Story and Details

This advertisement has been my white whale. For 7 years, since my very-first days hunting ads, it was always on my radar. For 7 years I've looked for it off and on, but always giving up because it was proving to be the epitome of a needle in a haystack. It remained elusive - only living as a digital image I'd see occasionally while "surfing" the Internet. But I knew it was out there. And knew someday I would figure out the magazine it was in and possess it. That day came in April... Guided by a lone clue, I made yet another attempt to pinpoint the magazine. This time, I got lucky. Or maybe more like perseverance paid off. What could be considered the ultimate Submariner ad, a long lost treasure of an ad, was finally found. 

This didn't come from Sports Illustrated or some other mainstream magazine. This anomaly of an ad was discovered in the last place you'd expect to find a Rolex watch being advertised. That secret will remain with me. But the ad can be yours. An ad that features an unnamed surfer riding a wave on a beautiful day, in a beautiful place. Most-likely in Hawaii since the Pipeline and Off The Wall are mentioned - two famous places to ride a big wave off Oahu's North Shore. The teal blue water and sky blue sky is certainly a different setting from the typical environment you'd expect a Submariner to feel at home. Yet it seems from reading the ad, a Rolex was also perfectly comfortable shredding a wave. Apparently winners of the International Professional Surfing (IPS) Championship were awarded Rolex watches for their Perfect 10 performance. That's pretty rad. 

And in this ad, enlarged and blocking the surfer's board, is a Ref. 1680 "Red" Submariner. Do you think there's a Red Sub out with an engraving on the back signifying it was a prize in a surfing competition? Now that I found the ad, that's the next challenge for someone to accept. Find someone who won the watch and still has it! 

Frame Dimensions & Design

Approx. 14" x 16 1/2" (35cm x 41cm)

Advertisement page is framed “floating” style, fully-exposed, surrounded by a custom-measured, hand-cut 4-ply border in a shade of white that compliments tones of paper. Frame is custom-sized and made of natural wood with opaque black finish.