Rolex model name problems

[Juggernaut]

Originally Posted by Walkersun

The big one for me is Explorer II. Such an uninspired name. There’s no 3-6-9, and besides the Mercedes handset, I really don’t see any relation between the original Explorer and the Explorer II at all. They should have just come up with a new name for it. What that name should have been, I’m not sure.

On the other hand, the Sea-Dweller could have easily been called the Submariner II, but instead they came up with a new cool name for it.

Another one is Yacht-Master II. Even though its complication makes it more of a yacht master than the original Yacht-Master; it’s so different. Again, they should have just come up with a new name for it. Rolex Regatta, maybe? I don’t know..

Sky-Dweller is a great name for a watch, but just think, they could have called it the GMT-Master III! Which reminds me… GMT Master II… I guess I get why they called it that initially, but I don’t think the “II” designation makes much sense today. It should just be GMT Master, period.

Does anyone else have issues with certain model names?



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Good topic and I agree with you! I’ve had 2 Exp II’s and one of the things that bothered me was the name. To me, it was always a reference to the original Explorer which is now my single Rolex in my collection. For me, the Explorer doesn’t reference the Explorer II and it seems that the Explorer is no longer being called the “Explorer 1” like it was a few years ago. I think the Explorer has regained the lead for popularity between the 2 models.

[Wcdhtwn]

Originally Posted by askdanny

[IMG]

But Rolex did trademark "Land-Dweller" a couple of months ago:

Land Dweller? Seriously? In a lineup of Submariners, Sea Dwellers, Explorers, Yacht Masters, Sky Dwellers and Air Kings, all very adventure minded names, they are adding Land Dweller? Who is this for, people who spend their weekends on the couch?

I'm interested to see what comes out with this name...

[S.Explorer]

I have always thought the GMT Master II could be the Game Master given how difficult it is to secure an allocation from the AD (BLRO at least in the UK).

[Walkersun]

Originally Posted by Rushne

I never had a problem with the naming but now that you have pointed it out... god damn it!! HAHA

Yeah, Yacht Master Regatta might have been nice but its a long name.
Skydweller like you say, is a great name.

YachtDweller for the Yacht Master II :D

Did the GMT Master II not make sense way back in the day? When they changed the movement to have a quick set hour hand, sometimes in the 80's... maybe 83/84, can not recall right now.
Of course now days we are 40ish years of change/innovation away from that namesake.

GMT-Master II sort of reminds me of Coca-Cola back in the mid eighties when they came out with New Coke. Everyone got in an uproar over the fact that they discontinued the original, so they eventually brought it back and called it Coca-Cola Classic.

Fast forward years later, New Coke is nowhere to be found and the original is simply Coca-Cola again. No need for “classic“ distinction to be attached to the name anymore.

When the original GMT movement was phased out, the new movement became THE GMT-Master. No need for the II distinction anymore.


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[Walkersun]

Originally Posted by PenDelicate

Seeing as we're having fun with names, I always wondered at the choice of the word, "Oyster."

When I think, "Oyster," I don't think of waterproofness: I think of a creature that must remain wet to survive. I think, fundamentally, of, "Wetness."

When I think, "Dryness," I think, "Desert." So maybe a Sahara case. Or a sand dune case. Or a Sirocco case.

I guess because an oyster lives in the water, can seal itself shut and can be very difficult to open? But yeah, I guess it doesn’t stay dry. That said, you don’t want sand in your watch either.

I will say that I didn’t really become a Rolex fan until I found out the meaning of “Oyster Perpetual” (in regards to Rolex), and how it connects every model. That’s when I really got interested their overall design language and aesthetic.


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[ol' Rex]

To me, the silliest move Rolex ever made with regard to nomenclature was slapping the word "Cosmograph" on the Daytona. Where on Earth did they get that? Outer space has nothing to do with car racing, and this model actually distinguished itself as being a chronograph which was NOT chosen by NASA for space missions.

Did Rolex perhaps think the dial would be too empty without that fifth line of text?

[PenDelicate]

Originally Posted by ol' Rex

To me, the silliest move Rolex ever made with regard to nomenclature was slapping the word "Cosmograph" on the Daytona. Where on Earth did they get that? Outer space has nothing to do with car racing, and this model actually distinguished itself as being a chronograph which was NOT chosen by NASA for space missions.

Did Rolex perhaps think the dial would be too empty without that fifth line of text?

I read an article saying that no one knows for sure:
https://wristporn.com/blogs/news/wha...raph-explained

Basically:
* Rolex used, "Cosmograph," to refer to a moonphase watch long before the Daytona.
* When they released the chronograph that would eventually be called the, "Daytona," it came only with the word, "Cosmograph," on the dial.
* Completely unproven, but it might have been called, "Cosmograph," just because the space-race was in the offing and they wanted to make it sound, "Space-y." (Before Omega beat them to it.)
* They only added, "Daytona," to make it car-racing related *after* they lost the moon.

But indeed, loads of speculation.

Oh, here's an ad from 1949 where they use the word, "Cosmograph."
https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2012/0...7.html#/page/2

[Walkersun]

Very interesting. I had no idea ‘Cosmograph’ went back that far. I always thought Rolex won NASA’s bid for the moon watch on an alternate timeline and somehow that watch slipped through time-space continuum to our present day.


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[THC]

I do really like…

Superlative Chronometer
Officially Certified

[jets]

Originally Posted by Walkersun

Never thought about Datejust. I guess I just accepted it as is, but yeah, what does it mean exactly?


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Pretty obvious. The big deal when it came out was how quickly easily the date could be adjusted. People seem to forget that the features we take for granted were a big deal when they were initially released.

As far as the Explorer II not looking like the original... check out Audis from the 80's and let me know if they looks like the latest models.

[dba]

Originally Posted by Walkersun

Does anyone else have issues with certain model names?

Nope

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by jets

Pretty obvious. The big deal when it came out was how quickly easily the date could be adjusted. People seem to forget that the features we take for granted were a big deal when they were initially released.

As far as the Explorer II not looking like the original... check out Audis from the 80's and let me know if they looks like the latest models.

The date couldn't be independently 'adjusted' (quickset) till the 3035 movement came out in 1977. Before that, you just had to keep turning the hands.

[jets]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

The date couldn't be independently 'adjusted' (quickset) till the 3035 movement came out in 1977. Before that, you just had to keep turning the hands.

Aye. I have a vintage Omega. To adjust the date the crown needs to be pulled out and pushed back in for every date change. Feels like after a while I will grenade the stem. It's so cumbersome but at one time it was the cat's ass.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by jets

Aye. I have a vintage Omega. To adjust the date the crown needs to be pulled out and pushed back in for every date change. Feels like after a while I will grenade the stem. It's so cumbersome but at one time it was the cat's ass.

So the name Datejust must mean something else, since its date couldn't be independently adjusted for the first 30+ years of its production.

[jets]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

So the name Datejust must mean something else, since its date couldn't be independently adjusted for the first 30+ years of its production.

I’m pretty sure the explanation I gave was something I read years ago.


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