If you want to love Rolex, but you love mechanical movements more than you love watch brands themselves, rejoice: Tim Mosso thinks that we are living in the halcyon days of Rolex movement innovation and shares a few well-illustrated technical and movement highlights right here.
A common question in watch servicing/restoration is, “Who does the ‘best’ work?” In a word (or three), what is meant here is superficial case refinishing. And in other words: huge chamfers on Rolex cases, perfectly flat surfaces, and well executed sunburst patterns. And that’s got Aston Tracy ranting. Find out why here!
Mention the name Fidel Castro in watch circles and the first thing that springs to mind is the Rolex GMT-Master with bi-color bezel that was so frequently seen on his wrist throughout his life next to the gold Rolex Datejust that he wore on the same wrist (the consensus seems to be that Castro wore two watches to keep the time in both Havana and Moscow handy). However, Nick Gould has found yet another interesting detail pertaining to Castro’s small collection of Rolexes.
GaryG once wrote on Quill & Pad about his relationship with the world’s greatest mass luxury brand in ‘Why I’ve Never Owned a Rolex – And Why I Might Yet.’ Well, to know him is to know that if he says he “might yet” buy something it’s likely only a matter of time. So, too, with this Rolex: the GMT Master II BLNR “Batman” with black-and-blue bezel.
This is one of the most important yet under appreciated parts of a watch: the crown. The humble crown has played an extensive role in helping Rolex – and the rest of the watch industry – get to where it is today. Here’s why.
The watch nerd that WWMT is, he rarely immediately wears his new watches; he likes to put them aside for a few days and let the anticipation grow. But when the day finally came that it was time to wear his new Rolex, he took it out of the box and proudly put it on his wrist. And then horror struck. He didn’t feel anything, not a thing! Zilch, nada, niente! What to do?
In June 2018 Phillips auction house in conjunction with Bacs and Russo announced it would be auctioning a Rolex Submariner Reference 5513 given to stuntman Loren James by actor Steve McQueen. Following Quill & Pad’s Nick Gould highlighting a few serious anomalies regarding the details of this Rolex’s provenance, Phillips now releases a statement announcing the removal of it from the fall 2018 auction.
There is probably nowhere in the world you will find more information on the juxtaposition of tennis and wristwatches than right here at Quill & Pad. Unless, that is, you are an ardent follower of Miguel Seabra. In this article, Elizabeth interviews Miguel on the current state of tennis and timepieces, including new sponsorships, strategies, and Rolex’s recent patronage of the U.S. Open.
As Nick Gould highlighted in his previous article, the first time Steve McQueen was seen wearing a Rolex Submariner was during the 12 Hours of Sebring Race in 1970, a Reference 5512. Through more photographic research, Nick came across some very clear pictures of McQueen wearing a 5513 Submariner only from 1977 to 1979, which he shares here, proving his theory that McQueen did not give Loren Janes the Rolex Submariner Reference 5513 to be auctioned this December off his wrist, but rather a brand-new one.
The ultra-successful James Bond film franchise celebrated 55 years of existence in 2017 – ‘Dr. No’ appeared in theaters in 1962 – and with it a host of luxury items used in the world-famous film series, including wristwatches. Bond’s love affair with timepieces began with Sean Connery, who wore a Q-modified, gadget-containing Rolex Submariner in ‘Dr. No’ even though his creator, author Ian Fleming, personally wore the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer. A multitude of watch models have come since . . . find out what they are right here!