Rolex Testimonee Brooks Kopeka

Rolex continues to advance their technology and support athletes in their ceaseless pursuit of timely success. Ninety years later, the testimonee tradition lives on. Sponsoring the U.S. Open has cemented Rolex's relationship with golf and on Monday June 19, 2017, Brooks Koepka joined a prestigious group of Rolex Testimonees who have also won a U.S. Open Championship.

The golfer climbed the ranks of the golf world primarily by competing in Europe in rather unconventional minor leagues. The 2017 U.S. Open officially introduced Brooks Koepka as an unexpected yet formidable contender. Koepka has proven himself to be a standard bearer when it comes to driving distance, greens, and regulation. In the longest U.S. Open in history, he kept it together with a gritty and steady performance.

As Hodinkee pointed out, Koepka was wearing his Rolex Daytona 116500LN when he earned his victory and appears to have kept it on for the subsequent celebrations. Rolex congratulated the champion on their Facebook page with a video. Nobody thought Brooks Koepka would win, but he has proven the naysayers wrong. For more information on Rolex and Golf, visit the watchmaker's official website at rolex.com. 

Every Rolex Tells a Story: Yundi

Yundi became the first Chinese person - and the first person in fifteen years - to be given the gold medal in the International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in 2002. After that, he decided it was time for a well earned gift, so he made his first Rolex purchase.

The watch he chose was the sporty, black dial stainless steel Rolex Daytona 116500LN - an interesting choice considering that he is a classical pianist. However, the watchmaker intended for this watch to measure speed as well as time, so Yundi surely puts it to use when his fingers match the speed Mozart intended for his eleventh sonata.

The Daytona went on to accompany Yundi as he traveled the world, appearing in front of cheering crowds of piano-lovers. Some would argue that wearing a watch while playing the piano is too distracting, but it’s also important to note that Yundi sees this watch not as an accessory but as a witness. For many Rolex owners, their watches represent significant accomplishment and remind them of what they are capable of.

When it came time to give his father a birthday present, Yundi gave him a Rolex watch of his own and now they share in that success together. To learn more about Yundi’s contribution to the ongoing “Every Rolex Tells a Story” series, visit the watchmaker’s official website at rolex.com.

Rolex Datejust 41 (Reference #126300) (photo: Rolex)

The Rolex Datejust 41 in stainless steel with a black dial (Reference #126300) is a modestly-priced dress watch with a combination of classic and contemporary design elements. The Datejust is the quintessential Rolex dress watch that dates back to 1945. However, this stainless steel configuration features a smooth bezel and black dial that makes it resemble a contemporary sports watch, like the popular stainless steel Submariner Date.

With a case that measures 41 millimeters in diameter, this Datejust also appeals to current watch collector’s desire for larger watch faces. It makes a great first Rolex for someone that isn’t sold on a tool watch but still wants something current. The smooth center links on its Oyster bracelet match the bezel and add an elegant touch. A folding Oysterclasp with a 5mm Easylink comfort extension secures the bracelet. The date aperture at 3 o’clock is magnified by Rolex’s Cyclops lens, one of the watchmaker’s most iconic design elements.

Priced at $7,350 USD, it is just over a thousand dollars less than the Submariner Date and  $800 USD more than the Explorer I. It is powered by a Calibre 3235 self-winding mechanical movement manufactured by Rolex in-house. This model offer a water resistance of 100 meters and a power reserve of approximately 70 hours.

The Datejust 41 (Reference #126300) carries the legacy of the historic Rolex model with characteristics of the most popular tool watches of today. It can be worn in almost any environment without calling too much attention to the wrist, making it the perfect watch for those who think yellow gold watches are gaudy. For more information on this model, visit rolex.com.

Watch Gang Membership Service (photo: Watch Gang)

Watch Gang is a membership service based in Los Angeles, California, that sends its subscribers a new watch once a month. A relatively new venture, beginning in September of 2016, the company has created a network of watch collectors that includes celebrities like Jamie Foxx and a Facebook group that has reached over 10,000 members.

The service offers three tiers of membership, varying in price and wristwatch value. Starting at $25 per month, you can become a Watch Gang Watch of the Month Member and receive a microbrand wristwatch with a Japanese movement in stainless steel and leather valued between $50 and $150. Starting at $91 per month, you can become a Watch Gang Black member and receive a premium microbrand watch with a mechanical or Swiss quartz movement valued between $150 and $500. The highest tier of membership is the Platinum level, starting at $275 per month for watches from well known brands and microbrands worth between $500 and $1500.

In a weekly giveaway sponsored by Beckertime, the company gives away a Rolex to a randomly selected member every Friday. This is advantageous for those who aren’t at an income level that justifies a Rolex purchase yet, but it also removes one of the most important aspects of collecting watches: the curation of your own collection. There is a network for members to trade watches with, but the idea of creating a watch collection based on random selection goes against the grain of what it means to be a watch geek.

Visit watchgang.com to learn more about their service. The company has just announced that it will partner with a new watch brand every month. While their service may not satisfy a hardcore watch geek, it is a good way to make a minimal investment in watches and have a new wristwatch every month to show for it. If you’re lucky, it could even be a Rolex.

White Gold Rolex Submariner Prototype (photo" Christie's)

The Rolex Afternoon portion of Christie’s latest watch auction took place in Geneva, Switzerland just hours ago and produced sales records for their collection of vintage Rolex timepieces. One of their record breaking watches was the White Gold Rolex Submariner Prototype from the 1970s. This unique dive watch stood out for its bezel, material and condition.

The rarity of this prototype certainly played a role in helping it earn the auction house over 631,500 Swiss francs, the second highest Rolex sale this afternoon behind the Green Khanjar Daytona Reference 6263 that brought in 727,500 Swiss francs. The biggest wristwatch sale of the auction was a Patek Philippe Haile Selassie Reference 2497, which went for 2,911,500 Swiss francs, more than triple its estimated value.

Hodinkee covered the auction results in their latest blog post, commenting on the strange circumstance of this and other rare Rolex models bringing in record amounts this weekend. This Prototype model certainly deviates from what watch enthusiasts would consider the most classic staples of the Submariner model. But it seems that collectors are beginning to favor these deviations over adherence to brand standards.

There are many examples of unique vintage Rolex watches that look nothing like contemporary Rolex model configurations. In a previous post, I presented five of the rarest Rolex models in the world, none of which look like their popular counterparts. Many of them, like the White Gold Prototype, never even went into production. However, the results of recent vintage watch auctions like Christie’s A Rolex Afternoon prove that scarcity and singularity are the ultimate luxury.