Every Rolex Tells a Story, Björn Borg (photo: Rolex)

Björn Rune Borg is the legendary tennis player from Stockholm, Sweden.  He was an unstoppable force on the world Tennis scene between 1974 and 1981 and became the first man in the Open Era to win 11 Gran Slam titles including 6 French Opens and 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles.  He won 3 year end championships and 15 Grand Prix Super Series titles. 

He owned the world #1 ranking in 1977-1980 and was runner up in 1975, 1976, and 1981.  He still owns 7 all-time records - demonstrating his dominance including a 92.7% win percentage at Wimbledon, 41 consecutive match wins (another record) and an 89.8% Major winning percentage which still stand today.

Borg after winning Wimbledon  Photo: Rolex

He had two major rivalries - early on with Jimmy Connors, and more famously later in his career with John McEnroe, with whom he created a life-long friendship.  He became maybe the first tennis rock star with his long hair and beard - hounded constantly by fame and press.  He retired at the young age of 26 at the top of his game after nearly missing taking home his 6th Wimbledon - making many to wonder how much magic he could have rendered in the years to come and how many more majors he could have won had he continued.

Borg helped change the way tennis would be played.  He had a powerful ground stroke with heavy top spin.  Yet his exceptional athleticism helped power his dominance, especially on grass courts.  He showed great grace under pressure and calm demeanor which earned him the nickname "Ice Man."

Rolex Day-Date 36 worn by Tennis Legend Björn Borg (photo: Rolex)

2017 Everose Gold Rolex Day-Date 36 (Reference #118135)

 yellow gold Rolex Day-Date 36

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Rolex "Pepsi" GMT Master Reference 1675

The next Rolex on the Mayer buy list is the Rolex GMT Master Reference 1675.  It is known as a Pepsi because of its stunning blue and red bezel with fat font.  This was produced between 1959 and 1980, one of the longest running Rolexes to be produced in history.  The earlier versions of this watch had a red 24 hour hand with a small triangle at the end.  In 1970 this changed to large red triangle at the end.

The bezel is metal for sturdiness and it is rotatable for time-lapse.  The two crown guards and screw down crown add further protection.  The movement is an automatic caliber 1575 with 26 jewels and a power reserve of 42 hours.  It uses acrylic crystal with a cyclops date viewer at 3 o'clock and a black gilt dial with glossy finish.  The GMT Master is waterproof up to 165 feet.  The Oyster Bracelet provides a solid and reliable compliment to this powerful and durable Rolex.

Rolex Explorer II Reference 16550 Black Photo: Woundforlife

The last recommendation Mayer makes in his buy list is a Rolex Explorer II Reference 16550 (Black Dial).  Although the white dial 16550 may have more value in the resale arena, Mayer prefers the black dial which has a black gloss dial with white gold hands and hour markers.  This may be partly because the cream dial versions had some production issues with the paint on the dial. 

If you find one which says Superlative Chronometer Official Certified" wording on it, you would have found a rare model with a premium value. It was produced only between 1985 and 1989.

It has a stainless steel bezel and a scratch resistant sapphire crystal with cyclops lens at 3 o'clock. The case is 40 mm and the dial is black with luminescent hour markers. It uses a caliber 3085 movement but has an independent hour hand to track a second timezone.  It has a waterproof screw down crown and it supports a depth of 300 meters.

John Mayer is not only a famed musician, singer-songwriter, guitarist and musician, but an avid Rolex Collector

John Mayer is most famous for his exquisite musicianship and vocal prowess which has earned him a Grammy and millions of albums sold worldwide.  He is inspired by a wide range of music from country to blues to rock and beyond.  He has performed with many celebrity musicians including Maroon 5, Counting Crows, Sheryl Crow, and Keith Urban.  He has dated celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Aniston, Katy Perry, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. 

However, John has teamed up with Hodinkee to pen several articles on watch collecting - a long pastime of his.  He owns nearly 5 million dollars worth of watches in his collection, and he collects IWC and Panerai in addition to a long-time love for Rolex.

We know John Mayer has a Rare 6264 in gold with red "Daytona" in his extensive collection.

Rolex Daytona Ref 6264

This 6264 is the twin to the 6262. The model features the Valjoux caliber 727 movement and pump pushers. It's distinctive black acrylic bezel sets it apart from some of the earlier Daytonas.  The ones made in 1970 and 71 are extremely rare and have been fetching outrageous prices at auction.

The Rolex Daytona is one of the most sought after Rolex watches today.  New or old, they are extremely collectible.  The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was introduced in 1963 and was designed for professional racecar drivers.  Initially the reliable chronograph and bezel with tachymetric scale allowed drivers to measure average speeds up to 200 kilometres or miles per hour.  Newer Daytonas measure up to 400 miles per hour.

The Daytona has an hour, minute and second hands.  It has a small seconds hand at 6 o'clock, a chronograph center hand, a 30 minute counter at 3 o'clock and a 12 hour counter at 9 o'clock.

Military Submariner. Image: Bobs Watches

John also owns a 5513/5517 Military Submariner.  These Rolex watches were originally made for the Royal Navy in the 1970's.  Only about 1200 MilSubs were ever made and they are in high demand since only a few hundred may be in original condition.

These MilSubs have a large T in a circle above the depth markings at six o'clock.  T refers to the use of tritium in the manufacturing. 

The hour, minute and seconds hands have sharp points and are often thought to be in the shape of swords.

The strap can easily be replaced with a quality 20 mm lug width replacement band such as one of these from Rubber B.

This watch is stunning with its black bezel and simplicity of design.  The nostalgia effect and rarity of these models make these extremely collectible.  However, it would take an expert to help determine whether some of the parts have been replaced from the original.  Many of the original 1200 units have been repaired, replaced and contain a variety of non-original parts.

Rolex Explorer I Ref 1016 - Image: Bob's Watches

John Mayer also recommended several Rolex buys under 8k which he is currently buying for his own collection and recommending to many other artists, rap stars and colleagues. 

The first Rolex on John Mayer's "Buy List" is the Rolex Explorer I Reference 1016 which could be called the "James Bond Rolex" since it was actually worn by famous author Ian Fleming, creator of 007, and mentioned in the original books.  It was worn by the first party to climb Mount Everest and was produced between 1963 and 1989.

The Rolex Explorer I Reference 1016 has a water resistance up to 300 feet and a screw down oyster case.  The simplicity of the black dial with slightly off-white numbers and markers is both stunning and exquisite.  The numerals 3, 6 and 9 represent the hour markers in those positions and are highly readable.   The initial movement was a 1560 caliber, but was replaced by the 1570.  The Reference 1016 is the longest running Explorer references in Rolex history.

Rolex Datejust Reference 1601 in 18k Yellow Gold

Next on Mayer's "Buy List" is the Rolex Datejust Reference 1601 in 18k Gold. This valuable collectable item has a 36mm case made out of solid 18k gold.  It has an Acrylic crystal glass with cyclops lens for viewing the date easily.  The Rolex crown appears at 12 o'clock and gold lugs appear for the other hours.

This model came with a president style gold plated link band which matches the gold case crown bezel and lugs.  This model was manufactured between 1960 and 1969.

Today with the rising price of gold, the value of this Gold Rolex is likely to rise.

We will cover the other three items on John Mayer's Buy List in the next article.

New Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in 18 CT Gold

Let me just first say that I absolutely love this Rolex.  Although I love many of the new Rolexes that were released at Baselworld this year and certainly many of the classic Rolexes that came before, I think this might be my favorite Rolex to date.  Certainly it is on top of my holiday wish list.


The Rolex Daytona Reference 116518 LN comes with a 4130 Calibre mechanical chronograph and bidirectional self-winding mechanism, with power reserve up to 72 hours.  Besides the hour and minute hands it has a small seconds hand at 6 o'clock, a 30 minute counter at 3 o'clock and a 12 hour counter at 9'oclock. 

This 18 ct yellow gold timepiece has Chromalight  hands, 44 total rubies and PVD coating  to facilitate long-lasting luminescence.  The case is 40mm Oyster design with chronograph pushers.  The crystal is scratch-resistant sapphire, and the watch is waterproof to 330 feet. 

I personally prefer the Oysterflex bracelet to the metal options due to the comfort fit.  It is made with high-performance elastomer and has a Oysterlock folding safety clasp in 18 ct yellow gold.  And the yellow gold and black dial and black bracelet complement each other so well.  It is truly a gorgeous masterpiece. 

To illustrate the mastery of this design, take a look at this Daytona from the side view.  The Rolex Crown is embossed in the screw-down, triplock waterproof winding crown.  It is offset on either side by the chronograph pushers.  The workmanship of the design of this Rolex is exquisite.  The engraved Rolex name is placed within the gold inner dial, allowing you to see its unmistakable Rolex brand from any angle. 


This is truly a fantastic Daytona, and one of the most popular Rolex designs on the market today.  The Daytona brand has also been a very hot after market commodity fetching outstanding gains at auction many years later. 

This design is not over the top with Diamonds or other Gems.  So, this is a wearable sports watch which can be worn for play and even when you are dressed in your finest.  Tuxedo... no problem. 

Rolex Yacht-Master 40 - 18 CT Everrose Gold Unveiled at Baselworld 2017

Baselworld 2018 is fast approaching.  It has a reduced schedule this year, by 2 days due to several smaller vendors pulling out from the Exhibit Hall.  However, it will still be jam packed with tremendous jewelry and watch designs, thousands of vendors and a media storm of at least 5000 journalists. 

Baselworld 2018 will happen from March 22nd through March 27th in Messe Basel, Switzerland.  At only roughly $150 a ticket for the whole week, it is a great deal for someone that wants to see the latest Rolexes and other priceless timepieces and jewelry in one place. 

To commemorate this highly anticipated event, we are going to look at one of the most interesting Rolex timepieces to come out of the 2017 Baselworld event. 

This Oyster Perpetual Rolex Yacht-Master 40 Reference 116695 SATS is set with 31 jewels, including multicolor sapphires, green tsavorites, and a triangular diamond at 12 o'clock. 

The waterproof oyster case supports a depth of 330 feet and is crafted from a solid block of 18 ct Everose Gold.  The winding crown is supported by a triple waterproofness system. 

The sapphire crystal is practically scratchproof, and it comes with a Cyclops lense at 3 o'clock to facilitate the readability of the date. 

The Yacht-Master 40 is equipped with a caliber 3135, self-winding mechanical movement system providing precise and reliable time and a power reserve up to 48 hours.  Its oscillator protects against magnetic fields, temperature variations and shock. 

The black dial is offset by Chromalight appliques surrounded by 18 ct pink gold, offering long-lasting luminescence in dark environments.  The bracelet is a black Oysterflex made of high-performance elastomer and has an Oysterlock folding safety clasp in 18 ct Everose gold.

I love the color of the black dial and white Chromalight appliques.  This watch, though, seems to precious to take diving, swimming or in other activities.  Although it is built to for an active lifestyle, I feel this gem of a watch is more for wearing out and catching the attention of anyone that glimpses its adornments.  The collectability of this watch will be enhanced by the solid pink gold design.  This would surely be the only piece of jewelry a man would need.

Fitbit Blaze tracker with PurePulse heart rate, connected GPS and on-screen workouts - $199.99

Fitbit took the world by storm with its ability to calculate number of steps, miles walked, heart rate and so much more.  Apple and Google have extended their respective phone features on their watches as well allowing you to see emails and text messages on your wrist without needing to reach for your phone or fumble through your purse.

This year we are seeing several new players to the digital watch forum.  Besides new versions of the Fitbit and Samsung, we are seeing Michael Kors, Movodo and even Tag Heuer get into the game with some impressive digital offerings of their own.

So, it begs the question of whether Rolex should get into the Digital Watch game or not?

Source: Tag Heuer - Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 - $2,200

Before, we answer the question, let's look at some of the features of the Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45.  To the right, it is pictured a Tag Heuer watch that is built with dual compatibility for Android 4.4+ and IOS 9+.  So, if you have an Android phone (such as Samsung) or an Apple phone, you are in business.  This watch has several built in sensors which will help track an increasing number of fitness, distance and many other features for you.

• Accelerometer, gyroscope
• Tilt detection
• Microphone
• Vibrations engine
• Ambient light sensor
• GPS 
• NFC Payment

Samsung Gear S3 - $349.99

Add to that the fact that DATA is becoming the go to resource for every company and human being.  Without data a company will suffer and die out over time.  People that embrace data stop making gut decisions and all the other stuff that might get in the way.  All of us will be drawn into this new realm of more data. The graphic above shows how a data driven watch might use GPS to map a race track and detailed progress in terms of time, splits and speed - a big advance in tech over a standard Daytona.  A dive watch might show dive depth as well as dive time.  Yachtmaster series watches might show weather patterns or even land masses or boat traffic that may cause congestion ahead.  Maybe even sea depth, and wave height could be calculated.  And the more Rolexes people wear, the more data could be collected, providing even better data for others to use.