Swiss watch brand Rolex has a dynamic position at the major events taking place during Monterey Classic Car Week this week. While pre-events began this past weekend, beginning today, August 14, and culminating on Sunday August 20 with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance awards, the festivities taking place this week witness hundreds of the finest classic cars in the world converging in the breathtaking Pacific coastal peninsula of Monterey. Through it all, Rolex steals the limelight as either a sponsor, presenter, or official timekeeper — and as a gifter of its coveted timepieces to top winners.
For more than a century, Rolex’s pursuit of excellence and innovation has underpinned all of its endeavors – especially in motorsports. Rolex has been the Official Timepiece of the world’s most elite classic car show — Concours d’Elegance — since 1997. There, more than 200 cars line up at the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links to be judged on authenticity, original technical merit and elegance. The brand awards watches to the Best in Show owners. In fact, this year, the Pebble Beach Concours Best of Show winner will receive the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36mm in Oystersteel and Yellow gold with a fluted bezel and a Jubilee bracelet ($12,700).
Additionally, Rolex has been the Official Timepiece of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering – an upscale garden party setting at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club — since 2005. It is here that many of the world’s leading automotive brands launch their innovative prototypes. The Best-of -Show winner of The Quail, will receive an Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36mm in Oystersteel with a white gold fluted bezel and a Jubilee bracelet ($8,950).
In 2007, Rolex became the presenting partner of Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance® — a scenic drive along the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur. And in 2001, Rolex first partnered with the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and in 2010 became the Title Sponsor of the incredible event where approximately 450 historic cars – including Formula 1, Can-Am and Trans-Am vehicles — race at the famed WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
This overarching presence during the week is not out of the norm for Rolex, a brand that has a long and storied past richly intertwined with the world of motorsports. Rolex watches were seen on the wrists of drivers ever since the very first edition in 1923 of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In fact, as the race celebrates 100 years this year, Rolex is the Official Timepiece of the legendary race in France.
In the 1930’s, when Sir Malcolm Campbell set a World Land Speed Record – becoming the first driver to beak the 300-mile-per-hour barrier) in his car Bluebird at the Bonneville Salt Flats — he was wearing a Rolex on his wrist. He also wore Rolex during his high-speed runs in Daytona Beach, where other drivers began to take note, and where Rolex began partnering with Daytona International Speedway when the circuit opened in 1959. A few years later, in 1963, when Rolex unveiled the racing chronograph called the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph, it added the Daytona name to the dial.
That watch fast became a hit. So much so, in fact, that Paul Newman wore his own Rolex Daytona in the movie Winning in 1969 – forever sealing its fate as one of the most sought-after watches in history. His watch sold at auction for nearly $18 million. But the black-and-white panda dial, lovingly referred to these days at the Paul Newman dial, continues to be avidly sought by collectors.
This year, the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona celebrates its 60th anniversary – with much fanfare and some intriguing technical advances in new models. While the new watches boast Oyster water resistant cases and Oysterflex bracelets, high-tech ceramic bezels, new dials, bezels and features are being added to the lineup.
The watch is also a favorite of endurance racers, as Rolex is highly involved with a host of endurance races such as the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the FIA World Endurance Championship, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The brand is also a Global Partner and the Official Timepiece of Formula 1®, the pinnacle of motorsport racing.
With a theme since its inception in 1905 of Perpetual Excellence, Rolex regularly aligns itself with some of the finest athletes as brand ambassadors (which Rolex calls Testimonees). The distinguished lineup reads like a veritable who’s who. Among its motorsports Testimonees are Sir Jackie Stewart (three-time FIA Formula 1® Drivers’ World Champion), Jenson Button (2009 FIA Formula 1® Drivers’ World Champion), Tom Kristensen (the record nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner), Mark Webber(multiple Formula 1® race winner and 2015 FIA World Endurance Champion) and others.
Sir Jackie Stewart, who joined the Rolex family of Testimonees 55 years ago, says “Rolex has always set the standard and is perfectly aligned with these classic automotive celebrations where we can learn so much about the evolution of the car. The elegance and splendor of the machines that race in Monterey, as well as those on show throughout the week, represent the ultimate in motoring aesthetics. These events underline Rolex’s commitment to the sport, ensuring the achievements of the past will be remembered and their legacies will last forever.”
Image Source: Rolex