lead sponsors. The situation is more than just Rolex “losing” the sponsorship to TAG Heuer. It’s not about the financial resources of Rolex, which for all intents and purposes are limitless, but about the breadth and depth of the LVMH portfolio, as well as Rolex’s growing emphasis on conservation as a key part of its brand. Three elements are crucial in understanding the sponsorship deal with F1, which is enjoying a revival in popularity with its hit Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive and new race locations like the Miami Grand Prix. The first is the matching clause that is common in such deals and will inevitably be part of the F1 sponsorship contract. This gives Rolex a matching right – it has the right to match a competing offer for the same sponsorship. In other words, if Rolex wanted to, it can...

Buying, Selling, & Collecting: The Domino's Rolex Air-King With A Slice Of Pizza

Now that the hype is mostly gone, it's not a bad time to grab a slice.

Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches At Three Different Price Points - Mike’s Picks From Citizen, Panerai, And Rolex

It’s summertime, and the heat is on! Well, depending on where you live, perhaps the heat hasn’t shown up yet, but we trust that it’s coming. With that, it’s time for each of us at Fratello to name the best summer watches at three different price points. I’m on board with some oddball picks that […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches At Three Different Price Points - Mike’s Picks From Citizen, Panerai, And Rolex to read the full article.

Exploring Evergreens: The Current Rolex Submariner Date 126610LN

The current generation of Rolex Submariner Date has been out for four years. That might seem like a short time, but a lot has changed. The watch world - heck, even the actual world - looks different than it did in 2020. The Rolex Submariner is no longer unobtainium. Much of the hype that set […] Visit Exploring Evergreens: The Current Rolex Submariner Date 126610LN to read the full article.

Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches At Three Different Price Points - Daan’s Picks From Seiko, Ressence, Rolex, And More

Yes, it’s time to talk about watches for summer because that is indeed the season we’re in right now. This series is a nice reminder of that because the weather gods haven’t shown us any summer yet here in the Netherlands. I keep telling my six-year-old daughter that we’re actually in the middle of summer […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches At Three Different Price Points - Daan’s Picks From Seiko, Ressence, Rolex, And More to read the full article.