Rolex and Romance
The association between diamonds and love has been an established connection for many years. On a basic, intuitive level, this makes sense. Take a gorgeous, highly valuable gemstone that’s difficult to destroy, and the metaphor and message you’re sending to the recipient is clear. But what does it mean when you give someone you love a watch?
Watches are highly intricate machines. Yet when cared for properly, they’ll last for years. On a fine mechanical watch, the second hand sweeps around the dial with a constancy you’d seek in a lover or a friend. Rolex and romance actually have a long and storied history, probably because Rolexes and other Swiss-made watches have featured prominently in several notorious love affairs. In preparation for Valentine’s day, let’s dive into the ways fine luxury watches have played a part in some of the most famous love stories.
Happy Birthday, Mr. President
One of the most infamous Rolexes given as a gift was the yellow gold Rolex Day-Date given to John F. Kennedy by Marilyn Monroe. This engraved piece suggested a longstanding illicit affair between the President and the actress, although some skeptics still doubt that it happened. There’s also some debate about the authenticity and provenance of this watch. Some say the serial number on the watch was dated two years after JFK’s assasination. Still, the legend persists, probably due to the salacious nature of the purported star-crossed love between the two.
Taylor Time
If you associate Elizabeth Taylor with jewels, there’s a clear reason why. The violet-eyed beauty was famous for her love of gems, including the 69-carat pear-shaped diamond necklace that Richard Burton purchased for their anniversary. But Liz also gave as good as she got, bestowing several luxury watches on Burton, including a gold Omega Constellation. This watch, which was recently sold at auction, was gifted to Burton while the two were living in Switzerland in the 1970s.
In addition to this Elizabeth Taylor was also known to have worn a yellow gold and diamond Vacheron Constantin, a pink gold and diamond Bvlgari, a yellow gold and diamond (I think I’m seeing a theme here…) Patek Philippe Nautilus, and a diamond and onyx Cartier. All of these watches were gifted to her over the years either from lovers or friends. If she were to buy a Rolex for herself today, I can’t imagine it would be anything other than a completely iced out Rolex Pearlmaster.
Image source Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Modern Watches, Modern Romance
Even more contemporary storybook couples understand the power of gifting a watch, although today’s watches can be a bit more over the top. For instance, Beyonce’s gift to husband Jay-Z for his 43rd birthday. Queen Bey purchased a $5 million Hublot Big Bang with over 1,200 diamonds covering the surface, a watch with anything but a subtle profile.
Although the idea of an iced-out Hublot (or, let’s be frank, any Hublot) might not appeal to you or your sweetie, there’s no question that a carefully chosen watch can be an incredibly romantic gift.
JayZ is a known Rolex aficionado frequently seen wearing a yellow gold Day-Date President Rolex, a full yellow gold Sky-Dweller, a platinum Day-Date President, and the highly coveted steel Daytona with the black ceramic bezel. Of course, JayZ is also famously known for sending his friends invitations to his fundraising gala in the form of Everose gold Rolex Daytonas each worth just over 40 thousand dollars. Not sure if that qualifies as love, but it certainly was generous.
A Gift From Everest Bands To Show Your Love
Maybe you’re not ready to commit to a new watch purchase for Valentine’s Day, but you want to support your lover’s watch habit with a thoughtful, tasteful gift. May we suggest a Cupid-friendly red rubber Everest Bands watch strap? It looks stellar paired with a Pepsi dial. Or consider helping to keep their collection safe with our highly-rated leather watch pouch in espresso, crown green, or midnight blue.
By: Meghan Clark
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