Vintage Rolex Sports Models: A Complete Visual Reference & Unauthorized History [Anglais] [Relié]

There is so much more to a Rolex watch than just excellent craftsmanship. As a scuba diver of almost 40 years standing, I have always owned one or more quality diving watches. When my son turned 14, he also learned to dive and soon became the proud owner of a good diving watch. Whilst, sadly, none were Rolex, my son's interest in diving watches had begun and now, some 15 years later, he has a modest collection coupled with an appreciable knowledge of the subject. Only recently, he advised someone who was selling a certain vintage Rolex model via the internet that the item was very likely to be worth a lot more than the, then, asking price and deserved further investigation. As a result, the price was increased by something in the region of £48,000 before the watch was finally sold. I mention this to underline the fact that there are some extremely valuable historic watches out there with the occasional rare model commanding really serious money.

This book is a revised and up-dated third issue of a really first-rate publication. Limiting the overall (and vast!) subject of Rolex watches to "Sports" models, the two co-authors waste no time in demonstrating their combined knowledge of the subject. Whilst that is, naturally, of prime importance, I found it was also their complete ability to impart this knowledge which makes this book the 5 Star product it truly is.

Whilst I can personally vouch for the importance of a watch to any scuba diver (length of time spent underwater plus maximum depth reached equals time spent in decompression before returning to the surface!!!), I was fascinated to hear a brief account of the importance of the Rolex watch to Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay during the first ascent of Everest in 1953 by the latter's son Jamling Norgay (also a climber) who describes his watch as "undeniably, the most important tool in my climb."

There many occasions when ordinary people place their lives in peril as they undertake all sorts of challenges (not just scuba diving and climbing), during which they place complete faith in their watch to see them safely through that period of increased risk. It stands to reason, therefore, they will choose a good quality timepiece - and Rolex is as good as they come.

But then there are Rolexes and Rolexes!, and in this book we learn of the importance of a good watch right at the very beginning. This is followed by expertly crafted, very detailed yet easy-to-understand chapters on; Rolex Chronology, the Tool watch Concept, Submariner, Sea-Dweller, GMT-Master, Explorer, Milgauss, Turn-O-Graph, Cosmograph, Bracelets, Boxes, Paperwork, Movements, Production Dates, Collecting, Advertisements & Literature, Watches Sold at Auction and finally a Price Guide. In short, an exhaustive content for an exhaustive subject. It is a large format book published in top quality paper with at least one image on almost all of the 264 pages (Index excepted).

Of course, I have no way of knowing if "every" sports model ever made by Rolex is depicted within these pages but I would be surprised to learn if anything at all was missing - simply because the book is so complete.

So, if you are looking for a book of sufficient high quality to do justice to Vintage Rolex Sports Watches, then look no further. I am quite confident you will not be disappointed with this work.

NM

Rolex a produit depuis plus de 50 ans un nombre important de modèles sports. Cet ouvrage est le seul à retracer l'évolution, les modifications et les améliorations de chaque modèle. Les références sont présentes cela permet de dater un modèle. Ouvrage indispensable pour les amateurs d'anciennes Rolex.

Ouvrage exhaustif qui regroupe les submariner, les explorer, les GMT, les cosmographes, les modèles milgauss. Des appendices regroupent les côtes selon l état de la montre, les différentes boites, les publicitès d époque, et des resultats de vente des maisons aux enchéres. On apprend beaucoup en lisant cet ouvrage, ce qui permet, parfois d en apprendre au vendeur!