The Inside Story Of How One Collector’s ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex Made It Into The Hit Film ‘Crazy Rich Asians’

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One day vintage expert Eric Wind’s friend Kevin Kwan sent him a fateful ‘URGENT!!!’ e-mail searching for an ‘impressive’ new or vintage watch for a special scene in the movie version of his book ‘Crazy Rich Asians.’ He sourced a valuable ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex from a collector in Singapore and when Eric was invited to an advanced screening of the film in New York, he waited with bated breath for the scene, not knowing what to expect. But when Astrid handed her husband the watch in the movie and the beautiful ‘Paul Newman’ dial got a solo shot on screen, it was pure magic!

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‘Apocalypse Now’ Was Not The First Time Marlon Brando Wore A Rolex GMT-Master Without Bezel: Phillips ‘Game Changers’ Auction’s Star Lot

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On the set of ‘Apocalypse Now’ Marlon Brando said, “If they’re looking at my watch, then I’m not doing my job as an actor.” The filmmakers let him wear the Rolex GMT-Master he was set on wearing, but he removed the bezel, resulting in the unique-looking timepiece closely associated with the Colonel Kurtz character. And now that watch is up for auction at Phillips.

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Fitting Rolex balance wheel and Parachrom hairspring

Is Silicon Here To Stay In (Rolex) Watch Movements? – Reprise

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Hairsprings are miniscule. Generally no more than one centimeter in overall diameter when coiled, they are roughly 50 microns thick and 150 microns wide. Tiny they may be, but insignificant they are not. In fact, they are so significant that Rolex refers to them as “the guardians of time.” But what do silicon hairsprings bring to the table? Watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains why he went from skeptic to fan.

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Rolex Sky-Dweller in white gold

Why I Bought It: Rolex Sky-Dweller In Stainless Steel Rolesor – Reprise

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When Rolex put the Sky-Dweller Caliber 9001 in a Rolesor case in 2017 (“Rolesor” is a Rolex term for two-tone 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 the story of why he bought this watch and what happened then.

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Diva Time: 3 Great New Ladies’ Watches With Timeless Good Looks From Patek Philippe, Rolex, And Carl F. Bucherer

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Ladies, watch out! In 2019 many brands are catering to their female customers in a more mindful way, bringing out intriguing examples that both set fashionable accents and make bold statements in terms of sophisticated technology. Here’s a selection of three stunning new daily wearers from Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Carl F. Bucherer.

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Rolex GMT-Master Reference 6542 (photo courtesy Bobs Watches)

First Rolex GMT-Master Reference 6542, And Why The Gold Version Is Much More Desirable – Reprise

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In recent years, the Rolex GMT-Master with its multi-time zone display has become one of the most desirable Rolex watches to own. And the very first GMT-Master, Reference 6542, is easily the rarest and most sought after of all the vintage GMT-Master references. Especially in the version we show here.

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5 Out-Of-This-World Meteorite Dials From Jaquet Droz, Romain Gauthier, Rolex, Piaget, And Hermès

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Elizabeth Doerr is partial to the use of meteorite in watches because it’s literally the heart of a shooting star; when she gazes at a meteorite dial, she sees a tamed piece of heaven catching the time as it passes. Here she highlights five watch brands also seduced by the beauty of meteorite that made their debuts in 2019.

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Tutima M2 on the author's wrist in Bora Bora (photo courtesy Sadry Ghacir)

Tool Watch Revolution: Utilitarian Goes Upmarket – Reprise

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Tool watches continue their evolution among the watch industry’s most luxurious and coveted brands. Here, Chris Malburg explores where their evolution has gone and might still go.

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Some Friends’ Rolexes as Seen at a Recent Group Lunch

Why I’ve Never Owned A Rolex – And Why I Might Yet (Update: I Do Now!) – Reprise

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Once in a while on the collector forums, a question is posed: is there anyone in the collector community who has never, ever, owned a Rolex? As a general rule, respondents to these queries tend to express disbelief that such a creature could possibly exist given the quality and ubiquity of the brand’s watches. Well, folks, GaryG is here to tell you that such people do exist, and that he is one of them. How could it be? And then what happened?

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Rolex Daytona Reference 116500LN

The Golden Age Of Rolex Movements Part IV: Patents And Predictions For The Future of Rolex Watchmaking

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Rolex has been described as a blue-chip brand built on blue-collar movements. That’s true no longer: recent developments at the patent office suggest that the future of Rolex watchmaking may yield dramatic breaks with its conservative past. Atomic oscillators, advanced mechanical escapements, and new complications could remodel Rolex in the image of avant-garde independent and boutique brands as Tim Mosso reports.

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