Vintage Rolex magazine ads

[thefollandgnat]

Originally Posted by EzraPound

Carl Djerassi (one of the inventors of the modern birth-control pill) in his autobiography "claims" he traveled to Rolex in 1955 and saw the binder of letters...screenshot from the Eric Fraser Rolex article.

Pity this sort of thing doesn't still continue, isn't it? I'd certainly spend time dreaming up some far-fetched but just credible tale if a nice piece was the reward. Then again, perhaps it's just called working in advertising?

[Incroyable12]

The vintage watch ads would have appeared in high end lifestyle magazines so also try old interior design or art magazines. For example I recall old Architectural Digests would have a bunch of watch ads from Patek to Rolex.

[conmcn]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

The vintage watch ads would have appeared in high end lifestyle magazines so also try old interior design or art magazines. For example I recall old Architectural Digests would have a bunch of watch ads from Patek to Rolex.

Many thanks for your input I will check out a few high end lifestyle magazines too

[EzraPound]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

The vintage watch ads would have appeared in high end lifestyle magazines so also try old interior design or art magazines. For example I recall old Architectural Digests would have a bunch of watch ads from Patek to Rolex.

The New Yorker Magazine may be one of the most comprehensive magazine archives of Rolex advertisements; Rolex advertisements appeared at least as early as 1942 in the New Yorker and continue to the present day. You can find 300-400 Rolex advertisements in the New Yorker archive (available to subscribers).

The first two Rolex advertisements pictured are from 1943, the other two are from the 1960s.

[Incroyable12]

I'd love to find some vintage ads for the platinum Day-Dates. So far I've only seen two.

[conmcn]

Some of the older ads (1960s & 1970s) seem to have bizarre spacing and text slapped just about anywhere. The Explorer Matterhorn climber's hand being the best I've come across so far for layout IMO.

[ancientmariner]

Originally Posted by EzraPound

You can find the 7 Years Under the Sea among other places in issue # 56 (1954) Graphis magazine.

Interesting that the magazine article mentions the free Rolex publication ''The Anatomy of Time'.
I have just acquired a copy of the first edition and it does not mention the publication date.
I wonder if anyone on here knows when the book was first published?

[Zsprings]

[QUOTE=conmcn;12194979]Hi


I am interested in vintage Rolex adverts from the 1950s onwards and particularly the 1970s.

Really interesting thread, sent me into my garage to look through a pile of 1970s Sunday Times magazines, not one Rolex advert! Found a Rothmans ad, with a wristwatch (Rolex sub by the look of it) 1/2 covered by jacket and shirt sleeve but not enough of the dial to make it a Rolex ad.

[EzraPound]

Originally Posted by ancientmariner

Interesting that the magazine article mentions the free Rolex publication ''The Anatomy of Time'. I have just acquired a copy of the first edition and it does not mention the publication date. I wonder if anyone on here knows when the book was first published?

The first reference of "The Anatomy of Time" in a Swiss newspaper I think (not 100% certain) was the March 1st, 1954 edition of the German-language Swiss newspaper "Der Bund" (see bottom-left of the advertisement) so I am guessing "The Anatomy of Time" was first available circa 1954.

Some Rolex advertisements before 1954 (1951-1953) offered a free publication: "FREE! BLUEPRINT OF SUPREMACY The fascinating exposé of some of the secrets that make Rolex one of the finest watches in the world. For your free copy, write to the Rolex Watch Co.,Ltd., Geneva,Switzerland." (refer to the bottom-right of the 1951 Rolex advertisement with the ship, Graphis magazine # 38).

[ancientmariner]

Many thanks.
Looks like I need to find ‘The blueprint of supremacy’ now. Could be useful!

[GONZO2LR]

fantastic....just fantastic....

[conmcn]

Thanks to everyone that has contributed I really do appreciate your input. I should have some ads by next week (post jubilee celebrations) when the mail arrives. I will post a few photos and if anyone has an interest in a specific advert I will let them know which magazine I got it from.

[conmcn]

I have managed to track down the following adverts so far:

Peter Scott - Submariner advert
Haroun Tazieff - Explorer II advert
Wally Herbert - Explorer advert
Thor Heyerdahl - GMT advert
Tom Sheppard - GMT advert

These all came from National Geographic magazines from the 1970s

[conmcn]

[conmcn]

Does anyone know the Punch or Illustrated London News the 7 years under the sea advert was in? I have tracked down a few I think but really want that one. Thanks

[EzraPound]

Originally Posted by conmcn

Does anyone know the Punch or Illustrated London News the 7 years under the sea advert was in? I have tracked down a few I think but really want that one. Thanks

To the best of my knowledge “7 years under the sea” did not appear in Illustrated London News.

I’ve only seen 4-5 of the Fanstatic Story advertisements in the Illustrated London News archive…but maybe a Rolex expert can chime in.

[conmcn]

I think I have tracked down the adverts shown in your message:

A letter from Brazil
Four years buried
The professor of Milan

I will post details when they arrive for others if anyone is interested.

My favourite is proving to be very elusive! Thanks EzraPound for all your comments and help to date.

[conmcn]

I think I have tracked down the adverts shown in your message:

A letter from Brazil
Four years buried
The professor of Milan

I will post details when they arrive for others if anyone is interested.

My favourite is proving to be very elusive! Thanks EzraPound for all your comments and help to date.

[conmcn]

Originally Posted by EzraPound

To the best of my knowledge “7 years under the sea” did not appear in Illustrated London News.

I’ve only seen 4-5 of the Fanstatic Story advertisements in the Illustrated London News archive…but maybe a Rolex expert can chime in.

I wasn’t sure if the 7 years advert appeared in Illustrated London News either but I know other illustrated stories did. From my research online Rolex seemed to advertise in Punch magazine frequently during this time. I am keen to track down an original copy of 7 years. If anyone can assist please message me.

Thanks

[boring_sandwich]

Amazing and thanks for sharing. I have been looking for one from the old AirKing.

[Speedbird-1]

Deleted.

[lee fowler]

Drop me a PM I have a list somewhere that I compiled from 1960 to 1980 using National Geographic, just need to find it!! Waiting to do 1980 to present day!

[EzraPound]

Originally Posted by conmcn

I wasn’t sure if the 7 years advert appeared in Illustrated London News either but I know other illustrated stories did.

To the best of my knowledge five of the Eric Fraser Fantastic Story Rolex advertisements appeared in the Illustrated London News (see enclosed picture).

Note: the Professor of Milan advertisement is the only color version of the Rolex Fantastic Story advertisements I've ever seen and the only Fantastic Story advertisement to feature a gold Rolex.

Note: fans of the British illustrator Eric Fraser will know the artist also did the Rolex Tribute to Everest advertisement illustration and illustrated the Rolex Swiss Landscapes advertising campaign.

[conmcn]

Originally Posted by lee fowler

Drop me a PM I have a list somewhere that I compiled from 1960 to 1980 using National Geographic, just need to find it!! Waiting to do 1980 to present day!

I tried to private message you but am not sure if it went through or not. Please let me know

thanks

[conmcn]

Originally Posted by conmcn

I tried to private message you but am not sure if it went through or not. Please let me know

thanks

The coloured version does look very good. I was hoping to get 7 years to add to the three I think I’ve sourced online but I can’t seem to find it anywhere sadly.

Thanks for sharing yet again EzraPound

[Russm535il]

I really enjoyed seeing the vintage ads ! Thank you all for posting !
Russ

[Speedbird-1]

Originally Posted by EzraPound

Here is an article on the Eric Fraser Rolex advertisements (most people will find the article long and boring)... article

Thank you, 'Ezra Pound' enjoyed reading that.
His (Fraser) work is absolutely stunning.
Fraser, almost a British Rockwell (with a hint of Eric Gill)

[EzraPound]

Originally Posted by Speedbird-1

Thank you, 'Ezra Pound' enjoyed reading that.
His (Fraser) work is absolutely stunning.

You're welcome...Eric Fraser was maybe the most famous of the Rolex advertisement illustrators (Swiss illustrator Hans Tomamichel was another).

Enclosed are two samples of Eric Fraser's Rolex Swiss landscape advertisements from the late 1940s.

[EzraPound]

[QUOTE=Zsprings;12198782]

Originally Posted by conmcn

Hi
Really interesting thread, sent me into my garage to look through a pile of 1970s Sunday Times magazines, not one Rolex advert! Found a Rothmans ad, with a wristwatch (Rolex sub by the look of it) 1/2 covered by jacket and shirt sleeve but not enough of the dial to make it a Rolex ad.

Rothmans did feature a Rolex Submariner in a couple of their advertisements.

[gnardex]

Don't know if OT (because not so vintage)
but one of my all time favourite (and perhaps one of the most iconic)
ad is "A Time for revolution".

I find terrific the idea that - as a cliche' - people to whom is addressed the advertisement,
probably disapprove the person depicted in the ad... which however wears a rolex.
And even the title: A time fo revolution...
Probably people to whom is addressed the advertisement, do not think to any revolution.
I find indeed brilliant.