Page Dimensions

Approx. 7 3/4" x 11 1/4" (19cm x 28cm)

Story and Details

Perhaps the strongest run of Rolex advertisements were the "If you were... you’d wear a Rolex" series from the late 1960s. They all featured strangely compelling headlines in bold Helvetica typeface, often exotic pursuits undertaken by men of action, and the promises of individually tested watches hewn from a solid block of Swedish steel. Exactly what was so special about steel from Sweden was never explained, but that’s by the by... The testimonials from mountaineers, divers, pilots, race car drivers, and others unusually at risk of injuries in the workplace, should be all the quality control you need to have confidence in a Rolex. This 1969 Rolex advertisement features a wrist shot of the Submariner - arguably the most iconic tool watch of all-time. Likely the specific version shown is a Ref. 5513 with a "meters first" matte dial. And just like an Instagram post, this wrist shot has a caption, which acts as an endorsement... In this case, by the crew of Deepstar, an American Navy-civilian project operating a submersible designed by Jaques Cousteau, which saw service in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean. The hero image shows the actual Deepstar 4000 vessel. One of the wonderful aspects of vintage ads like this one is you can conduct your own research to get a deeper understanding of not only the role a watch played in an accomplishment, but also the technology, the people involved, and what life was like during a particular moment in time. For example, a rare "Single Red" Sea Dweller was gifted to Deepstar pilot Robert Palmer Bradley. Also, on one Deepstar dive, the ascent system and its backup failed - with the two man crew narrowly escaping death by hand-pumping hundreds of pounds of mercury ballast. What this advertisement won’t do is fail to lend an air of adventure to any home or office - whether you’re a Swedish steel magnate or not.