Everything You Need to Know About Rolex Nicknames [Part 1]
Rolex names its watches with a reference number, but over the years, many of them have become famous with certain nicknames.
Each of these nicknames has an origin to it. One of them even became famous by a popular cigarette brand’s name!
So, are you ready for some interesting stories?
In this post, we’ll have a look at various Rolex nicknames and how they started in the first place. Let’s get started!
'Coke'
Photo credit by @Rolopalooza
This name is associated with certain models of the Rolex GMT-Master line.
Most of you would have probably guessed the reason behind this nickname after a glance at the image. These models are aesthetically similar to that of a coke bottle, and thus, ended up being famous by its name.
By aesthetic, we mean their red and black bezel insert and the black dial.
'Pepsi'
Photo credit by Amsterdam Vintage Watches
After coke, we have Pepsi!
Most of you would be familiar with this cola brand’s red, blue, and white logo. One of the Rolex GMT-Master watches has a similar appearance with its red and blue bezel insert, which earned it the title of Pepsi.
The fun part is this timepiece was originally designed to match the logo of Pan-Am Airlines but ended up being similar to that of Pepsi.
GMT line and feature a brown dial and inserts.
'Hulk'
Photo credit by Millenary Watches
It’s time to talk a bit about superhero look-alike Rolex timepieces.
We’ll start off with the first-ever Submariner that featured a dial and bezel other than the line’s conventional black or blue aesthetic.
If you are somewhat familiar with the Hulk, then you would have guessed that this specific Rolex Submariner has something to do with green.
Well, it has a lot to do with green. The Rolex Submariner reference 116610LV’s bezel and dial are completely green, which coupled with its sturdiness make it worthy of being called the Hulk.
'Batman'
Photo credit by @rolex.collector
Most of us have a soft spot for the old DC comic books, specifically the ones with Gotham’s savior, Batman, in it. Some of these enthusiasts noticed the resemblance between this superhero and certain models of the Rolex GMT-Master II and started calling them the Batman.
This model features a black and blue Cerachrom bezel insert, which is similar to the dark profile of the Dark Knight.
'President'
Photo credit by Rolex Magazine
Rolex is among the leaders in the luxury watches industry. Thanks to its exquisite looks and sturdy built, it is a staple in the accessories’ wardrobes of the majority of the high-profile personalities.
Photo credit by Forbes
Have a look at Mr Johnson sporting a Rolex Day-Date.
Due to its massive popularity among the various presidents of the United States, people nicknamed Rolex Day-Date as President.
Another reason behind this nickname is the Rolex Day-Date’s bracelet, the President, which is made either from solid platinum or 18 karat gold.
'Kermit'
Photo credit by Wikipedia
Kermit might seem like an unconventional nickname for a Rolex watch, however, this adorable puppet character has one similar aesthetic characteristic with the Rolex Submariner reference 16610LV.
Photo credit by Millenary Watches
Most of you would have pretty much guessed this feature by now, we are talking about their eye-catching green color.
The Rolex Submariner reference 16610LV, which was released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Submariner line, features a black and white Maxi dial, similar to that of Kermit’s eyes, and a green aluminum bezel.
'Smurf'
Photo credit by Vox
Just like the Kermit, there is one more Submariner which is famous by other beloved animated characters’ name, the Smurfs.
We are talking about the Rolex Submariner reference 116619. This premium timepiece, which is made from solid 18 karat white gold, has an eye-catching bright blue Cerachrom bezel insert and dial with white hour markers. These design characteristics make it a twin of the adorable Smurfs.
Photo credit by Reddit
This Submariner model is an absolute favorite amongst celebrities and athletes due to its sophisticated appearance.
'Bubbleback'
Photo credit by Vintage Watch
During the 1930s, Rolex modernized its watches and started switching to automatic, self-winding movements. As a result, numerous new watch designs had a chunky case to incorporate various parts required for the functioning of the automated mechanism.
These thick cases had a protruding back similar to a bubble, and thus, people started calling them Bubbleback. In addition to this, they had numerous other nicknames as well, however, the most popular amongst vintage watches’ collectors and enthusiasts is the Bubbleback.
'Fat Lady'
Photo credit by Crown and Caliber
The reference 16760 was the first watch of the GMT-Master series continuation, the GMT-Master II. Although it was pretty much similar to its predecessors, its case was approximately 0.5 mm thicker than them.
Although this is a minor difference, it gave this timepiece a curvier appearance, which resulted in people calling it the “Fat Lady”.
Some people call it the Coke as well because it is available in coca cola-ish bezel insert option.
'Solo'
Photo credit by Monochrome Watches
One of the major characteristics of the majority of the Rolex watches’ design is the presence of heavy text on the dial. However, there are certain models that don’t feature any text on their dial except for the brand name “Rolex”.
This practice was seen only in a few models, the reference 6239 and 6240. In order to distinguish these vintage masterpieces from others, people started calling them solo.
Even though this absence-of-text design is seen on both the reference 6239 and 6240, a few enthusiasts believe that it should only be a part of reference 6239 because the latter has an Oyster case which should be mentioned on the dial.
'John Player Special'
Photo credit by Formula 1
Whether you are into cigarettes or not, you would have heard about John Player & Sons, one of the top tobacco and cigarette brands. They had a soft spot for Formula 1 and sponsored the Lotus team, which used to compete in black and gold racecars, as seen in the image.
Photo credit by Hodinkee
The Lotus team and Rolex’s enthusiasts noticed the resemblance between the race cars and an iconic vintage Rolex, the reference 6241, which resulted in it being called the John Player Special.
Similar to multiple other models and nicknames we discussed earlier, this one also has an Italian influence on it because it originated from the Italian watch trade network.
'Polar'
Photo credit by @horogenie
The first thing that crosses our minds when we hear the word “polar” is snow, and the color white, and thus, the name Polar is pretty self-explanatory in itself. It is associated with the second addition in the Rolex’s Explorer series, which was specifically designed for adventure addicts.
When the Rolex Explorer II came out for the first time, it had a black dial, but later, Rolex added a white dial version to this line. This version featured black hands and hour markers, which are made of white gold but painted black.
This is where the name Polar came into play. People welcomed the white dial version of the Rolex Explorer II and started calling it Polar to praise its beauty. This nickname is an excellent manner to distinguish between the black and white dial models.
'Jean-Claude Killy'
Photo credit by Reddit
Celebrities and professional athletes take pride in marketing and sporting Rolex, hence, a major chunk of its various watch models are nicknamed after them. The Dato-Compax’s references 768, 4767, 5036, 6036, and 6236 aren’t an exception either.
These watch models are closely associated with Jean-Claude Killy, the French alpine skiing champion. He featured in their numerous marketing campaigns during the 1960s, which eventually resulted in them being nicknamed after him.
Despite him being the brand ambassador of the Dato-Compax line, he was never photographed wearing any watch from this series personally. Still, the above-mentioned five references are known less by their names and more by Jean-Claude Killy.
'James Bond'
Photo credit by GQ Magazine
Although numerous Rolex watches have featured in and worn by James Bond throughout this iconic movie series, the one that started it all, the Submariner reference 6538, is worthy of being called the James Bond.
This original James Bond Submariner first appeared in Dr No, which was released in 1962 and featured Sean Connery.
Photo credit by Phillips
The reference 6538 has a prominent crown without guards. These features distinguish it from other Submariners that are often mistaken to be the original James Bond.
Apart from Rolex, James Bond has been seen wearing numerous Omega and a few Seiko models, however, his ultimate favorite is none other than Rolex!
'Pussy Galore'
Photo credit by Amsterdam Vintage Watches
In addition to the Rolex Submariner reference 6538, the GMT-Master 6542 is also closely associated with the James Bond movie franchise.
It was featured In Goldfinger, which was released in 1962. This time it was sported by a fierce female character, Pussy Galore, played by the gorgeous Honor Blackman.
This red and blue bezel insert featuring watch enjoyed significant screen time, and since then, its name became interchangeable with its wearer, the iconic Pussy Galore.
These are some of the most famous nicknames of various Rolex watch models with their origins. There are more to come because this was just the first part. Let us know which one’s your favorite in the comments below. Also, if we’ve missed out on any you want to be discussed in the next parts, then share them in the comments!