Hodinkee
The First Authorized History Of The Oyster Perpetual Datejust Arrives This Fall
The second installment of Nicholas Foulkes's Rolex series is to be released on September 29 by Wallpaper*.
Results for The Rolex Submariner History
40,966 articles · 6,504 videos found · page 56 of 1583
Hodinkee
Monochrome
Introducing – The RGM Model 222-RR Ferguson Railroad Dial is a Genuine Slice of American Railroad History
As the only vertically integrated manufacture in the United States producing components, movements and guilloché dials, RGM is already an anomaly on the American watch scene. Founded by master watchmaker Roland G. Murphy in 1992 in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, Murphy’s interest in early 20th-century American watchmaking history is reflected in the brand’s railroad watches. The […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex GMT-Master II Review: The Bruce Wayne Rolex
Before getting into the so-called "Bruce Wayne Rolex," let's establish some context. The Rolex GMT-Master is one of the Crown’s most popular models when it comes to the Professional line. It’s been an icon going back to its release in 1954, born out of a partnership with PanAm (in reality, it was a masterfully executed piece of marketing) that gave way to a new jet-setting, time-zone-malleable timekeeper. Since then, the GMT-Master (now the GMT-Master II, incorporating an even more user-friendly dual-time indication) has stood alongside the Datejust and Submariner as a core icon for the brand. It has also represented a platform for innovation for Rolex, being the first model line to see the brand transition to its “Super Case” format and its use of Cerachrom bezel tech. This paved the way for the introduction of a new, steel GMT-Master II in the late aughts with a black Cerachrom bezel insert, a green GMT hand, and green dial text. This stood for years as the most under-the-radar option for potential GMT-Master II buyers that didn’t feel comfortable slapping on a "Batman" or a "Pepsi." However, like many other popular models, it was discontinued. We saw echoes of its design materialize in form of the “Lefty” GMT, with its bi-color green-and-black bezel and matching green GMT hand. But the “Sprite” didn’t strike the same chord as that discontinued OG. Then the 70th anniversary of the GMT-Master rolled around in 2024, and Rolex surprised us all when it re...
Monochrome
The Evergreens – The Complete History of the IWC Big Pilot Collection
We’ve recently reviewed the history of what is probably the most emblematic collection from IWC, the Portugieser. A range that has been around since the 1930s, it somehow encapsulates everything IWC is known for: complications, style and precision. But there’s another, more recent collection that’s as important, if not even more impactful, one that traces […]
Worn & Wound
Ollech & Wajs Introduces the Rallychron Coupe Des Alpes, a Limited Edition Paying Tribute to the History of Rally Racing
Though the more famous forms of rally racing would come later in the 1970s and 1980s, the ‘50s and ‘60s hosted some of the most daring, grueling, and downright perilous rally races in history. Without the comforts and safety considerations of our modern cars, rally drivers in the “golden age of motor racing” were just a few layers of sheet metal away from careening off mountain faces and flying into crevasses, paving the way for even more extreme rally categories, like Group B, to follow. In a celebration of the raw emotion of the Coupes Des Alpes, or “Alpine Rally”-one of the most hairball (and scenic) rally races of the midcentury-Zurich-based watchmakers Ollech & Wajs have partnered with automotive event organizer Rallystory to create the Rallychron “Coupe Des Alpes” Edition chronograph. Founded in 1956, the Swiss brand has based the design and functionality of the Rallychron on their own competition timers from the 1960s. The brushed 316L stainless steel case measures in at a sporty 39.5mm in diameter and 15.3mm in thickness; appropriate sizing for both legibility at high speeds and comfort in high-endurance situations, like motorsport. Twin pushers and a screw-down crown fill out the heritage-style construction of the case, while the date is manipulated with a pusher at the 10 o’clock position. The unidirectional bezel is PVD-coated in black and features a tachymetric scale and inscriptions of “11 perfect lap times”, a fun motorsport Easter...
Video
Are Rolex ADs Quietly Feeding the Grey Market?
Teddy Baldassarre
Paul Newman Rolex Daytona: The World's Most Valuable Watch
If you are into watches and watch collecting, you have heard of the “Paul Newman Rolex,” have heard of it spoken of with reverence and awe, and have perhaps even longed to possess or at least see one yourself. But how did this watch - a very specific version of the Rolex Daytona - become the celebrity watch of all celebrity watches, as well as the né plus ultra representing the absolute highest echelon of watch connoisseurship? It’s a story of watch marketing savvy and market serendipity that spans the globe from Geneva to Daytona, from Cleveland to Hollywood. Rolex was riding a hot streak of successes in the 1950s and early ‘60s. The Swiss company had already introduced to the market the definitive luxury divers’ watch, the Submariner; the quintessential luxury travel watch, the GMT-Master; and even an understated, rugged outdoor watch, the Explorer, that became a star in its one right by virtue of its role in the historic summit of Mount Everest. The one popular category that Rolex had yet to really crack was the emerging genre of motorsport-inspired wrist chronographs, an area in which brands like Heuer (today’s TAG Heuer), Longines, and Breitling had a substantial head start. Rolex boldly jumped into the fray, introducing its first “pre-Daytona” wristwatch chronograph, Ref. 6234, in 1955, and its successor, Ref. 6238, in 1962. Both were 36mm steel watches outfitted with manually wound Valjoux 72 calibers, and both had dials that read simply “Chro...
Fratello
Fratello’s Top 5 Dress Watches Of The First Half Of 2025 - Featuring Rolex, Cartier, Patek Philippe, And More
Another Friday, another list. Freshly back from two weeks of holidays, I’d like to properly kick off our overview of the first half of the year. This week, we’ll focus on our five favorite dress watches of 2025 so far. While that may not be the first category you think of, it’s certainly a good […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Dress Watches Of The First Half Of 2025 - Featuring Rolex, Cartier, Patek Philippe, And More to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Most Expensive Rolex Watches
Admit it, you’re here because you googled “Most Expensive Rolex Watches” in the hopes of gathering up some horological bar trivia, right? No? You say you’re here because you really, truly are interested in buying one of the most expensive watches Rolex currently puts out? Well, good news. We’ve updated this article to incorporate both. Photo: Sotheby's Founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex is today the most globally recognized Swiss luxury watch brand, one of the leading innovators in the watch industry from the 20th Century to today, and the maker of some of the most popular and coveted watch models in the world, from gents’ classics like the Datejust and Day-Date to sport-luxury icons like the Submariner, Daytona, and GMT-Master. As one might expect with such a horological pedigree, Rolex watches have also become some of the most valuable watches on the secondary and auction markets, with the most elite and exclusive pieces selling for $1 million or more. (Disclaimer: obviously, for the most avid and well-connected Rolex customers, it is the legendary “off-catalog” models - like the "Rainbow Daytona" pictured above - that both project the most mythical aura of exclusivity and command the most stratospheric prices. The problem with accurately reporting on which of them is really the “Most Expensive” is built into their rarity: such models change hands without an actual MSRP ever being declared publicly, and whatever that original purchase pric...
Worn & Wound
Editorial: My Obsession with German Neo-Vintage Watches Under $5,000
Vintage watches remain ever popular in the watch collector’s journey. There are serious collectors who remain focused on buying only vintage. Since the pandemic, my inbox has been flooded with auction houses and vintage dealers trying to one-up each other by selling the most curated “once in a lifetime” or most expensive vintage piece. I have nothing against the sellers and buyers, especially if they can vouch for the authenticity and pay for the repairs, they deserve my appreciation. Personally, I am apprehensive of owning vintage watches at my current point of collecting. I owned a few vintage watches in my early days as a collector, most of them were bargain finds on eBay that eventually stopped working or I ended up trading, except for one expensive Rolex Datejust that had to be serviced. Ultimately, service on the Datejust was as expensive as the watch, including Rolex replacing the dial to a different color which I hated and ended up selling for a loss. I know it was a rookie mistake, but that was the end of vintage watches for me. After that experience, I stuck to buying either new watches from retailers or pre-owned watches from other collectors. As it happened, my work took me to Germany often, and there I discovered a whole new world of neo-vintage watches. Before I get deeper into what specific “affordable” neo-vintage watches a couple of my collector friends and I recommend, I should briefly define what neo-vintage watches are and why they are easier ...
Monochrome
The Evergreens – The History of Urban Jürgensen, The Legendary Danish Watchmaker Set To Return
Looking back at the history of watchmaking, there are some inevitable names to be mentioned: Abraham-Louis Breguet, John Harrison, Thomas Mudge, John Arnold, Antide Janvier, Jean-Marc Vacheron and Christiaan Huygens, just to name a few. Moving up North, in the city of Copenhagen, to be precise, we have to talk about one of the most […]
Video
The Truth About Rolex Waitlists: What Your AD Won’t Tell You
SJX Watches
Hands On: The Unique Rolex Daytona “Zenith” Platinum Ref. 16516
Sotheby’s upcoming Geneva auction that takes place on May 11 is a relatively compact affair. But the 124 lots includes notable highlights, with the top lot of the sale being the especially unique Rolex Daytona “Zenith” ref. 16516 in platinum with a pink mother-of-pearl dial. This watch is one of just four Daytonas combining the El Primero movement and platinum case – the only platinum specimens in the 16500-series Daytona – all of which were made at the behest of former Rolex chief executive Patrick Heiniger in 1999. Famous for being powered by the cal. 4030 derived from the Zenith El Primero, the 16500-series was the first-ever self-winding Daytona. The model was never commercially available in platinum; the four examples in platinum are truly unique. Moreover, each of the four are one-of-a-kind, each fitted with a different dial in exotic materials. Sotheby’s sold the prior three examples, starting with black mother-of-pearl in 2018, lapis lazuli in 2020, and turquoise in 2021. While those three featured applied Arabic numbers, this example has diamond hour markers. Initial thoughts The unique nature of this Daytona is unquestionable. Amongst automatic Daytonas this ranks amongst the rarest and most valuable. Two of its platinum siblings sold for over US$3 million each, making them the priciest modern-day Daytonas. Of the four platinum Daytonas, however, this example is the most paradoxical. It’s the most unusual in having diamond indices, but also the most...
Fratello
Fratello On Air: The Latest News Including Breguet And Rolex
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we cover the latest news on watches and other subjects. We discuss the 250th Anniversary of Breguet and several other high-end brands. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings It was a relatively quiet week on the […] Visit Fratello On Air: The Latest News Including Breguet And Rolex to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: Rolex's New Ceramic And Stone Dials For The GMT-Master II In Gold
Two very different materials make an appearance on Rolex dials for the first time: Cerachrom and tiger iron.
Hodinkee
The Art Of Complexity, Episode 1: A History Of Complications At Audemars Piguet
In the first installment of our three-part series in partnership with Audemars Piguet, we explore the brand's history of complicated watchmaking.
Fratello
Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases - Gerard’s Picks From Grand Seiko, Tudor, And Rolex
With more than 55,000 visitors, Watches and Wonders 2025 saw the fair’s greatest attendance to date. In his closing press release, President Cyrille Vigneron proudly named it a must-attend professional event and a platform for watchmaking maisons to express their creativity. I agree, although, after 26 touch-and-try sessions, one discovers a pattern revealing that brand […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases - Gerard’s Picks From Grand Seiko, Tudor, And Rolex to read the full article.
Video
Do Rolex ADs Sell to the Grey Market?
Fratello
Is The Cartier Santos Medium An Unexpected Rolex Oyster Perpetual Killer?
The Cartier Santos medium represents, to me, some of the best the brand has to offer. Recently, I spent some quality time with the Santos. Here are my thoughts. Cartier is a watch brand that represents many things to many people. Like Rolex, it has developed a little baggage simply because it has been so […] Visit Is The Cartier Santos Medium An Unexpected Rolex Oyster Perpetual Killer? to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Rolex Perpetual 1908 In Yellow Gold On Bracelet
Rolex goes for (yellow) gold and unveils the new Settimo bracelet.
Time+Tide
TAG Heuer Heritage Director Nick Biebuyck takes us through the brand’s Formula 1-filled motorsport history
We take a deep dive into TAG Heuer's Formula 1 archives, discovering icons like the Siffert Autavia and Carrera 1158 CHN with Nick Biebuyck.The post TAG Heuer Heritage Director Nick Biebuyck takes us through the brand’s Formula 1-filled motorsport history appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Fratello Favorites: The Best Vintage Watches Under €5K - RJ’s Picks From Heuer, Breitling, Omega, and Rolex
Our managing editor, Nacho, asked us to choose our favorite vintage watches under €5K. First, we need to define what “vintage” means. There is no clear universal definition in the watch industry, but the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie once used 20 years or older as a guideline. To some purists, a vintage needs to […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Vintage Watches Under €5K - RJ’s Picks From Heuer, Breitling, Omega, and Rolex to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Our Biggest Watch Collecting Mistakes
Hey, nobody’s perfect. From time to time, all of us make mistakes. Watch collecting is a wonderful hobby, but it’s also complicated and full of decision points, and that means that eventually, you’ll simply screw up. What makes a mistake a mistake, though, depends on your individual collecting goals, timing, and how much you actually bothered by the consequences of picking the wrong watch or just thinking about these things in a particular way. We asked our contributors to tell us about their biggest watch collecting mistakes, and their submissions include tales of specifics watches that immediately filled them with regret, as well as how changing views of the hobby itself led to understanding they were doing it wrong from the start. Don’t be shy, this is a safe space: let us know what your biggest watch collecting mistakes are in the comments below. Zach Kazan Mistakes? I’ve made a few. One of the most common maxims in our hobby is that you don’t really collect watches in the first few years you’re involved in all this, you’re just making mistakes and figuring out what you really like. When I look back at the early years of my watch enthusiasm, it looks nothing like where I’m at now. I never could have predicted how my interests would shift, and how my collecting priorities would change. I mean, there was a time in my collecting life when I thought it would be unthinkable to not have a Rolex in the watch box at all times. I was that guy! Really! Than...
Video
Mythbusting Rolex: The truth, the lies, the reality
Fratello
Fratello Favorites: The Best Vintage Watches Under €5K - Jorg’s Picks From Omega, Rolex, And Cartier
Welcome to another installment of Fratello Favorites! If you’ve been following Fratello recently, you’ll know that this time, we are sharing our favorite vintage watches under €5K. After Thomas kicked the series off and Daan presented his picks just before last weekend, I am third in line to present mine. Selecting them was fun but […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Vintage Watches Under €5K - Jorg’s Picks From Omega, Rolex, And Cartier to read the full article.
W
Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
A Week in Watches Ep. 100: AMA!
Welcome to episode one hundred of A Week in Watches! It’s hard to believe we’ve reached this milestone-what started in 2022 as a weekly rundown of the latest watch releases has now spanned two and a half years. We’ve covered countless releases from big brands, independent watchmakers, and everything in between. There have been plenty of opinions shared, a few laughs along the way, and most importantly, a thriving community of viewers who have made this journey so rewarding. Your continued support, comments, and enthusiasm keep this show going. To mark episode 100, we wanted to do something special, so we reached out to the Worn & Wound Plus Slack community and our Instagram followers for a special AMA session with Zach Weiss. Thank you to everyone who submitted questions, and apologies if we didn’t get to yours. This episode is made possible by the Windup Watch Shop, featuring Worn & Wound’s latest limited edition collaboration with Nivada Grenchen-the 36mm Meca-Quartz Datomaster in green and teal with a hint of purple. Check those out and more here. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 100: AMA! appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Fratello
Fratello Favorites: The Best Vintage Watches Under €5K - Thomas’s Picks From Omega, Rolex, And Grand Seiko
Welcome to another series of Fratello Favorites! Our writers get another chance to share their favorite watches within a certain segment. This time, we are tackling vintage watches under €5K. I am the lucky first to outline what I think are the best vintage watches in the price range and why. Over the coming weeks, […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Vintage Watches Under €5K - Thomas’s Picks From Omega, Rolex, And Grand Seiko to read the full article.
Time+Tide
A brief history of the MIL-SHIPS watch, and its modern reissues from Blancpain, Bulova and Tornek-Rayville
An overlooked part of dive watch history, we take a look at the story behind the MIL-SHIPS design, as well as its modern reissues.The post A brief history of the MIL-SHIPS watch, and its modern reissues from Blancpain, Bulova and Tornek-Rayville appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The history of Cartier, the watchmaker of shapes
Cartier has accumulated one of the densest and most revolutionary histories of any luxury brand - here's everything you need to know.The post The history of Cartier, the watchmaker of shapes appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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