Rolex produced the very first Submariner in 1953 with this model ref. 6204 watch. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner would go on to not only become one of the most iconic timepieces in the world, but also one of the most heavily emulated, desired, and studied.

The Rolex Submariner was the first diver's watch from Rolex and followed a legacy that started in 1926 when Rolex released its first water-resistant watch, the Oyster.

Rolex really began its life in making dive watches with Panerai. True enough, early Panerai watches contain Rolex movements, and for a while in the 1930s, the Swiss and Italian companies worked together on military dive watches based on Panerai asking Rolex to help it produce timepieces for the Italian Navy. Rolex learned from this experience but it was not until the 1950s that Rolex would release its own dive watch. The original Rolex Submariner began a long era of experimentation and improvement.

The original ref. 6204 was produced for a year or less, and even that same year a few other versions of the Rolex Submariner were being produced or planned. In fact, for most of its early life, the Rolex Submariner went through an intense series of not only evolutionary steps, but also design experimentation. This has led to an extremely rich area for collectors because so many versions existed early on in the model's history.

Today the Rolex Submariner is sized at 40mm wide, which is no larger than medium by most watch standards. The original 1953 Rolex Submariner was just 37mm wide. It was also water resistant to just 100 meters. Rolex quickly increased that to near 200 meters and today the Rolex Submariner is known by everyone to be water resistant to 300 meters. As a dive watch, the original Rolex Submariner has a rotating dive-style timing bezel as well as the iconic case shape that has more or less been represented by all the Rolex Submariner models that came after it.

Aside from the very different dial text compared to most other Rolex Submariner models, the most notable difference is the lack of "Mercedes Benz star" style hour hand. A key element of the Rolex Submariner is the distinct hour hand, designed as such to look different than the minute hand for easy under-water reading. Rolex didn't get to that until a bit later. The hour markers on the original Rolex Submariner persist today, but Rolex experimented with various versions soon after the ref. 6204 was released. Another interesting design feature is the gold-toned hands and hour markers, which persisted on various Rolex Submariner models through the 1950s.

Given that the Rolex Submariner is such an iconic and popular watch today, it is interesting to see how it all started. The full history of the Rolex Submariner, why Rolex produced it, how they marketed it, and the many versions that followed is the subject for several books. So we'll end this article with that, and if you happen to find one of these ultra-rare Rolex Submariner watches, consider yourself incredibly lucky.

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The new sports watch from Rolex for 2015 was an interesting version of the Rolex Yacht-Master presented in an 18k Everose gold case with a Cerachrom black ceramic bezel matched to a new strap Rolex calls the Oysterflex. The 2015 Yacht-Master is actually two watches and each has slight, but important differences. First is the 40mm-wide Yacht-master 116655, but you should also be aware of the interesting 37mm-wide Yacht-Master 268655 version. aBlogtoWatch debuted the Rolex Yacht-Master 116655 for 2015 in Everose gold and ceramic here.

While the watch is gold (which means it is expensive), it is nevertheless a great looking sports watch. While it is true that many people consider a true Rolex sports watch to have a steel case, there is an emerging market for precious metal sport watches as a lifestyle item. At least with Rolex, you know it also has a lot of durability and thought behind it. I am curious to know what people's thoughts are on what is a great-looking sports piece with the 2015 Rolex Yacht-Master, even though it is more than double the price of, say, a steel Rolex Submariner.

The Yacht-Master has always existed in an interesting place within Rolex's sport watch family. When it first debuted, it was meant to be a more high-end lifestyle type of sport watch compared to the more utilitarian Submariner or GMT-Master. The Yacht-Master was never meant to be a professional diving watch or something for pilots. If anything, it was meant to be a watch for people who sail on or own yachts. That means there is a degree of activity to their life and some water resistance is necessary, but so is style and status. So what does all that mean for the rather radically new Rolex Yacht-Master that nevertheless very much lives within the larger current generation Rolex Yacht-Master family

In our debut post of the Rolex Yacht-Master 116655, I more or less laid out the technical details of what Rolex has presented for us in 2015, and now, after some hands-on time with the new Rolex Yacht-Master, I am going to fill in some details and other insights after Rolex explained what this new watch is all about.

In person, the Rolex Yacht-Master 116655 is just as handsome if not more handsome than it is in Rolex's (typically immaculate) press images. I've always been a fan of mixing gold and the color black - something which you can find in other Rolex models from time to time if you look for it. What immediately comes to mind is the Rolesor (two-tone) Rolex Submariner with a gold and steel case and a black dial. The Rolex Yacht-Master in 18k Everose gold (Rolex's own unique alloy of rose gold that does not fade over time) mixed with black ceramic does some interesting things visually and is an extremely different (albeit obviously in the same family) watch as the Rolex Submariner. While the Submariner has a glossy Cerachrom black ceramic bezel with engraved markers, the 116655 Rolex Yacht-Master's Cerachrom ceramic bezel is in matte black with the markers in deep relief (like other Rolex Yacht-Master bezels which are in precious metal).

The matte black color and texture of the Rolex Yacht-Master bezel is echoed on the dial - which again is very rarely matte on a modern Rolex sports watch. This makes for a cool look that is both a bit more legible and aggressive looking than the slightly glossy Rolex Oyster sport watches we are used to. Of course, with the 116655 Rolex Yacht-Master the hands and hour markers are in 18k Everose gold and polished - which gives the watch that real "Rolex character." It also happens to look nothing like all currently available Rolex Oyster sport watches - not to mention other Rolex Yacht-Master timepieces. For this reason alone, I think watch lovers will take keen interest in the Rolex Yacht-Master 116655.

While 2015 saw Rolex release the exciting new 3255 automatic movement in the Day-Date 40 watch collection, the 40mm Rolex Yacht-Master 116655 contains the existing Rolex caliber 3135 automatic movement that is of course COSC Chronometer certified. The 3135 is the same movement you'll find in some other Rolex watches - namely the Rolex Submariner Date watch. With that said, it is interesting to report that the 37mm-wide Rolex Yacht-Master 268655 has a completely different and actually newer Rolex movement. Inside the 37mm-wide Rolex Yacht-Master is the Rolex caliber 2236 which we debuted here during Baselworld 2014. Rolex announced the 2236 movement as the first Rolex caliber to contain Syloxi (Rolex's name for their silicon balance spring), and it is contained in a woman's watch.

Men wanting to experience a Rolex watch with silicon parts now have an option - well sort of. The 37mm Rolex Yacht-Master 268655 will certainly find itself on some men's wrists, although it is certainly a smaller watch and will more than likely be seen as a ladies piece. Will some people prefer the 268655 model over the 116655 given their preference of the newer 2236 movement? I wonder...

I will admit that it has been a while since I've taken a close look at Rolex Yacht-Master watches, as my interest in other Rolex timepieces has eclipsed this collection. I don't recall them having this shape of case though, which looks a lot more sporty and modern compared to older Rolex Yacht-Master cases that felt like a picture between a Submariner and a Datejust case in terms of style (which essentially they were). As an Oyster case, the Rolex Yacht-Master is still water resistant to 100 meters. So yeah, I am pretty sure that, in addition to everything else, there have been some refinements to the case of the Yacht-Master compared to the outgoing models.That last statement has an important implication - which is that the new Oysterflex strap (which Rolex calls a bracelet) only fits on these new 2015 Rolex Yacht-Master watch cases. Rolex is pretty notorious for making it difficult to "part swap" pieces from one Rolex watch to another, and unfortunately, you will not be able to purchase the Oysterflex strap independently.

Oysterflex is pretty cool, actually, and I do hope that Rolex rolls out this new strap option to other watches. We will likely see that in the future, but Rolex isn't saying more about it. Oysterflex is not made from natural rubber, even though it feels almost exactly like it. The structure of the bracelet begins with a metal "blade" (a titanium nickel alloy) that creates a base shape and allows it to fit securely. One of the most interesting elements on the strap are the "fins" underneath that are designed to create a cushion between the strap and your wrist. This allows for your wrist to expand and contract a bit while the strap remains comfortable and snug, and also helps vent the inner part of the strap a bit on hot days. It is a great feeling strap made out of an "elastomer" material which is connected to an 18k rose gold deployant clasp.

There are two downsides to the Oysterflex that some collectors might find. First is that the strap does not fit flush with the Yacht-master case. I agree that straps and bracelets look really nice when they fit flush with the watch case. I have no doubt there is a reason for how Rolex designed the end of the strap - there is pretty much a [good] reason for everything that Rolex does. My guess is that given the material of the strap, it simply would not look nice right up against the case as the strap moved around. The second issue is limited adjustability. The Oysterflex strap will come in six different sizes and you'll need to choose the right fit for you when you buy it. There is some micro-adjustability in the deployant clasp but you'll need to choose only one strap option. Even cutting the straps to size is not really and option because of the metal part in the strap. You'll get a nice clean look with this decisions, but you can't share watches with friends and if you ever do, you'll need to purchase another Oysterflex strap directly from Rolex.

As I talked about when we first announced these 2015 ref. 116655 and 268655 Rolex Yacht-Master Everose and ceramic watches, it seems as though Rolex is both listening to its core enthusiast demographic and also respecting the heritage that makes Rolex... well, Rolex. That is a tough job and really what Rolex tries to do with care and attention each year. I think a lot of people are going to like this new black and gold Rolex Yacht-Master with its chic sporty look and novel strap. Let's hope that some of its features and style continue to trickle down to more Rolex timepieces in the future. 

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If you look at many of the most popular watch brands, you'll notice that their collections usually contain a few (or many) classics whose names have been around for years. Brands like Rolex don't really release new models, but rather continue to improve on their core collection over time. Models like the Submariner and Datejust have been around for generations. Other brands also keep tradition alive by continuing to offer modern versions of designs that have proved successful for many years. To recognize and help suggest those watches which are "living legends" we've come up with a list of the top 10 worth owning. To be clear, to be a living legend, a watch must have historic roots and still be produced today. We know we couldn't include them all so mention your favorites in the comments below.

1. Rolex Submariner

It was 1954 that Rolex originally released the Submariner, and the watch industry hasn't been the same since. The Submariner was never released as a luxury product, but rather a professional diver's watch that anyone could enjoy. It attained a cult status for being a damn good sports watch and later in the 1980s when the mechanical watch gained a more luxury status and Rolex began its long path to become the world's most desirable luxury timepiece brand. The Submariner is their most popular model for good reason. Durable and legible, its slick style remains timeless, and most importantly - suitable for most any man (and many women) regardless of look, style, or age. It goes without saying that the perennially good design of the Rolex Submariner is alive and well today in its newest renditions featuring 40mm wide cases available in steel, two-tone, or 18k white or yellow gold. Pricey with an average price of about $8,500, but sure to be timeless and retain value. rolex.com

2. Omega Speedmaster

Regardless of price, prestige, history or technology, the Omega Speedmaster is widely considered to be the quintessential sports chronograph. You want a handsome but not showy chronograph with a great history, distinctive look, and a long enough life to offer many different versions? That's a Speedmaster. Why? The Omega Speedmaster was good enough for NASA and one was strapped to Buzz Aldrin for his 1969 moonwalk. The Moonwatch is basically the Submariner of chronographs, there are lots of versions, plenty in the used market, they hold their value well and have evolved relatively slowly. Whether you fancy a manually wound 3570.50 or the updated co-axial automatic Speedmaster 9300, you really cannot go wrong and you'll own a piece of horological history Priced from about $4,500 - $8,700 for steel versions.. omegawatches.com 

3. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Facing bankruptcy in the expanding wake of the quartz revolution, the Royal Oak is the watch that saved Audemars Piguet and made them the brand they are today. Knowing they needed revolution and not evolution, Audemars Piguet brought in none other than Gerald Genta to design a watch that could introduce the brand to a bigger market. Genta created the AP Royal Oak ref 5402ST which launched in 1972 with a price tag so aggressive that not only did it vastly exceed the price of any of its competition, it even out-priced most gold watches on the market. The world had no reference for a steel luxury sport watch, making the Royal Oak an all-in play by Audemars Piguet. While the Royal Oak may have been a polarizing idea from its inception, it created a new watch archetype, the luxury steel sport watch, and acceptance grew fast enough to keep Audemars Piguet in business and the distinctive Genta design is a now an integral part of their brand iconography Starting around $20,000. audemarspiguet.com

4. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso

1931 saw the debut of the Reverso, which was one of the original partnerships between Jaeger and LeCoultre, which subsequently merged to form a singular brand. From the start the Reverso was destined to be a high-end watch being made for members of Britain's elite society as a timepiece to be worn while playing polo in then colonial India. While the flipping case concept seems simple by today's standards, it proved complex to initially industrialize. The rectangular case originally flipped to display a solid metal back to protect itself. The art deco styling and handsome mannerisms of the angular timepiece made it a quick hit among high-society folk especially in Europe. The middle of the 20th century saw a halt to Reverso production and it wasn't until the 1980s that the Reverso started to come back. This was especially the case in the last 20 years. Its handsome styling is of course classic, but also timeless and inherently masculine. Jaeger-LeCoultre has also offered a dizzying array of Reverso styles and sizes to appeal to most luxury watch customers. The Reverso case and movement are made totally in-house by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Prices average around $10,000. jaeger-lecoultre.com

5. Rolex Datejust

Easily Rolex's most fundamental watch, the Datejust has been around since 1945 when Rolex added a date feature to their Bubbleback watch.  The Datejust is evidence to what Rolex believes to be most essential in a watch. Rolex is a conservative brand and the Datejust is their most practical model, offering everything you need in an everyday piece and nothing more. While a 41mm version was launched in 2009, the Datejust was previously available only in smaller sizes including 36mm (mens), 31mm (mid size) and 26mm for the ladies. This enduring model has been worn by many famous individuals including President Dwight Eisenhower, literally countless actors, and even Tony Soprano. One of the quintessential Rolex models, the Datejust offers excellent versatility, working just as well with jeans and a t-shirt as it would with a suit and tie. Prices start around $9,000 (for the Datejust II), but the sky is the limit if you like yellow gold and pave diamonds. rolex.com 

6. Tag Heuer Monaco

The Heuer Monaco was launched in 1969 as one of the first automatic chronographs in existence and one that Jack Heuer named in honor of the famous Monaco GP Formula One course. With its square case and now-famous Calibre 11 automatic movement, the Monaco was even seen on Steve McQueen's wrist in the 1971 film Le Mans. An absolute classic in the chronograph world, the Monaco was discontinued after only a few years but the design saw a McQueen reissue in 1998 and was later relaunched by Tag Heuer in 2003. Vintage and limited edition Monacos are extremely desirable and claim a considerable fee in the used market. Whether you're channeling Steve McQueen or Walter White, a Monaco will provide about as unique a wrist presence as can be found today From about $4,500. tagheuer.com 

7. Glashutte Original Senator Navigator

In addition to diver-style watches, the most popular sport watches are pilot-style timepieces - and there are tons of them. Pilot watches are some of the original "big watches" and it is hard to pinpoint exactly who created them first. People tend to agree that many of the early ones were German and Swiss from as early as the 1920s. This particular quintessential design is sometimes referred to by the "B-uhr" name and has been reproduced by dozens of brands. Because we like them, we chose the Original Senator Navigator by Glashutte Original to represent this iconic living legend watch as there is no clear "living parent" to the design. Glashutte Original makes a few pieces in their Original Senator Navigator pilot watch collection with an average price of about $7,000 and they are very high in quality even though they are rare to be found even where Glashutte Original watches are sold. Other brands who offer this design sell them at prices from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars. glashuette-original.com 

8. Breitling Navitimer

The early 1950s heralded in the era of another famous pilot watch - the Navitimer by Breitling. What made this piece famous was its combination of chronograph and slide-rule bezel. While not the first Breitling piece to offer these complications, the Navitimer was quickly adopted by military and professional pilots as a useful tool because in addition to telling time, it was able to offer a range of necessary inflight calculations. This was thanks to the slide-rule and chronograph combo. When cockpits went digital, the utility of the Navitimer subsided, but today many pilots are still trained using traditional analog calculation systems as a backup if electronics fail. The Breitling Navitimer is much more than a tool having attained the status as a high-end tool watch for the discriminating and intelligent active guy. Today, Breitling offers version of the Navitimer with their own in-house movements and it remains one of the brand's top sellers. Price is about $9,000.breitling.com 

9. Cartier Santos

The Cartier Santos is a surprisingly enduring design that is actually quite closely linked with the birth of manned flight. Alberto Santos-Dumont was the first man to achieve sustained flight in a fixed wing aircraft circa 1906. Dumont was close friends with a French jeweler named Louis Cartier and had shared with him the difficulty he experienced when trying to check his pocket watch while flying. Cartier set about to design a wrist-mounted watch that would allow Dumont to view the time without removing a hand from the flight controls. In helping Dumont with a practical problem, Cartier created the first pilot's watch and likely kick-started the trend of men wearing watches on their wrists, which was generally only done by women at the time. The original Santos design lives on today as the Santos 100 in which the distinctive square-style case and roman numeral dial have been updated to a modern 51 x 41.3 mm size. The Santos has endured because of both its origins and its functional sporting design which looks great despite being over 100 years old. Starting from about $6,700. cartier.com 

10. IWC Portuguese

The story of the IWC Portuguese collection starts with its name. According to IWC, a group of Portuguese ship merchants traveled to their manufacture in Switzerland in the 1930s asking for a legible and highly precise watch able to be worn while onboard a ship. At the time it was necessary to have precise marine chronometer clocks while at sea because there was no way for the ship to update its clocks while far from land. The men from Portugal wanted precise wrist watches as opposed to having to rely on stationary clocks. While it is unknown how precise these original clocks ended up being, what is known is that the watches to come out of the relationship proved very popular. Their design is based on ship instrumentation and marine clocks, and they remain extremely popular sellers for IWC today. The Portuguese comes in a range of styles but each has that large-size dial look with applied Arabic numerals and properly proportioned hands. To many, it is watch design perfection, and by all accordingly a living legend. Average price is about $10,000. iwc.com

Notable Top 10 Living Legend Watch runner-ups: Breguet Classique, Bell & Ross BR 01, Junghans Max Bill, Patek Philippe 5270, Patek Philippe Nautilus, Panerai Marina Luminor, Hublot Big Bang, Rolex Daytona, and Movado Museum Dial.

 This article was jointly produced by Ariel Adams & James Stacey

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The Apple Watch can be outfitted with many different bands, from a simple synthetic strap to high-end leathers. But one band caught my attention from the get-go, back when the watch was first revealed last year.

It's called the "Milanese loop." You have undoubtedly seen it because many of the review watches that were distributed to the media came with this band. It's a delicate silvery mesh that combines a metal-link-style bracelet (think: Rolex Submariner dive watch) with a buckled strap.

The closure on the loop is magnetic so the wearer can strap the Apple Watch securely to his or her wrist. It combines the precise adjustability of a strap with the durability and style of a link bracelet, minus the imprecise bracelet sizing that many folks with smaller wrists don't like.

The Milanese loop, naturally, was created in Milan. As WatchPro.com noted, the style was popular in the 19th century, a time when wristwatches were typically rather demure and seen as jewelry, mainly for women (men carried pocket watches).

Metal mesh bracelets were in the wristwatch mix for decades and looked particularly relevant during the Art Deco period of the early 20th century. In the post-World War II era, however, Milanese loops became more of an offbeat choice. Writing for WatchPro, Kathryn Bishop pointed out that the style became a signature for Skagen, a Danish brand that specializes in very thin watches; the more delicate Milanese loop makes sense with this type of timepiece.

Elsewhere, link bracelets and straps, as well as a type of closure called a "deployant" (a strap that doesn't buckle), have ruled the watch world. The trend in luxury watches and less-expensive timepieces alike has been toward larger and larger faces – 40 millimeters and up is the default for men these days – and big watches don't get along very well with a delicate mesh band. Thick, distressed leather bands, chunky link bracelets, and aftermarket stuff like militaristic Nato and Zulu straps are what we've seen.

Until the Apple Watch came along.

The Milanese loop made an immediate and early appearance in promos for the Apple Watch. If you searched "Milanese loop" online back in 2013, you would have gotten a bunch of obscure results. Do it now and you get sent right to the Apple Watch. I'd go far as to say that the Apple Watch is now inextricably associated with the Milanese loop.

In fact, the loop works very well with the stainless-steel version of the Apple Watch, which is fairly thin, as watches go. It also allows the watch to take center stage (center wrist?), something that's important for the Apple Watch, given that it is designed to have a much more active screen than the typical watch's face. Finally, because the Apple Watch is square, an unusual form factor in the luxury watch world, the mesh loop allows that unique shape to stand out.

The Milanese loop has always been a good choice for men in particular who do not have the large wrists that accommodate link-style bracelets. But the fine metal mesh came off a perhaps insufficiently masculine, and the burly nature of a lot of big sport watches didn't help.

Many men who haven't been wearing watches – they've got smartphones, thanks – are going to buy the Apple Watch, and plenty of those guys are going to go for the Milanese loop.

So good work, Apple, in reviving a classic band that had fallen completely by the wayside. The watch world rejoices!

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To some, a watch simply tells time. To others, it is a work of art worth discussing and collecting.

If you nodded in agreement on the latter, you should absolutely be following these seven watch connoisseurs on Instagram. It's a great way to keep up with all the best new and vintage timepieces to source for your collection. 

Atom Moore: @atommoore

Atom Moore is the photographer for analog/shift, an online shop for vintage and luxury timepieces. A self-proclaimed watch nerd, Moore is also the official lensman for the #RedBarCrew, a watch collector club in New York City. His feed is full of detail shots that leave you wishing for more.  

David Bredan: @abtw_david

This watch enthusiast is based in Budapest, Hungary and is the managing editor of aBlogToWatch. All of the photos on his Instagram — a mix of detail and wide shots — are original.  

Isaac J. Wingold: @isaacwin

Wingold's Instagram bio says it all: "Watch enthusiast, collector, and lead contributor to Wound For Life." If you're a fan of Rolex and Panerai, you won't be disappointed. 

QueueCumber: @_queuecumber_

His name may be a mystery, but his watch collection is no secret. Check out a variety of watches and see which pieces he has available for purchase. Fun fact: his first watch was a manual-wind Ingersoll Mickey Mouse watch.

Su Jia Xian: @watchesbysjx

If you're looking for a watch expert trusted by watch companies, auction houses, and collectors, SJX is your man. Based in Singapore, this freelance journalist runs his own blog and made Chronos Japan magazine's list of "Who's Who of the World's Watch Persons" in 2014.

Chester Lau: @ponderingsteward  

As a watch collector and writer for Deployant, Lau reviews luxury watches and covers horological lifestyle. His tastes range from vintage Art Deco Jeager-LeCoultre to jaw-dropping skeleton watches. He also posts photos from launch parties and major watch world events. 

Frank T: @frankswatches

Frank takes a more artsy, creative approach to sharing his obsession with luxury timepieces. He likes to photograph watches in interesting settings — in the snow, next to booze, on a bed of wood chips. He posts just about every day, sometimes twice a day. 

SEE ALSO: Don't buy the Apple Watch – buy a real watch instead

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NOW WATCH: 3 Watches You Should Wear If You Want To Impress People

Two months after the Kennedy administration barred Americans from any transactions with Cuba, Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev hosted Fidel Castro on April 27, 1963, in Castro's first visit to the USSR.

This photo from Castro's 40-day visit to the USSR features Khrushchev and a bunch of Soviets smiling while Castro, wearing two Rolex watches, lights up a Cuban cigar in front of a Karl Marx portrait in the Kremlin.

Some blogs have noted that Castro may have worn two Rolexes to easily follow the local time in both Cuba and Moscow.

During his trip, Castro visited multiple Russian cities, factories, and military bases, and he brokered a deal to receive free Soviet military equipment while providing Russia with sugar.

SEE ALSO: Here's a great photo of Angela Merkel and Barack Obama hanging out at the G-7 summit

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"Cost of Entry" is a new column series on aBlogtoWatch that explores what it costs to purchase the least expensive model offered by a popular watch company.

In each installment, we will seek out and discuss in detail the most affordable currently available model from some of the most desirable watch brands on the market.

We will mostly focus on men's watches unless we specifically mention otherwise.

The goal is to discover what the cost of entry is if you want to own a new watch from many of the most famous brands as well as some of our favorites.

Not stopping there, we will also analyze how much you are getting for your money, and perhaps, how much you are missing out on when you consider what qualities the brand is most known for, as well as what some obvious alternatives are.

We decided to start off with none other than Rolex, the brand millions of people around the world aspire to own. 

Over its history, Rolex has grown to become not only a benchmark to which many others in the watch industry are measured but, more importantly, a watch many buy as gifts or for themselves to mark an important moment or achievement in their lives – and while that may sound like marketing speech, in this case, it is a fact that could hardly be argued against.

It would be interesting to find statistical data on the most popular watch designs that Rolex sells, as well as what specific models people around the world most associate with the brand.

Even without exact information, we feel safe in saying that it would have to be the Rolex Datejust and the Submariner – possibly the most copied watch designs in history. However, if you want to get a brand new watch in 2015 that says "Rolex" on the dial – while committing the smallest possible financial outlay – you have to look at another model: the Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

As far as model names are concerned, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual is the quintessential Rolex: while all other pieces in the Oyster collection contain the "Oyster Perpetual" phrase in their name (e.g. Oyster Perpetual Submariner or Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona), here, no extra phrases are added; and with that, you are looking at the most simple, straight-forward Rolex watch that is manufactured today.

Looking beyond the name itself, you will find that all the new-for-2015 Rolex Oyster Perpetual models are available exclusively in steel and that the different sized versions come with a different range of dial color options.

At Baselworld 2015, we went hands-on with the latest, 39 millimeter wide selection of three new watches. Available in a range of sizes at 26, 31, 34, 36 and 39 millimeter wide, they are priced at $4,850 for the 26mm, $5,400 for the 36mm, and $5,700 for the 39mm-wide versions. It is the largest, 39mm version, reference 114300, that we have selected for this feature article because it is the model most men will choose to wear out of all the Oyster Perpetual options.

Equipped with blue, red grape, or dark rhodium colored dials, the latter is arguably for the more mature buyer, the red grape for the ladies – especially since the largest Rolex Oyster Perpetual is still perfectly wearable on the usually smaller wrists of women – and the blue as an elegant all-rounder.

Finding the best match for one's taste and budget is easier than ever, as altogether, there are well over a dozen different options – depending on the size and dial color – in the Rolex Oyster Perpetual collection. Such selection is not always available, and that is especially true for the entry-level collection of many brands out there. 

Let's now see what you are getting and what you are missing out on when going for the base Rolex Oyster Perpetual collection. First of all, and this will not be a surprise to most, you definitely get the uncompromising Rolex quality when it comes to fit, finish, execution, as well as overall wearing comfort – you even get the 18k white gold hands and indices.

The bracelet is Rolex's famous Oyster bracelet in 904L steel, providing exceptional wearing comfort and a versatile appearance that will not look out of place when doing sports or attending a formal event. While the bracelet is certainly very good, it doesn't have some of the more unique deployant features and feels a bit lighter than those on some more expensive Rolex watch models. In other words, this is still very much a Rolex bracelet, but it is the most basic Rolex bracelet available.

As far as the movement is concerned, the in-house made 3132 inside the Oyster Perpetual does feature most all bells and whistles you would expect: Rolex's "paramagnetic" blue Parachrom hairspring with Breguet overcoil, large balance wheel, four gold Microstella regulating screws, as well as the manufacture's own Paraflex shock absorbers have all been fitted to the 3132. The approximately 48-hour-long power reserve is also the same as that of the 3136 movement in the Rolex Datejust II. In other words, you are getting a movement that exists in more expensive watches and one that does not appear to sacrifice any quality simply because it is in a less expensive watch.

So what is it that you may be missing out on? When compared to what may be its direct in-house alternative, also in steel and priced at $7,150, the Rolex Datejust II (reference 116300) will of course offer the date function with a cyclops on the crystal, and notably, add another 2 millimeters in diameter, coming in at 41mm.

Furthermore, the bracelet on the Rolex Datejust II has polished center links as opposed to the all-brushed on the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, and for the premium in price, you also get Rolex's Easylink 5mm comfort extension set into the folding clasp, while the Rolex Oyster Perpetual does not have this feature.

Moving a bit further up in the in-house food-chain of Rolex, we are met by the Rolex Submariner 114060 (the version without the date). Here, the differences are much the same again: the Rolex Submariner comes in at a slightly larger size (40, against 39 millimeters) that actually wears considerably larger thanks to the "boxier" lug design. The Rolex Submariner 114060 comes with the patented Rolex Glidelock fine adjustment clasp that provides an extension of up to 20mm in 2mm increments – a really useful feature, and definitely not just for when diving. Interestingly, with the Rolex Oyster Perpetual's 3132 movement, you do get Rolex's own Paraflex shock absorption system, while the arguably sportier, much more of a tool-watch-like Rolex Submariner's caliber 3130 does not have this feature.

Last but not least, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual has 100 meters of water resistance, while the Rolex Submariner has been tested for up to 300 meters. However, if you want to consider going for the more rugged – and certainly more "famous" and recognized - look of the Rolex Submariner, you have to shell out $1,800 extra to come up with the $7,500 sticker price of the "No-Date Sub."

Leaving these dry specifications aside for a moment, we must bring in the argument of which of the two are more versatile. The Rolex Submariner has for ages been touted as the all-rounder watch that looks as good with a suit as it performs well in the open sea.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual tones things a bit down with an aesthetic that is a bit more formal, albeit, with its three-piece Oyster bracelet and smooth bezel, it still shows quite a bit of old-school strength that makes it not look out of place when taken out of air conditioned offices.

Having compared it to two in-house alternatives, let's now see what else is out there that you may want to consider before pulling the trigger on the new Rolex Oyster Perpetual. Staying for a moment longer within the realms of Rolex, we bring you the Tudor Style (of which a full review is coming up the day after this has been published). Available in 38mm and 41mm sizes, the Tudor Style watches on the leather straps as seen here have a retail price of $2,200 or $2,325, while the same watches on steel bracelets are $2,300 and $2,425, respectively. That is about $3,400 less than the Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

What you lose out on here – beyond the Rolex name, of course – is a manufacture Rolex movement, as the Tudor comes with a 2824 caliber. The 2824 runs at a modern 4Hz frequency, offers a date indication at 3, as well as a less contemporary 38 hours of power reserve – almost half a day less than that of the Rolex. Also, on some Tudor Style models, the particular materials and finishes have some serious legibility issues, meaning that they end up being much harder to read that the Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

Another option is the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial, a range of watches with different dial colors and either a 38.5 or 41.5 millimeter wide case, now sporting Omega's Master Co-Axial in-house calibers. Priced right at around $6,000 for the larger model, the most noteworthy difference here is the 15,000 Gauss anti-magnetic properties of the movement that, thanks to the use of only non-ferrous materials in its construction, can be seen through a sapphire case-back while still remaining to greatly resistant to magnetic fields.

A steel case and bracelet, along with five different dial color combinations is what this collection offers, at a few hundred dollar premium. If anything, the new Omega Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial may be the toughest competitor of the Oyster Perpetual.

Throughout this series, we will always try and find both in-house as well as "external" alternatives to the Cost of Entry timepiece, as in today's luxury watch market, there simply is too much competition in any and every price segment to be reckoned with. However, we started this article by saying that we were setting out to discover the model with the most moderate price tag in a famous brand's line-up and in doing so, we have established that "you definitely get the uncompromising Rolex quality when it comes to fit, finish, execution."

In conclusion, as we have seen just above, with the 39mm-wide Rolex Oyster Perpetual 114300 you do get just about everything that makes a Rolex "a Rolex." With that said, Rolex is certainly holding back features which are available in more expensive models. Compared to other great offerings from the manufacture, the more notable features you sacrifice when getting the Rolex Oyster Perpetual are the date indication and one of those clever bracelet extension solutions. Arguably, the lack of a date function may be a deal-breaker for some (but then again, those are hardly considering the Rolex Oyster Perpetual in the first place), while not having the bracelet extension is a considerable, but certainly not indispensable extra.

When compared to Tudor and Omega, we have seen that Tudor comes to battle with a major advantage in price but misses out on the prestige and refinement of a Rolex manufacture movement, while Omega stays in the same price range but offers considerable anti-magnetic properties.

And yet, at the end of the day, if you want to get a beautiful, restrained Rolex with a great dial in blue, grey or purple boasting perfect symmetry, plus you prefer a smooth crystal without a cyclops, then the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 114300 will more than likely make a great choice and a strong and recommendable entry into the world of Rolex.

In essence, if you like its discreet design and straight-forward functionality, we can say that you will certainly not be disappointed if you put your money towards the entry-level Rolex in 2015, i.e., the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39mm 114300 in steel – priced, again, at $5,700. rolex.com

SEE ALSO: 10 affordable watches that even watch snobs will appreciate

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NOW WATCH: Forget the Apple Watch — here's the new watch everyone on Wall Street wants

The Rolex Explorer II, reference 216570, along with the Submariner, GMT Master, and the Datejust, constitute Rolex's most popular watches.

While the Explorer model, like the others, is a child of the late 1950s; unlike the others, it has two current models, both popular, but also quite different.

The first model, the Rolex Explorer, is 39mm and is closest to the original version, while the Explorer II is 42mm and more adapted to modern tastes.

In this post, I review the latter model.

And while any of the Rolex Explorer models make for a solid tool watch, in this review, I am not taking it to some mountain trekking odyssey, but instead I am doing modern day exploration.

My account is based on taking it for a month long journey to Asia, exploring a distant land, an ancient people, and a fascinating culture: China.

First off, the Rolex Explorer was one of the first wristwatches to be designed for exploration, in particular, exploring new lands and varied terrains. While today, a Casio ProTrek or similar solar-powered multifunction watch will serve you well on a distant trek, in the 1950s and early 1960s when real exploration of the poles and the high peaks of the world was taking place, no quartz watch existed. And even today, if you were to attempt to explore the earth's pole or climb Mt. Everest, the Rolex Explorer might still be a better choice than a quartz device, since these suffer when exposed to high and low temperatures and depend on an external source of power. However, the Rolex Explorer II is guaranteed to work as well as it does day to day even under extreme temperature gradients and with no source of power, except wearing it daily and moving a bit (or winding the crown).

So while in my own “expedition” with the Rolex Explorer II, I was not taking it to extreme conditions, I did take it to what is a somewhat typical modern day traveling journey, including airports, business meetings, business outings, the gym, and also visiting the outdoors in a distant land. In all cases, what was great was the Rolex Explorer II never felt out of place.

At the airport, the first step was to set the local and home time to PDT. As the plane took off and we got an indication of the time in Beijing, using the quick set feature on the hour hand, I simply pulled the crown and moved it forward about 8 timezones for the time in China. Interestingly, unlike many large countries, China has one timezone! It does not matter if you are in the east or western part of China, there is just one. Makes it easy for doing business, I suppose, though I imagine Chinese get a very different experience of time over the year depending on what side of the country they live on.

A great thing about Rolex sports watches, especially modern versions, is that they tend to be multipurpose. That is, they fit well into both business and casual situations as well as the more sporty settings for which they were specifically designed. So during my month long visit, and with various meetings at all levels of the organization, I never had to use any other watch, really. The Rolex Explorer II fit in great.

Its imposing 42mm all-brushed stainless steel case (water resistant to 100 meters) could be a minor issue if you needed to button up for a formal event, as it sits 12mm high on the wrist. However, that was never the case for me, and it fit great under all of my shirts, even when wearing a sports jacket in the cold grey late winter evenings of Beijing.

Besides casual usages while visiting the vast city of Beijing, the occasion I had which most suited the Rolex Explorer II’s origin was when I took a half day trip to the Great Wall of China. First off, the Great Wall is nothing short of extraordinary, spanning miles and miles. The people of this great land constructed a 20-foot wide wall that serpentines the high mountains of northern China, helping separate it from centuries of Mongol invasions. It is commonly considered as one of the seven wonders of the world and for long the only man-made structure visible from outer space.

Getting to the section of the Great Wall our visit meant taking a roller coaster-like small car that took us hundreds of feet into the mountain and into the Wall proper. Of course, once there, comes the fun part. Depending on your fitness level and the time before dawn, you can easily walk and climb this amazing structure for miles and miles. I challenged myself to at least get to four towers, which round trip would be about a hilly 10k. Heck, I had just completed a full Ironman less than a year ago, how bad could this be?

Of course, the Rolex Explorer II was never the issue during my Wall trek, but rather my knees and my feet walking and climbing this amazing structure. Of course, I was also carrying my DSLR camera and made sure to stop, take a breathe, and take some pictures of the vast landscape. The weather was clear, so the view went on for miles. The white face of the Rolex Explorer II was never out of place. And I was very happy to use the 5mm easy link extension to relieve my wrist after a hard day hiking under the sun.

Like many of the modern Rolex sports watches, the Rolex Explorer II comes with the modern Oyster bracelet fully brushed (just like the Submariner), and it is just plain comfortable and screams high quality. The Rolex bracelets are, just like any genuinely well engineered bracelet, adjustable with screws where one can remove full links or half links. Also, the bracelet tapers from 21mm at the lugs to 17mm at the oyster clasp, thereby resulting in a highly wearable 42mm watch. The clasp includes the protective Rolex Oyster lock, but unlike the Submariner, there are no quick adjustments except for the 5mm oyster link which I mentioned makes it easy to extend or reduce the bracelet by 5mm during the day as your wrist expands and contracts.

The Rolex Explorer II comes fitted with the Rolex 3187 caliber which I found to be super accurate (as it is COSC chronometer certified, like all Rolex calibers) and easy to use. It also contains Rolex’s Paraflex system which helps improve the watch’s resistance to shocks, as well as the brand's Parachrom anti-magnetic hairspring so as to render the movement more resistant to magnetic fields. The quick hour adjust works like a charm, and the date can be advanced forward using this feature. The large orange GMT hand is easily visible and points brilliantly to the black 24-hour markers on the bezel.

The Rolex "Mercedes" hour hand (originally designed to appear totally different to the minute hand for easy legibility) and the minutes hand are larger, bolder than their counterparts on the Submariner or GMT Master II. Also, here they are outlined in black paint and filled with blue Chromalight, whereas on other Rolex models, they tend to be done in 18k white gold. The look is pretty unique to the Rolex Explorer II in Rolex’s line up and has acquired the moniker of "maxi-hands" from collectors. The rest of the dial is in the iconic white “polar” color with cardinal markers and hour markers (round), also with a black painted outline, completing the unique – and uniquely legible – maxi-dial.

While clearly remaining a Rolex with the classic oyster case, the cyclops on the crystal, and the famous Rolex dial, this model is less common than the Submariner and GMT Master II, easily making it the more interesting Rolex if you want a solid sports watch from the famous brand – and hence it is one that you will more rarely see anyone else wearing during the day. As a matter of fact, during my entire time traveling to China, I only spotted one other person wearing a Rolex Explorer II (black dial), though I spotted countless other Rolex sports watches.

So while the Rolex Explorer II 216570 is not necessarily my absolute favorite Rolex stainless steel sports watch, its imposing size, easy wearability, and lack of popularity make it one that I often go to when I need a modern multi-purpose watch that I can wear for business, casual, or for sporty occasions – and yet that is not a common one. For this exact reason, the Rolex Explorer II was a great companion for my travels, exploring the great land of China and earned a special place in my permanent collection. Price for the Rolex Explorer II 216570 is $8,100. rolex.com

Necessary Data

• Brand: Rolex
• Model: Explorer II reference 216570
• Price: $8,100
• Size: 42mm wide (45mm with crown) and 12.5mm high and 49mm lug to lug
• Weight: 150g with a few links removed to fit my 6.25-inch wrist
• Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes
• Friend we'd recommend it to first: Anyone who is looking to buy his first Rolex but hates the fact that the brand is so popular and commonly seen.
• Worst characteristic of watch: There is really not much wrong with this watch. If I had to nit pick, I’d say that the maxi-hands can appear to be too large, however, it grew on me quickly and is now one of my favorite characteristics of the watch.
• Best characteristic of watch: The dial: iconic, legible, and visible from far. 

SEE ALSO: Here's why the Oyster Perpetual is a fantastic starter Rolex

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NOW WATCH: Take a tour of the $367 million jet that will soon be called Air Force One

In the old days, secrecy and discretion were the rule for Mexican drug lords.

Take Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, for example. Known as “the world’s most powerful trafficker,” the 60-year-old only appears in a handful of pictures.

He does not need to cultivate his fame, especially since his latest MacGyver-style escape from a Mexican prison attracted a worldwide media coverage.

Things have started to change with the rise of social media and the rise of a new generation of narco-traffickers. This new breed of young drug barons loves to brag on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, showing off their flashy lifestyles like soccer stars.

Drug dealing in Mexico has become public and ostentatious for two reasons.

First, drug cartels have become so powerful that they show absolutely no fear when confronting or being dismantled by the Mexican security forces.

Their organizations have infiltrated most, if not all levels of government. El Chapo’s recent flee, for instance, which is rumored to have been staged and used by the Mexican government as a way to let him go, shows the omnipotence of the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Second, in times of economic hardship, the flamboyant lives of drug barons are appealing to millions of young and poor Mexicans abandoned by the state, who failed to restore peace and security under the presidencies of Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto.

On their social media profiles, the modern narcotraffickers post pictures of their planes, drugs, luxurious cars, ladies, gold-plated guns, posh houses and Swiss watches.

Twenty-five years after Pablo Escobar and his gold Rolex, Swiss watches remain the most popular sign of wealth among the narcos in 2015. They appear to wear rare limited editions worth hundreds of thousand dollars as well as much more affordable models.

To better understand the reach of Swiss luxury brands among the Mexican drug lords, we analyzed the social-network profiles of three high ranking members of the Sinaloa cartel: Ivan and Alfredo Guzmán, two of the most influential sons of El Chapo Guzmán, and José Rodrigo Aréchiga-Gamboa, alias “El Chino Ántrax,” who was a rising star of the organisation — leader of the cartel’s violent gang named “Los Ántrax” – before his arrest in Netherlands at the request of the US authorities in late 2013.

Here is a top six of the favorite Swiss watches luxury brands appearing on their profiles — ranked by the number of models per brand and overall value.

Sources and background information are discussed below. Not all models were included because of issues with identification (bad quality of pictures, etc.) and for clarity.

1. Richard Mille

The small brand from Les Breuleux, in the Swiss Jura mountains, was founded in 1999 by French businessman Richard Mille. It wins the first place in our ranking with 5 appearances for a total of $1.2 million. (It is worth noting that Richard Mille made the headlines recently when Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov was photographed wearing a $620,000 model, raising questions about his wealth.)

The watches and their values in this image are, from left to right: Richard Mille RM 59-01 Tourbillon Yohan Blake limited edition (50 pieces), $710,000; Richard Mille RM 011 Rose Gold Felipe Massa Flyback Chronograph, $109,600; Richard Mille RM 055 Bubba Watson, $115,000; Richard Mille RM 011 Flyback Chronograph Black Phantom, $153,000:

Below, left: Richard Mille RM 055 Bubba Watson, $115,000. Right: Audemars Piguet (see section on this brand):

2. Hublot

Although it was created in the 1980s, Hublot only found its real success after Jean-Claude Biver took over the management section in 2003. Hublot is in second position with a total of five models valued at $607,200.

Below: Hublot King Power Miami 305 Limited Edition (10 pieces), $476,800:

Below: Hublot Big Bang Steel Pavé 41 mm, 114 Diamonds, $23,600:

Hublot King Power Unico King Gold Pavé, $58,200:

Hublot Big Bang Gold Ceramic 44mm, $30,360 euros:

Hublot Big Bang Steel Diamonds 44mm, $18,700:

3. Rolex 

Rolex is among the most powerful brands in the world. It is the only Swiss label to have made it to the wrists of two generations of the world’s most notorious drug lords, from Pablo Escobar to the Guzmáns. 

With six watches, Rolex ranks before Hublot in terms of appearances, but their total value is well below, at only $130,200.

Below is a Rolex Oyster Day-Date 36mm Yellow Gold, $21,200:

Rolex GMT-Master II Oyster 40mm Steel and Yellow Gold 18 Carat, $12,400:

Left: Rolex Yacht Master II 44mm, $24,000. Right: Rolex GMT-Master II Oyster 40mm Steel and Yellow Gold 18 Carat, $12,400:

Left: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Steel and Yellow Gold, $16,000. Right: Rolex Sky-Dweller Oyster 42mm Yellow Gold 18 Carat, $44,000:

4. Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875. Based in Le Brassus, in the Swiss Canton of Vaud, it is one of the oldest watch manufacturers still owned by its founding family. With only two appearances, Audemars Piguet is ranking in 4th position. The two watches' value is however pretty high, at $395,000.

These include:

– Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Carbone, $339,400 (refer to the image in Richard Mille’s section).

– Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 18 Carat Pink Gold, $554,600:

5. Urwerk 

This is a surprise appearance in our ranking: Urwerk is a “niche” watchmaker founded in 1995 in Geneva. It is producing between 100 and 150 pieces per year.

Marion Baudino, a spokesperson for Urwerk, was excited to learn that one of the brand's models was worn by one of El Chapo’s sons: “Ivan Guzmán is presenting a side of his personality. By showing his taste for nice cars and nice watches, he is trying to define himself in front of his thousands of followers on the social networks. By wearing an Urwerk, Ivan Guzman is raising his credibility. We have an online club for our clients, but he did not register.” 

Below: An Urwerk UR-210 RG, worth between $109,600 and $164,000:

6. Romain Jerome

Romain Jerome is a new name among Swiss luxury watchmakers, but the model on El Chino’s wrist dates from several years back.

Below is a Romain Jerome Titanic Chrono Red Gold Limited Edition (2012 pieces), worth $35,800.

Sources and background information

Our conclusions stem from the analysis of different social-media accounts belonging first to the ex-leader of the armed wing of the Sinaloa cartel named “Los Ántrax,” José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa (35 years old), who is also known as “El Chino Ántrax.” He was arrested as part of the DEA Operation Narco Polo as he disembarked from KLM Flight 686 Mexico City- Amsterdam at the Schiphol Airport in December 2013. 

He was caught using the fake identity of Norberto Sicairos-Garcia. His capture notably brought the DEA, Interpol and other security agencies closer to their primary objective in the year 2014: arrest El Chapo. It also led to the death of his supposed girlfriend, Yuriana Castillo Torres, who was abducted and then found dead on the street in Culiacán, in Sinaloa, Mexico. Extradited to the US and indicted on charges of importing marijuana and cocaine into the US, “El Chino” pled guilty last May.

We also looked at the profiles of two sons of “El Chapo,” Iván Archivaldo Guzmán-Salazar (32 years old) also known as “El Chapito” and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán-Salazar (29 years old) also known as “El Gordo” (“the Fat One”). Both have been indicted in the US.

 These were not random choices. The two sons of El Chapo and El Chino have thousands of admirers. Here is a list of their accounts (we could not verify their authenticity) with the number of followers or likes in parentheses:

• José Rodrigo Aréchiga-Gamboa“El Chino Ántrax” (135 000 admirers in total):

https://instagram.com/miauuuu5_7/ (58 000)
https://twitter.com/comandante57 (39 000)
https://twitter.com/Miauuu5_7 (1 000)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/CHINO-Antrax/1580417675517056?fref=ts (13 000)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chino-antrax/1423206714617137?fref=ts (10 000)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chino-Antrax/1488585071414812?fref=ts (8 000)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chino-antrax/647502882031840?fref=ts (6 000)

• Iván Archivaldo Guzmán-Salazar, “El Chapito”(325 000 followers in total):

https://twitter.com/lvanArchivaIdo (192 000)
https://twitter.com/_IvanGuzman (88 000)
https://twitter.com/Ivan_Guzman (21 000)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ivan-Archivaldo-Guzman/1579988752275513?fref=ts (18 000)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ivan-Archivaldo-Guzman/503433706472751?fref=ts (5 000)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Iv%C3%A1n-Guzm%C3%A1n/119074448433670?fref=ts (1 000)

• Jesús Alfredo Guzmán-Salazar, “El Gordo” (330 000 fans in total):

https://twitter.com/_alfredoguzman (192 000)
https://twitter.com/AlfreditoGuzma/media (138 000)

SEE ALSO: How Mexican officials worked alongside the world's most powerful drug lord

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Inside the dangerous life of Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo'

SEE ALSO: 10 of the best watches to own, according to an expert collector

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NOW WATCH: These are the watches worn by the smartest and most powerful men in the world

At HODINKEE, we like watches. We like them a lot.

And though we do sometimes write about watches that inhabit stratospheric price points, we also know that, realistically speaking, there is not always an absolute connection between price and quality (actually, a lot of the time there's a surprising disconnect, but that's another article).

We know that getting as much bang as possible for the buck is a major pot-sweetener when it comes to picking a watch, and so we went 'round HODINKEE HQ and asked all and sundry to tap a favorite under the magic $5,000 mark.

Read on to find out who picked what and why.

SEE ALSO: This is the world's most underrated Rolex

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NOMOS Tangente

From: Ryan LeFevre, Senior Software Engineer

A strict exercise in Bauhaus design, the Tangente is what I consider to be the quintessential NOMOS. While many manufacturers attempt to show off their technological superiority by cramming as many clever complications into a watch as possible, NOMOS has stripped away everything for the Tangente that is not essential to a watch. Its beautiful symmetry with clean Arabic numerals makes it incredibly easy to read at a glance, and the combination of a bright matte silver dial with blue hands is striking. While it's offered in three separate sizes — 33 mm, 35 mm, and 38 mm — the 38 mm version sits perfectly on my slightly larger than average wrist.

Because the Tangente is manually wound, it also sits closer to the wrist than the automatic Tangomat. It houses the first movement ever designed by NOMOS, the Alpha caliber, which is not only pretty to look at, but is also quite accurate. All of this is offered for only $2,330, which I consider extremely good value for money. Due to a surge in popularity, the value of NOMOS watches can only go up.

Seiko 'Cocktail Time' SARB065

From: Christa Chance, HODINKEE Contributor

Since most of my collection falls well below the $5,000 benchmark, I'm spoiled for choice when it comes to answering this question. My Speedmaster Professional (Lemania cal. 1861) gets the most wrist time, and occupies a special place in my heart and on my wrist. But since our love of Speedmasters is already well known (some might say notorious), I must make a case for the Seiko SARB065 or Cocktail Time. 

Its price point – $480 on most sites – makes it a contender for best value under $500, let alone $5,000. As the Cocktail Time is a model for the Japanese domestic market, you won't find it at Macy's alongside more familiar Seikos in that price range, such as the SKX007. But the Cocktail Time boasts finishing to rival that of a Grand Seiko and a robust, 23-jewel 6R15 automatic movement with hand-winding capabilities, hacking seconds, and a quickest date function.  

And look at that dial. Talk about guilloché. I am enamored with the dial – the delicacy and the mutability of the color, appearing ice blue and slate gray as the light changes, like an Aviation cocktail. 

Despite the domed Hardlex crystal, the watch sits close to the wrist. Its comfortable 40 mm diameter suits men and dainty-wristed ladies like myself. My only complaint about the watch is that the deployant clasp on the strap gets in the way of my desk-diving, so I switched it with a ladies crocodile strap.

I'll drink to that.

Pita Barcelona Oceana Diver's Watch

From: Evald Muraj, HODINKEE Contributor

If you caught last year's Watch I Wore the Most and other such pieces, then you know that I'd normally choose NOMOS any day of the week. But in an effort to be more didactic, I switched it up this time.

Many watch fans may not know about Pita Barcelona, the father-and-son duo in eastern Spain who, along with a couple helpers, churn out a few handful of watches per year. The builder in question is Aniceto Jimenez, a watchmaker obsessed with reinventing functionality and timekeeping displays. My proposition is the Oceana — on which I'll soon be bringing you more about, so stay tuned.

The Oceana is a dive-watch with 2,000- or 5,000-meter depth ratings. Its titanium case is undrilled, crownless and gasketless. How do you set the hands? Remotely, using a patented case-back that doubles as a magnetic regulator for setting time. Yes, that's very cool — like I said, stay tuned. Completely isolated from outside elements, a heavily modified ETA beats inside the Oceana.

By "heavily modified," I mean that Pita guts the majority of the original caliber, restructures it and adds to it other proprietary mechanisms that make each movement abide to the magnetic principles that are required for this unique diver to function. 

A single watchmaker assembles each watch. Priced at €4,675 means that the Oceana was under $5,000 in April but, with FOREX being what it is, is just slightly over that mark today. There’s a lot to like (L) about the Oceana at this price (P), and that fits my personal equation for value (V), which is V=L/P.

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The Rolex Submariner might be the most famous watch in the world. Known officially as the "Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner," it debuted in 1953 and has been continuously improved ever since. In the 1950s, you could get one for $150, but the watch now retails for around $8,500. 

Prior to switching to Omega, James Bond wore the Rolex Sub. The timepiece has adorned the wrists of countless adventurers, dignitaries, captains of industry, and even actual divers, for whom the watch was designed. It is perhaps the best example of a tough "tool" watch becoming a luxury icon. 

Its toolness has never been compromised, however. You could buy one today, wear it to work at the office all week and then beat the daylights out of it on the weekends and it wouldn't complain. The Sub's automatic movement isn't as fancy as some other high-end watches, but it's basically bulletproof. And Sub's hold their value spectacularly well (although some critics consider it to be the most overpriced watch in existence). In the past decade, vintage Sub's have also become highly collectible.

It a true classic of modern horological design, often emulated but never equaled — or surpassed. Here's what makes the watch so great:

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We cover watches a lot at Business Insider. Many of the articles we write focus on a specific price point — the under $300, under $500, and under $1,000 categories are already well represented on the site.

While that’s helpful to a great number of readers, not everyone’s after a budget-friendly watch. There are still those who'd prefer a $40,000 Rolex strapped around their wrist, or an exorbitantly priced Omega timepiece the likes of James Bond would appreciate.

Even if you can afford something like a Sky-Dweller or an El Primero outright, though, you still probably want to test out a few models before you decide on your next big purchase. For that, there's Eleven James.

If, on the more likely chance, you lack the necessary funds to spend on a luxury timepiece, there's also Eleven James.

Eleven James is an annual membership club that lets customers try out luxury watches for several months at a time over the course of a year-long commitment. The upstart currently offers watches from 30 highly respected brands and has four membership plans to choose from: Enthusiast starting at $149/mo for three watches per year, Aficionado starting at $299/mo, Connoisseur starting at $579/mo, and Virtuoso starting at $999/mo.

There are tons of options beyond just these entry-level plans; you can upgrade to up to six watches per year, sign up for a half year plan, or even save 10% by paying for a full year upfront. If you end up wanting to go all in and buy one of the watches you've been testing out, that's a course of action you can consider when you're ready, too.

All told, the idea here is to make something that's generally unaffordable and unrealistic for the average watch wearer both cost-effective and practical.

And now's your opportunity to get in at an even more affordable rate: As an exclusive offer, Business Insider readers can get $250 off their Eleven James membership.If you are new to the world of luxury timepieces or you are looking to buy something for the watch connoisseur in your life this holiday season, this is well worth a look. You can redeem the offer and sign up here.

Get started.

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For the past few years, it seems like we've seen a new watch announced every day of the week – doesn't it?

It does to us, and we do our best to only show you the finest watches out there – the watches worth knowing about.

But we've still seen so many new introductions this year – and some of them have been huge, like Tudor's Black Bay Black, Patek's enamel dialed, split-seconds 5370, AP's new perpetual calendar Royal Oak, JLC's ticking Geophysic, and, of course, Vacheron's 57260, the most complicated watch, ever.

But, there have been some absolute gems that came out this year that we've absolutely loved – but that didn't receive much fanfare from the masses, and in some cases, went totally under the radar.

Here we'll show you seven watches introduced in 2015 that are absolutely awesome, though you likely forgot about them.

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1. The Rotonde De Cartier Chronograph

What is it?

I say this every time I begin a story about Cartier – they deserve your respect not only as a designer, but also as a serious watchmaker. Their 1904 calibers – both the self-winding watches with date and the 1904-CH found in the awesome Calibre de Chronograph (detailed review here) are absolutely top tier in every way and until January of this year, we'd only seen them used in bulky, 42 mm Calibre cases. This, however, is a far more elegant use of their in-house chronograph, and in just 40 mm.

Why do we love it?

Because Cartier should be the ultimate in elegant watchmaking, and yet the cases and designs of late have been a little too much for the traditionalist in us. The 40 mm Calibre de Chronograph couples a great movement with nice dials, a reasonable case size, and a killer price –$9,050 in steel.

2. The Montblanc Heritage Chronometrie Ultra Slim

What is it?

This is an ultra-slim, manually wound movement, void of any distractions (looking at you, seconds hands!) that is expertly assembled by a major brand at a price point of $2,045. Montblanc does some amazing high-end things with its Minerva manufacture, and even its more affordable complications like the world-timer and annual calendar receive a lot of attention, but this watch is a downright killer – coming in thinner than even some very high end dedicated ultra thin watches, with a great Peseux movement and amazing price.

Why do we love it?

Because the idea of a true ultra thin watch, lacking seconds, with a manually wound movement was previously left to the very high end – Lange, Piaget, Vacheron, etc. This watch gives you that look and feel for way less, but still offering good name brand recognition.

Read more here.

3. The New A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1

What is it?

2014 marked the 20th anniversary of the rebirth of Lange, and with it, two decades of the Lange 1. In January of this year, the 21st of Lange 1, we were shown a brand new, totally revamped caliber for this benchmark in modern watchmaking. The Lange 1's original caliber, built during what many would deem a dark period for fine watchmaking, was indeed beautiful and more than adequate.

But, in 2015, we saw a completely revamped caliber with some major technical upgrades (read here for a head-to-head comparison), and some supremely subtle but wonderful aesthetic changes – a slightly thinner bezel, more slight script on the font, and a movement diameter that is slightly slimmer and wider, filling the case even better.

Why do we love it?

Because I don't think anyone was complaining about the original Lange 1 Caliber in the least, and Lange absolutely did NOT need to redesign this legendary watch's movement from the ground up with the L1 continuing to be a strong seller. But they did, and an amazing watch just got even better.

And that is why Lange is Lange, and why we love them. PS – Lange currently has both old and new L1's in stores now, but not for long, so if you want to see them side-by-side, make your way to a dealer ASAP.

Read more here.

SEE ALSO: Here's a closer look at why the Rolex Submariner is the ultimate luxury sport watch

ROLEX Explorer I Reference 1016

The Explorer, first introduced in 1953, is as classic a Rolex as is still being made. The 1016 was in production for more than 25 years, which means that many great examples are still in circulation. Its design DNA still lives on in the newest iteration, released a few years ago. It’s understated, laid back, and unlike a brand new Submariner, it’s not an obvious choice, which I always find a bonus. Add a nylon NATO strap in place of the steel bracelet for the finishing touch.

Price: $6,000 to $7,000

ROLEX Datejust Reference 1601 in 18K Gold

I’m certainly no great oracle of fashion (a simple Google search will make that clear) but vintage gold watches are exempt from the criticism of wearing something “cheesy.” Something about the gold mixture 30 years ago was more a subdued brassy color than the bright luster of new 18k watches. And with the price of gold where it is, you’ve got two investments in one. Women have taken to wearing the gold Datejust in recent years, but it’s still very much a man’s watch.

Price: $7,500 to $8,000

ROLEX Submariner Reference 5513

High-level Australian politicians, including a former opposition leader, have returned a bunch of Rolex watches gifted to them by a Chinese billionaire after realizing they were actually real, The Guardian reports.

For years the politicians believed the watches to be fake. Li Ruipeng, the chair of the Li Guancheng Investment Management Group — who made his fortune from selling instant noodles — gave the watches to them in plastic bags at a dinner party.

The politicians were former opposition leader Tony Abbot, Minister of Parliament Stuart Robert, and opposition spokesman Ian Macfarlane. This all happened at Australia's Parliament House back in 2013.

Since the politicians thought the watches were fake, they declared them officially as $300 to $500 gifts and left it at that. Then, a politician with an actual Rolex complimented Mcfarlane on his watch, and they realized it was worth about $40,000.

The watches were then collected and returned.

To be fair, China is known for its fake luxury goods. A recent study conducted by New York University professor Damon McCoy tracked payments for luxury goods around the world. After making around 300 purchases, he tracked 97% of his payments back to three huge Chinese state banks.

For the full story on this watch fiasco, head to The Guardian>>

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It's always news when Rolex drops an update for one of the iconic models in its lineup, and this year is no different.

A huge update to a model on the higher end, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, had watch geeks freaking out at Baselworld, the world's largest watch industry fair held in Basel, Switzerland, in March. 

In fact, journalists were "practically drooling" when this new Daytona Rolex was announced, according to Bloomberg.

In reality, the differences are pretty small compared to the 2015 Rolex Daytona. However, the last time the watch was updated was way back in 2000, and any change to a Rolex watch is a huge deal in the watch world.

The biggest difference for the new version is the black ceramic bezel (the circle around the watch face) which hearkens back to 1965, when the first Daytona was released with a black plexiglass insert.

The new bezel is made out of a material called Cerachrom — a proprietary alloy Rolex has developed in-house. It includes scratch and UV-blocking properties, which means it will never scratch or fade. The numbers in the bezel also read in a circle, instead of horizontally.

Inside is the same self-winding caliber 4130 movement from previous Daytonas, which keep flawless time and has a power reserve of 72 hours. 

Oh, and it comes in black now, as well as green and blue.

The Daytona will retail for about $12,200, though when it will be available has not yet been revealed. For more information, check out Rolex's website.

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The luxury watch brand Rolex is the most reputable company in the world, according to the Reputation Institute's annual rankings.

The Reputation Institute sorts companies according to the public's perception of their performance in seven areas: products and services, innovation, workplace, governance, citizenship, leadership, and performance.

The chocolate maker The Hershey Company is the most reputable brand in the US, but the brand is much less well known internationally, so it did not make it onto the list. Facebook did not even make it into the top 100.

After the emissions scandal that engulfed the company last year, Volkswagen dropped from being the 14th most reputable company in the world in 2015 to the 123rd spot this year.

To compile the rankings, the Reputation Institute collected more than 240,000 ratings from 15 countries. You can see the full results here.

Scroll below to see the top 10

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10. Apple. RepTrack Points: 76.6.

Apple's reputation is getting worse, according to the study. The company has dropped from seventh place in 2014's rankings to eighth in 2015's, and it now sits at 10th. The tech company, however, came out on top in both the innovation and the leadership categories.

Here's everything Apple announced at its Keynote on Monday, including its new, cheaper-than-ever iPhone.

9. Sony. RepTrack points: 76.7.

Sony proved to be a truly global brand. The company was among the 10 most reputable brands in 10 of the 15 countries surveyed. On this metric, it was beaten only by Rolex.

This year Sony faced criticism over its failure to release singer Kesha from a six-album contract with one of its record labels, Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records. Kesha alleged that her producer at the label, Lukasz Gottwald, sexually abused her.

Aside from music, the Japanese conglomerate makes electronics and produces movies and video games. The company was founded in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka.

8. Canon. RepTrack points: 76.9.

Canon is the third most reputable brand in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The world's biggest maker of cameras and printers has been expanding further this year. It just announced that it would buy Toshiba's medical devices unit for nearly $6 billion.

Masters of the Universe value one piece of jewelry above all else — a watch.

They're collectible, gorgeous, and, at times, incredibly expensive pieces that can be handed down from generation to generation.

Exactly the type of thing a titan of any industry would want.

We've put together a list and commentary about the wristwatches worn by some of Wall Street's most public executives. 

As expected, a couple of the watches are flashy. A few of them are really, really cheap by Wall Street standards. And one prominent banker doesn't even wear a watch. Ever. 

(If you know of the type of timepiece that an executive at your firm wears, feel free to send the tip to jlaroche@businessinsider.com)

Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway

Buffett, the "Oracle of Omaha,"wears a gold Rolex Day-Date. 

T. Boone Pickens, BP Capital

Oil magnate T. Boone Pickens also wears a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date that he purchased in 1964. 

Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs CEO

Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein rocks a Swatch with what appears to be a clear plastic band. Swatch's tend to range between $50 to $245. It's also not exactly the sort of timepiece you'd expect a chief executive of a Wall Street investment bank to wear. Then again, Goldman is "the most hipster" bank on Wall Street.  

Rolex is a storied brand — one of, if not the most notable in the watchmaking world.

So it's surprising how relatively little there is to know about the beginnings of the 100-plus-year-old brand. Even something as simple as where its name came from is shrouded in confusion.

Rolex, for its official brand story, plays it pretty simple. According the brand's official website, founder Hans Wilsdorf wanted his new brand of watches to have a short name that could be said in any language.

Most importantly, he wanted something that looked good on the watches themselves, and that was symmetrical in capital letters.

"I tried combining the letters of the alphabet in every possible way," Wilsdorf supposedly said, according to Rolex. "This gave me some hundred names, but none of them felt quite right. One morning, while riding on the upper deck of a horse-drawn omnibus along Cheapside in the City of London, a genie whispered 'Rolex' in my ear."

If that seems incomplete to you, you're not alone. Adding a bit of color to the story is an essay in NYU's Stern Business School newsletter that claims that Wilsdorf also thought "Rolex" seemed like an onomatopoeia of a watch ticking.

So, basically it doesn't really mean anything. (Some have suggested that it's short for "horological excellence," but there's no proof that Wilsdorf ever claimed that.)

It also hides the brand's English roots, as the brand began in London in 1908 and moved to Geneva, Switzerland in 1919. 

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NOW WATCH: These are the watches worn by the smartest and most powerful men in the world