Vintage Rolex: The Largest Collection in the World Spiral-Bound | October 27, 2020
David Silver of The Vintage Watch Company
Vintage Rolex: The Largest Collection in the World
For more than a century, Rolex has stood apart as the most legendary brand of watch in the world. A Rolex conveys many things: a luxury timepiece, a tool of power for movers and shakers and the symbol of passage into adulthood.
New labels pop up, styles come and go, but the brand at the top never changes. Ever the record setter—the Daytona that had belonged to Paul Newman was auctioned by Phillips in New York in October 2017 for $17.8 million— it comes as no surprise that Rolex is the most collected watch brand in the world.
The Vintage Watch Company is the only store of its kind in the world, with a devoted client base of devoted Rolex aficionados, from royalty to sporting legends to stars of the silver screen. Throughout, father and son, John and David Silver have been carefully cataloguing and amassing one of the largest pictorial records of vintage Rolex watches in the world. Published to celebrate the company's 25th anniversary in late 2020, the book contains a unique pictorial collection of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the shop during the past 25 years.
More than 1800 watches have been photographed and are described in detail in the book. From early Rolex pocket watches to the world’s first wristwatches, elegant in their simplicity yet revolutionary in their impact, to the very first Submariners, iconic Daytonas and jewel-encrusted Crown Collections, the mesmerizing archive of vintage timepieces charts the extraordinary rise of an extraordinary brand. Choose from the First Rolex Submariner, later coined the James Bond, or the Early GMT-Master made for Pan Am transatlantic pilots. Read about the First Explorers made famous by the 1953 Everest Expedition or the later Explorer II worn by Steve McQueen. Marvel at Early Vintage collections, from the Officer’s Pocket Watch to the Ladies’ Diamond; from the Oyster and the Stella & Stone collections, to the Sport Collection.
This book is a perfect gift for all lovers of luxury retail as well as passionate collectors of Rolex watches who will want to read about the models they own.
"Celebrating the collection of the Vintage Watch Company in London, this book is packed with larger-than-life photographs of Rolex timepieces, showcasing circa 1910–1990 wrist watches, pocket watches, Submariners, Daytonas and jewel-encrusted Crown collections." — COTTAGES & GARDENS
"Vintage Rolex: The Largest Collection in the World is an ode, a love letter, and a paean to family tradition while also being a celebration of the longevity of the Rolex brand. This incredible monograph is eye candy for those fascinated by the brand as well as with timepieces or horology in general. The text is exceedingly brief given the physical size of the book, but in a case of less is more, this tome is encyclopedic and monumental in its scope." — NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS
"From Daytonas to Submariners: A New Book Catalogs More Than 1,800 Vintage Rolex Watches London's The Vintage Watch Company has amassed a giant portfolio of the Crown's important models." — ROBB REPORT
"WATCH THIS: The ultimate eye candy for any watch enthusiast, this book takes a comprehensive look at the history of this iconic brand." — IN STYLE
"...the book offers a trip through the history of vintage Rolex watches from circa 1910 through circa 1990." — RAPAPORT MAGAZINE
"Published to celebrate the Vintage Watch Company’s 25th anniversary, the book contains larger-than-life-sized photographs of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the shop over those years. From early Rolex pocket watches to the world’s first wristwatches, elegant in their simplicity yet revolutionary in their impact, to the very first Submariners, iconic Daytonas and jewel-encrusted Crown collections, the unparalleled archive of vintage timepieces charts the extraordinary rise of a brand coveted by collectors the world over." — ANTIQUES AND THE ARTS WEEKLY
"Vintage Rolex: The Largest Collection in the World showcases the best vintage timepieces throughout the years. From the evolution of the pocket watch to the first wristwatch and iconic timepieces from Submariners to Daytonas, David Silver delves into the Rolex archives." — DUJOUR.COM
"For true enthusiasts not afraid to get into the weeds, there’s a treasure trove of discovery waiting." — WORNANDWOUND.COM
"The watches that appear in the 384-page coffee-table book represent the evolution of the iconic Swiss watch brand." — FORBES.COM
"Print and digital: two-page feature with two images plus the book cover: This month the world-renowned boutique is celebrating its anniversary with another item that’s bound to be highly coveted by Rolex enthusiasts: a gorgeously-produced coffee table book titled Vintage Rolex: The Largest Collection in the World, published by Pavilion and distributed by Rizzoli. The author is David Silver, who co-founded The Vintage Watch Company with his father John in 1995, when only a handful of collectors around the globe were truly focused on vintage Rolexes. The market has since rocketed ever skyward, and the credit is due at least in part to the Silvers’ presence and prescience." —MAXIM.COM
Published to celebrate The Vintage Watch Company’s 25th anniversary, the book contains stunning larger-than-life-sized photographs of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the shop over those years. From early Rolex pocket watches to the world’s first wristwatches, elegant in their simplicity yet revolutionary in their impact, to the very first Submariners, iconic Daytonas, and jewel-encrusted Crown collections, the unparalleled archive of vintage timepieces charts the extraordinary rise of a brand coveted by collectors the world over.
—METROSOURCE NY