Have a Rolex Christmas

Red and Black Rolex GMT Master II with Santa Red Rubber Band from Rubber B.  Image Rubberb.com
If Santa climbed down the chimney this year with one thing in his gift bag, certainly a Rolex would be the one thing on many people's top 3 wish list. So, let's look at some of the Rolex timepieces that would make the naughty or nice list.

Naughty Rolex Timepieces

 If I had to pick the naughtiest timepiece from the Rolex collection I think I would have to pick the Rolex Milgauss.  It screams evil genius! 
Rolex Milgauss
Where else could you find an evil mastermind except in a lab somewhere hidden in the depths of some scientific lair. The Milgauss has an orange lightning bolt that might lead some people to think of Star War's Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sideous), who made his triumphant return in the most recent and final chapter of the 9 part Star Wars series. 

Sideous was able to release lightning from his fingertips.  Certainly he would love to have a timepiece that could keep up with his own magnetic interference that he could generate from the depths of the dark side of the force.  On top of that, the luminescent hour markers would give him perfect visibility in the darkness of his throne room, no matter where it is.

If I had to go back in time, I would conjure up the spirit of a swashbuckling pirate who would be interested in the lootiest loot he could get his hands on.  For that finest catch I would have to lay my sights on the Rolex Pearlmaster encrusted with diamonds.

Rolex Pearlmaster
This Pearlmaster needs no introduction.  It would dazzle a pirate's eye, and anyone unlucky enough to cross his path.  This is the lucky Rolex white pearl, to counter the most famous swashbuckler's ship - the curse of the black pearl - from Pirates of the Caribbean lore.  At 39 mm this is a fairly large women's timepiece, but don't tell that to Captain Hook or else you might get struck by his hooked hand.  A more gentile wordsmith pirate, the famed Captain Jack Sparrow would simply argue that he has hundreds of diamonds on his wrist, "How many you got?"  Who could argue with that kind of logic. 

Nice Rolex Timepieces

The nicest Rolex Timepieces would have to start with something old Nick would appreciate himself.  For this first timepiece I would go with a Blue Sky Dweller.

Rolex Sky-Dweller
This timepiece isn't gaudy or threatening in any way.  The blue color is eye catching even in deep North Pole snow.  The white hour markers are like snowflakes floating on the sea of blue.  The sky-dweller has another purpose for the holiday.  There is no bigger Sky-Dweller than Santa - who has to fly pole to pole and across the world with incredible speed to hit all the nice boys and girl's homes.  A second timezone can help him keep in synch with the actual time clock of the frosty north and whichever timezone he is visiting at the moment. 

The second timepiece for the nice on Santa's list, would have to be the Rolex Day-Date with a green dial.


Rolex Presidents Day-Date with Green Dial

This yellow gold masterpiece would look good under, next to, or anywhere near the Christmas tree.  The green dial is stunning and makes the diamond hour markers pop with dazzling beauty.  As if the yellow gold needs anything else to make your favorite pirate jealous.  The hour markers are surrounded by yellow gold themselves.  The fluted bezel and Presidents bracelet gives this timepiece a superior sense of luxury and dazzling beauty that is timeless. 

Frankly, whether you were on the naughty or nice list this year, rewarding yourself with a Rolex is a great way to end the year on a high note. 

Merry Christmas!!

The Best Rolex to Buy as a Gift in 2019


Rolex Submariner with Black Bezel and Black Dial

The Rolex Submariner

The Rolex Submariner is the #1 Rolex that should be first on anyone's list.  This all steel timepiece is as durable as they come with scratch resistant sapphire crystal, 904L steel on the case and body, and even 904L steel to surround the luminescent hour markers.  It is a significant achievement for a timepiece that can also withstand deep diving pressures - showing a water resistance of 1000 feet.

Of course, not every person that wears the submariner is a diver, but there is so much more to love about this timepiece.  The black dial and bezel are stunning.  This Rolex is one of the very few that have no date window or cyclops lens to distract the viewer from its symmetrical design and overall luxury.  The luminescent hands and hour markers give the wearer extreme visibility in dark places, even if it isn't 1000 feet under the ocean.  

The Sub is powered by a 3130 calibre self-winding rotor which can wind in both directions.  It has a power reserve of approx 48 hours.  Although this unit is not sporting the new generation of high power reserve calibre rotors, the pricetag of $7500 makes this luxury timepiece a true bargain.  The resell fact is that the Submariner is also one of the best selling after market timepieces.  Often you see collectors willing to pay more for this adored Rolex model - so much so that it may even rise in price over the years rather than lose value due to age.

Rolex GMT-Master II with Pepsi Dial

The GMT-Master II


The GMT-Master was designed in 1955 to show the time in two different time zones simultaneously.  It became one of the most popular Rolex timepieces for businessmen, airline pilots and performers that would crisscross the globe.  The GMT-Master II was launched in 1982 with many enhancements including a new movement.

The two-color "Pepsi" bezel is instantly recognizable.  It is made with a 24-hour rotatable scratch-resistant ceramic which retains its dazzling colors over time.  The highly legible 24-hour hand with red arm and luminescent triangle tip, provides easy readability of the 2nd time zone.  As you approach a new zone, you can rotate the bezel to the next timezone hour, while keeping access to your home timezone.  The two tone bezel also adds another utility, that clearly marks the daytime and night-time hours.  

The GMT-Master II is listed at $9,250.  Although it is more expensive than the Rolex Submariner, the new GMT-Master II might just be worth the extra money.  It features a 3285 calibre self-winding movement with the new 70 hour power reserve.  Although it might not support waterproofness to 1000 feet, it does support a respectable 330 feet of depth with its triplock triple waterproofness system on its screw-down crown.  The cyclops lens gives additional readability to its other great feature - a date window at the 3 o'clock position.  

The GMT-Master also is highly collectible in after market sales.  Collectors and travelers alike would enjoy the independent rapid-setting of the hour hand.  Undoubtedly the Red and Blue bezel is one that will grab the attention of any passerby.  Also the new Jubilee bracelet has an impeccable beauty with its comfortable and eye-catching five-piece links.

Rolex Daytona with Black Dial and Black Bezel

The Rolex Daytona


The most sought after and coveted Rolex timepiece today is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.  This model is the Oystersteel model going for $12,400.  Built with the 904L steel alloy, this is timepiece that is built to last.  The black dial with red Daytona etched on above the 6 o'clock dial lets you know that this is more than just any timepiece.  This is a timepiece built for speed.  The sweep seconds hand gives you an accurate reading of 1/8 a second.  There are two counters on the dial that can display the laps time in hours and minutes.  The pushers on the side allow you to start and stop the chronograph with a clear click of a stopwatch.  When not in use, these pushers can be screwed down, protecting the waterproofness of the timepiece to 330 feet.

The new 4130 movement provides a center hour, minute and seconds hands.  There is a small seconds at the 6 o'clock position, a 30 minute counter at the 3 o'clock position and a 12 hour counter at the 9 o'clock position.  The new movement extends the power reserve to 72 hours.  

The Rolex Daytona is worth the investment if you can afford it.  The Daytona brand has almost challenged the Rolex brand itself, with at least one Daytona's even selling for over 16 million.  


The Most Underrated Rolex Timepieces


The Most Underrated Rolex Timepiece - The Explorer II

The Rolex Explorer II is probably the most underrated Rolex Timepiece on the market today.  Most collectors go straight for the Submariner, Daytona, and the GMT Master.  However the Explorer II has both an incredible history in horological lore, and is extremely well designed.  It has all of the features of the GMT-Master II, yet can be purchased at a discount used since it loses value almost instantly after purchase.

That said, picking up one of these fantastic pieces for around  8k list or 6k-7k aftermarket each is not something to be ashamed of by any stretch of the imagination.  It has a beautiful 24 hour bezel.  The 24 hour orange hand provides access to a 2nd timezone similar to the GMT-Master II.

The base features are extensive.  The highly luminescent hands and hour markers makes it very readable both day and night.  The date window with cyclops lens at 3 o'clock provides a highly visable and useful date notation.  We have a great choice between either a black or white dial.  Both are beautiful.  The strength of this unit - utilizing 904L steel and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal allows for owners to do climbing and almost any other activity without doing much damage.

It has a more beefy 42 mm dial.  The only drawback of this unit is that the calibre has not been upgraded just yet.  It still has a powerful calibre 3187 with a Parachrom hairspring oscillator and 48 hours of power reserve.  Submariner aficionado's might complain about the depth of this timepiece when diving, but at 330 feet of waterproofness, this timepiece would be able to work well for most casual swimmers, snorkelers and the like.

The 2nd Most Underrated Rolex Timepiece - The Yachtmaster


The Yacht-Master is treated as if it was the step-child of the Yacht-Master II, when it is probably one of the most beautiful Rolex timepieces made today.  Above you can see the three Yacht Master Models - one in White Gold, Everose Gold and the Platinum and Oystersteel version.

The new 42 mm Yacht-Master white gold version pictured above gives a slightly larger and more substantial feel to a nearly perfect timepiece.  It has the look of steel but the distinct lustre and luxury of white gold.  The Everose gold version is stunning in almost every detail.  Both of these models feature the Rolex Oysterflex fitted with a Oysterlock safety clasp and Glidelock extension system.

The final model combines both a steel bracelet with a combo steel and platinum case.  This one will wear well with nearly any situation and is more diminutive in its appearance.  If you want to enjoy your luxury timepiece while flying under the radar, this is the ultimate Rolex to go with.

All three models are fitted with the new 3235 calibre movement which features the new 70 hours of power reserve.  They also support waterproofness at 330 feet of depth.

The three models retail for around $28,000, but can be purchased after market for less.  It is a purely wearable masterpiece of a timepiece.  Although collectors may pass this one by and give the love to the Submariner, Daytona and GMT-Master, you can't go wrong with owning one of these beautiful timepieces. 


Solid Gold Skeleton-Dial Rolex Daytona

Gold Rolex La Montoya Limited Edition Daytona.

There was a question in Quora asking why Rolex didn't have a transparent case.  The same question could be asked about why Rolex doesn't use skeletal dials.  Well, the Rolex La Montoya Limited Edition Daytona has both.  Rolex dedicated this unique timepiece to Juan Pablo Montoya, famous race car driver - 3 time Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona champion.  Montoya has won the Daytona 24 in 2007, 2008, and 2013, the Indianapolis 500, and the Grand Prix of Monaco.  His greatness is embodied in this ultimate timepiece bearing his engraved name.  

This timepiece was crafted by Artisans de Genève - watchmakers of the highest order who work to personalize timepieces to fit you specific requirements.  This timepiece was originally priced at $70,000.  However, only 42 of these watches were ever produced, making them exceptionally rare.


This exceptional timepiece took 2 years to develop and the help of 100 Swiss craftsmen.  Starting with a standard gold Rolex Daytona reference 116508, Artisans de Genève modified the skeleton Rolex 4130 movement by hand and added a 21 carat yellow gold rotor and other elements inside the movement so that the beauty of the timepiece would be stunning through the sapphire glass on both the front and back.  A carbon forged bezel replaces the standard black bezel on regular Rolex Daytona's.  However, the 100 meter waterproof resistance remains the same.  

The 3 dials on the timepiece are colored in yellow, blue and red - representing the colors of the Columbian flag - Montoya's native country.  A red tip is added to the second hand - a nice touch to an overwhelmingly spectacular timepiece. 

A stainless steel version of this timepiece is also made - off the base reference 116520 model.  The outstanding excellence of this timepiece is unmistakable.  It is hard to tell what a timepiece of this magnitude would fetch in an auction today.  However, the high demand for Rolex and for Daytonas in general would make this timepiece's value soar.  

The Artisans de Genève were smart to retain much of the standard excellence of the Daytona timepiece.  The 40 mm case remains a perfect size for most Rolex owners.  It provides a 72 hour power reserve.  The yellow gold Oyster bracelet with folding clasp remains untouched.  This timepiece retains all of the Chonometer and Tachymeter functions of any Rolex Daytona.  It has the ability to time laps and account for the speed of the car up to 500 mph or kph.

The Rolex Daytona "La Montoya" is an outstanding timepiece.  Although it takes a considerable Mod to make this timepiece, all of the exquisite features of the original Daytona remain intact.  It is amazing that Rolex has not started to develop skeletal dial timepiece or adding a see-through sapphire back on its Rolex lineup.  Perhaps the success of this modded version will inspire Rolex to custom design some timepieces to add these features in future models.  I would especially love to see them add a transparent back to the Presidential Day Date.  Why hide such beauty from the world?



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