Full Speed Ahead

Rolex’s ties with motorsport reach back to the 1930s, when an Oyster rode in Bluebird to a world land speed record, and have remained close ever since

BY PETER IANTORNO

“My life has revolved around timing and my racing has always come down to those final split seconds” The year is 1935 and Malcolm Campbell is smashing the land speed record, travelling at 445km/h along Florida’s Daytona Beach behind the wheel of his legendary Bluebird. On his wrist is a Rolex Oyster, which stands up effortlessly to the record breaking rigours it’s being put through. “Rolex worn yesterday during record attempt still going splendidly notwithstanding rough usage received,” Campbell reported back to the brand in a telegram after breaking the record. From then on, Rolex and motorsport would always go hand in hand. Daytona remains a place synonymous with speed, its long, firm stretch of sand having been transformed from a hub for land speed record attempts into a beach-road…

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Tatler Hong Kong (Digital) - 1 Issue, October 2019

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