From SwissWatchExpo… Celebrities who love vintage Rolex watches.
Spotlight on: famous vintage Rolex collectors.
In today’s world of mass-produced items and Insta-fame, people are veering towards
the rare, special, and intensely personal.
Vintage watches are surely among them.
It used to be that watches were simply a status symbol, but we are seeing an increased level
of interest in a watch’s history and provenance, even among younger collectors.
Many celebrities are known for their iced-out and opulent watch collections, but there are
also a growing number of them whose interest lies in storied, hard-to-find pieces, and
the gratification of finally owning a particular watch.
John Mayer, Orlando Bloom, and Adam Levine have some of the best vintage Rolex collections
out there.
Which watches are part of their collection? Stay tuned to find out!
John Mayer is not just a Grammy winning, singer-songwriter.
He’s also a known watch collector, tastemaker, and critic, with a vast collection of Holy
Grail watches.
His collection is estimated to be worth tens of millions, and of course, he has to have
one of the most coveted Rolexes ever – the Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona.
He wears a reference 6264 (six-two-six-four), with a white outer minute track, instead of
the usual red. This feature alone is sure to get attention from the most hardcore collector!
While Paul Newman Daytonas are increasing in popularity, John has also developed an
interest in non Newman vintage Daytonas.
Check out these reference 6269 (six-two-six-nine) and 6270 (six-two-seventy) Daytonas. The diamond
encrusted watches may not be edgy like the Paul Newman, but these marked the first time
Rolex produced the Daytona as a luxury watch.
John also has a lot of Rolex Submariners in his collection, but this is the most unique
yet.
The reference 5514 (five-five-one-four) was made for a French dive company called COMEX
in the 1960s.
It features a beautiful matte dial, and the markers have that gorgeous patina that only
age can bring.
Rounding out John’s vintage Rolex collection is this really cool, Rolex Submariner reference
6200 (sixty-two-hundred). This 1954 model is famous for its Explorer style, 3-6-9 dial,
that doesn’t have the Submariner signature.
Note also the 8 millimeter big Brevet crown that gives it a 200 meter water resistance.
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If John is well-known in the watch scene, Orlando Bloom is a quiet watch collector.
In 2009, his watches were almost lost forever in a much publicized robbery in his home – thankfully,
he was able to retrieve them.
The collection includes one of Rolex’s longest-running models in it: the GMT-Master 1675 (sixteen-seventy-five)
with a red and blue bezel, more popularly known as the “Pepsi”.
The 1675 is the second generation of the Rolex GMT-Master, where important changes were made.
The use of aluminum to replace the Bake Lite insert bezel, and the introduction of crown
guards.
Orlando also has the Rolex Explorer reference 1016 (one-zero-one-six).
This is a favorite of many collectors, as it defines the classic Explorer watch.
Check out the inverted triangle at 12 o’clock, the Mercedes hands, and of course, the supremely
legible 3-6-9 numerals. An enduring design, indeed.
The Rolex Milgauss is not a popular choice among vintage collectors, but this particular
reference is.
Orlando has the reference 6543 (six-five-four-three) - the very first model of the Milgauss family.
It was launched in the mid-1950s, boasting the ability to resist magnetic fields of up
to 1,000 gauss. A trailblazer for its time!
If Orlando is discreet, Maroon 5 frontman, and The Voice judge Adam Levine, is not shy
about wearing his standout collection.
He wore a different watch on the show each week, and it was the perfect opportunity to
show off his vintage Rolexes.
Among his solid collection of cool and historically significant pieces, is a trio of Rolex Paul
Newman Daytonas.
He has the very popular reference 6263 (six-two-six-three) in classic Panda dial, and reverse Panda dial.
At center, we have a 14k yellow gold reference 6264 (six-two-six-four) with a black dial,
which was only produced for one year.
When Adam likes something, he collects them in many variants. We get to his other favorite
Rolex model - the Rolex President Day-Date.
He favors the colorful lacquered dial models from the 1970s, which have become known as
’Stella Dials’.
He has a Platinum calendar Day-Date reference 1804 (eighteen-oh-four) with a blue lacquered
dial, and diamond hour markers.
His yellow gold Stella dials are the reference 1803 (eighteen-oh-three) – with quirky Pink
and leafy green dials. These bright, almost neon stella dials are some of the most rare,
so they are highly valued.
A Rolex Submariner won’t be missing from Adam’s collection of course – and he has
one of the coolest models.
Look closely. You’ll notice that the reference 6538 (six-five-three-eight) or ’Big Crown’
comes with an oversized crown, and no crown guards. This makes it unique and is certainly
a feature collectors look for.
Rounding out his collection is the Rolex GMT Master reference 16718 (sixteen-seven-one-eight).
The full yellow gold, black dial GMT Master comes with a Jubilee bracelet. A stunning
combination that makes it quintessentially vintage.
Majority of celebrities choose to adorn their wrists with Rolex’s latest offerings. But
John, Orlando, and Adam sure have a passion for rare and storied Rolex watches.
Which one was your favorite? Tell us in the comments section.
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