Marlon Brando’s Apocalypse Now Rolex to be auctioned by Phillips
Marlon Brando’s Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675, worn by him on the set of Apocalypse Now, is to be auctioned by Phillips Watches Department. The story was broken by the New York Times, with the provenance of the piece being traced from Brando, who in 1995 gave the watch to his adopted daughter Petra Brando Fischer, who in turn gifted the watch to her husband Russel Fischer as a wedding present in 2003. The Rolex GMT-Master in question is a relatively classic ref. 1675, with a few interesting customisations added by Marlon Brando. While shooting Apocalypse Now, a member of the film crew told him not to wear the Rolex as it didn’t fit the character of a US soldier in the Vietnam War living off the land. Rather than getting rid of it completely, Brando popped the bezel off the watch instead, giving it a more beaten look, and he continued to wear it while shooting. He also scratched his own name into the caseback, inscribing “M. Brando” in a style that looks like the watch lived its life in the jungle. The watch is also on an after-market strap, similar to the one in Apocalypse Now, having shed its…
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Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas are the trio behind the band The Jonas Brothers. And aside from a love of smooth pop-rock tunes, they’ve got a demonstrated penchant for fine timepieces. They started out wearing Rolex timepieces, as this early-era picture of the brothers all wearing Datejusts in various guises shows. These days they all favour the Rolex GMT-Master II. Certainly when you’re travelling around the world for gigs, the ability to track a second time zone comes in handy. Kevin Jonas is the oldest brother and frequently wears the recently released reference 126710 BLRO, which is the new stainless-steel version featuring the bi-colour blue and red bezel nicknamed “Pepsi” by collectors. It comes on a Jubilee bracelet. He also has a reference 116618LN yellow gold Submariner. Joe Jonas is the middle brother and also wears a “Pepsi” GMT-Master, but his version is the reference 116719BLRO, which is the 18k white gold version on Oyster bracelet. Recently he has been sporting an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon in 18k pink gold, which certainly is a statement on the wrist. Rounding out the trio is youngest brother Nick Jonas, who also happens to have the most variation when it comes…
A brief history of luminous watch dials Murphy’s Law states, “A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.” In watch collecting circles this is invariably true, but the number of watches in a collection is likely proportionate to the mania of the addiction, rather than proportionate to how punctual the collector might be. It also seems to be true that you need to know what time it is most urgently when you don’t have a clock nearby. This seems to happen generally at night, when you wake in a panic, disoriented and wondering how long till you need to get up for work, and you can’t see your alarm clock for the simple reason you only uncover it once you turn on the light. I like to think this was the problem the Swiss boffins were trying to solve when they started producing watches with luminescent dials, tired of the drowsy confusion in the middle of the night and determined to bring clarity to this midnight mire. In reality, it was driven by the need for soldiers in WWI to have watches that were easy to read in low light.…
Editor’s note: Is this the coolest Rolex Day-Date ever? Regardless of how you answer that question, this is objectively one of the rarest watches Rolex has manufactured in recent years, with it being conspicuously absent from any Rolex catalogue or website. We spotted Mark Wahlberg wearing one on Ellen, but more excitingly, we also noticed Mirka Federer wearing one at the Australian Open in 2017. Given her husband is currently playing (quite well) at Wimbledon, we thought it might bring him some good luck if we reminded the world just how good Mirka’s taste in watches is. 430,000 euros of gem-set goodness While most eyes were on Roger Federer and the Rolex GMT Master-II BLNR he strapped on to hoist his 18th grand slam trophy at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday night, there were other watches nearby worth noticing. Yes, there was the Richard Mille RM 27-02 tourbillon worn by Nadal throughout all five sets, but that’s not what we’re talking about. Our attention was grabbed by the exceptional piece worn by Mirka Federer, with its emerald bezel and diamond pavé dial. Now, this isn’t your regular stone-strewn Rolex. This watch is special — so special it doesn’t even show up…
Editor’s note: As evidenced by the release of the popular Heritage Military watch, Longines have a long history in manufacturing reliable tool watches for the world’s armed forces. One that is sometimes overlooked today, but got people talking when it was first released, is the Longines Heritage Military COSD. A considered nod to the watches the brand produced around the time of WWII, the Military COSD is another strong contender for an everyday watch — with a 40mm case, super-legible dial, and workhorse movement, there is a lot right about this watch. Felix has the full story below. The story in a second: Inspired by a watch designed for the British military in WWII, the Heritage Military COSD watch is the latest in a long line of strong vintage-inspired pieces from Longines. Longines routinely produce some of the best heritage reissues available, for two reasons. Firstly, their position in the Swatch Group allows them to create high-quality watches at accessible price points. But secondly — and more importantly — they have an amazing history full of great pieces that are ripe for reinterpretation. The Spirit, the Weems Second-Setting Watch, the Legend Diver, the Majetek — they’re all great watches inspired by Longines’ extensive back…