Probably one of the rarest and most expensive vintage Rolex watches on the market today, the anti-magnetic Rolex Datocompax Oyster Chronograph has always gone by the adopted name of the “Jean-Claude Killy” Rolex. Never as popular as the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona identified with Paul Newman or the Rolex Explorer II connected to Steve McQueen, the “Jean-Claude Killy” Rolex was only ever produced infrequently from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. Never reaching mass popularity during its production, this Rolex watch has become incredibly rare and valuable, selling at recent auctions for over $80,000.

French skier Jean Claude Killy is best known for being a three time gold winning Olympic skier who went on to appear in Rolex magazine ads and then to become a member of the Rolex board in Geneva. He won all three alpine events in the 1968 Olympic Winter games where the young Frenchman was the “It” boy. Imagine the celebrity and hype of Michael Phelps but with a heaping dose of style, a French accent, and playboy looks. That was Jean-Claude Killy in 1968. US Figure Skater and Olympic gold medalist Peggy Fleming is quoted as saying “Jean-Claude is a very romantic guy who was a great skier. Plus he is French, which made it even more perfect.  Every girl fantasized about Jean-Claude.” Later, Jean-Claude Killy starred as a jewel thief on skis in the movie Snow Job and worked as a stunt skier in the James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Although this rare and valuable watch was dubbed “The Jean Claude Killy,” nobody has ever seen a photo of him wearing this Rolex model. This model is so special due to the antimagnetic quality, making it the most complicated Rolex ever made & ideally suited to function at the poles. In addition, a combination of stunning pale blue lettering and steel give the watch a unique appearance. A recent auction of such a model described it as, “an EXTREMELY UNIQUE Stainless Steel Rolex Datocompax Oyster Chronograph Ref. 6236, also known as “Jean-Claude Killy,” with a beautiful original white dial, and pump pushers. This watch also comes with a high-quality brown alligator leather strap and Authentic Rolex buckles.” The estimated minimum price for the Rolex was astoundingly high given the present economy. However, when a rare and valuable Rolex comes on the market, true watch lovers know that the price is worth if for the opportunity to own such an inspiring part of horologic history.

Welcome to an intriguing examination of the battle for Rolex superiority in the popular show, “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” the smash reality hit on Bravo. The final episode of season four just came out and now it is back to reruns and the roll out of Orange County’s evil new twin, “The Real Housewives of New York City.” The final episode was titled “Bling Bling,” probably referring to the shiny new jewelry several of the women were wearing. Of course, the shiny new jewelry included a beautiful Rolex watch for Vicki. Not quite as beautiful or bling bling as the $40,000 dollar Rolex that Tamra’s husband gave her for her 40th birthday on a prior episode, but a stunning timepiece none the less. The hottest housewife in Orange County according to the show, Tamra wore a dress that made her look like a spokesmodel at a Reno car show when her husband gave her the $40,00 dollar Rolex watch during her birthday party on a private yacht. The presentation of the luxury watch to Tamra triggered so much jealousy from the other OC Wives, it actually is a miracle the boat was not capsized by the waves of envy. As you can well imagine, the Rolex brand name and the $40,000 price were mentioned over and over and over again. Of course, ever domineering Jeana just reacted with a shrug and the blithe comment, “Oh, I already have just that Rolex just in a different color. I never wear it.” Bling is powerful on the show, but turning your back on bling is the ultimate power.

On the last show of the season, Vicki proudly announces that she has bought herself a new Rolex, and the act of self-generosity is taken as some kind of insult against her husband. It is true that Simon’s present of the diamond Rolex to Tamra brought out all of Vicki’s negative feelings about her marriage and her husband’s inability to take care of her obvious material needs. Although it was hard to make-out the exact make of Tamra’s Rolex, it very well could be a Rolex Super Presidential with a multitude of diamonds. At Melrose , you could find a similar Ladies Rolex Super President studded with diamonds and in 18k gold for a quarter of the cost. Still, without doing her research, Vicki complained: “I don’t even have one and I’m older, but Donn doesn’t buy me any expensive gifts.” Well then, obviously, that settles the question. All the pundits and bloggers think you should divorce that cheap bum, Vicki. He obviously is not worth anything to you anymore, despite the house, the kids, the cars, and the years of marriage. Excuse the sarcasm, but the Real Wives of Orange County sometimes lose perspective in terms of what really matters in life. Then again, there is nothing quite like the amazing feeling of having a luxurious Rolex watch on your wrist!

What then transpires during the final episode at the swanky end-of-the-season soiree? First, Vicki admonishes Jeana, telling her to be careful with her revealing dress and cleavage. “You might have a nipple coming out,” she advises. Avoiding the sexy reveal of the flesh, Vicki reveals her fervent love of luxury when she shows off the new Rolex watch she has purchased for herself. Vicki brags to numerous party guests that she bought herself the Rolex and then added this aside: “I felt a little odd showing people a gift I bought myself. I didn’t want to be saying, ‘Look! I bought myself a Rolex because my husband can’t do it!’” Tammy says, “Oh my God, you’re such a Rolex, Newport Beach, Orange County person!” In a one-on-one, Vicki says, “I never had a Rolex in my entire life. Well, I felt kind of odd showing people a gift I bought myself. I’d rather be classier, and just kind of fly in under the radar if somebody notices it.” Vicki fly in under the radar? I don’t think so. Vicki continues, “I didn’t want to make Donn feel bad because he didn’t buy it for me.” But Jeana reflects in an interview, “Vicki, why can’t you say, ‘Donn and I got the Rolex?’ Why are you throwing Donn under the bus again?” Without question, the Ladies Rolex Datejust that Vicki bought for herself is a beautiful watch of precision and quality. Then again, you can have such a watch for half the cost by shopping online at Melrose . At Melrose , you never have to threaten to divorce your husband or break the bank to find the Rolex watch of your dreams.

Walking hand-in-hand, happy couple Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson strolled into a Beverly Hills jewelry store after Valentine’s Day and purchased a few Rolex watches. In a previous blog, it had been noted that the relationship was on the rocks after a big Christmas fight. Was Lindsay going to go through Samantha faster than she goes through her Rolex watches? Ultimately, it seems that the happy pair reconciled, which appears to have had a positive effect on Lindsay’s health. In the sunshine of their happiness, Lindsay Lohan was looking downright stunning. As Samantha Ronson walked her bulldog, Lohan headed straight for Phillip Jewelry in Beverly Hills. Together, the pair spent hours examining and trying on several Rolex watches. In the end, they both walked away with two new Rolexes charged to Lohan’s credit card. Lindsay bought a smaller ladies Rolex while Samantha opted for the bigger men’s Rolex. The question which has to be asked is whether these Rolex watches were an impulse buy or were special presents the two planned to purchase together upon their return to Los Angeles. Did Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson give each other Rolex watches as belated Valentine’s Day gifts?

Since the Rolex watches were purchased a few days after Valentine’s Day, such a question normally would not be asked. However, on Valentine’s Day, Samantha Ronson was scheduled to host and spin at Passions, a late-night club connected to Hollywood, Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. In New York City, the couple revealed that they were too sick to travel. “We really feel bad, and I work sick when I can, but unfortunately I couldn’t drive to Miami, so I’m stuck in New York City with doctor’s orders not to fly,” Ronson revealed to People magazine. “Any reports otherwise are false and unfair.”  Later this report was confirmed by the marketing director for the popular club:  “Lindsay and Samantha stayed out late last night in New York City, and are not feeling well,” Amanda Senoff, director of marketing for Passions. “A doctor said Sam was too sick with the flu to travel and Lindsay is also feeling sick. They are both sick with ear infections. Sam needs her ears, and flying with an ear infection is a risk that she can’t really afford to take.”

If they were too sick to travel, then they probably were too sick to celebrate Valentine’s Day. As a result, it makes utter sense that they would celebrate upon their return to Los Angeles, also known as home sweet home. If Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson did make this choice, then what better Valentine’s Day gifts could they give each other than Rolex watches, even if Lindsay paid for them on her credit card? After all, even if Samantha Ronson is a major DJ, Lindsay Lohan is still the Hollywood superstar who brings home the big bucks. Mind you, if you want to buy a Rolex watch for your lover, you do not have to spend Beverly Hills prices. At Melrose , you can find a Rolex watch as Impressive and luxurious as the watches Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson bought for about half the price. You do not have to be a Hollywood superstar to own and wear a luxurious Rolex watch.

Since his early days as a successful comedian on Saturday Night Live to his star turn as the voice of Donkey in the Shrek trilogy, Eddie Murphy is the Rolex of Hollywood stars. Although Eddie Murphy has been considered a top comedian ever since his films 48 Hours and Trading Places, he surprised the film industry with his musical and dramatic performance in Dreamgirls. Not only did he win numerous acting awards, Eddie Murphy was nominated for an Academy Award for his movingly-dramatic performance in the smash hit Dreamgirls. Beyond reflecting the quality of Rolex in his career, Eddie Murphy is a huge collector of Rolex watches, and he has been known to buy them in batches for his friends. A friend who gives you a Rolex watch is a friend that all of us would dream of having in our lives. In The Distinguished Gentleman (1992), Eddie Murphy’s character is given a Rolex Day-Date Presidential. Upon receiving the watch, the Hustler in the guise of a United States Senator exclaims, “Oh, another Rolex, I collect these, mine is a slightly older model!”

Eddie Murphy has been known to live the Hollywood high life since the beginning of his success. While in London to collect an award for Beverly Hills Cop, he treated several of his associates to Rolex watches. He built up a huge Rolex collection ( ‘Jewelry ain’t such a bad habit. You can’t inhale diamonds’) and a matching oversized entourage. There were comparisons between Murphy and Elvis, and he loved the string of zeros after the double figures on his studio checks. His image was hip and funny and gold Rolex. However, Murphy has a spiritual side as well which he revealed in an edited excerpt from an amazing interview with Meredith Berkman that first appeared in Entertainment Weekly:

“Anybody in show business that gets really popular, they’re doing God’s work,” says Eddie Murphy. ”The creative spark comes from God. The only reason He put it in you is that the world is so f—ed up and it needs artists. That’s your spirit being in touch with God’s spirit,” he says. Murphy wears a black silk tunic trimmed with gold thread, open at the neck, and black silk trousers. A gold charm bracelet and a gold Rolex with a black face are on his left wrist, and he seems like the hip high priest of a shrine he has filled with funky artifacts. Murphy describes his mission: ”When I was young, I acknowledged that there was something in me that made me creative,” he continues. ”I knew this was a gift from God. I knew that if I stayed focused and true to this gift, there’s no way I wasn’t coming off. I knew there was a reason I was here, to make people laugh. That’s a beautiful journey to be on. My journey is making people feel good.”

With his spirituality by his side and a Rolex on his wrist, Eddie Murphy has not only survived the natural ups and downs of a Hollywood career and lifestyle, but he has returned as a comedic champion. Like trusting the classic quality of a Rolex watch, Eddie Murphy can be relied on to always deliver the entertainment and comic goods.

For Valentine’s Day, his wife Kelly gave Nathan Kam a picture of a Rolex GMT Master. Nathan Kam, a travel and hospitality public relations professional in Hawaii, describes himself as a social media explorer. With a personal blog, a family blog and in-depth profiles on Twitter, Facebook, and Flicker, Nathan and his family have had a strong Internet presence for many years. With a wide range of followers on various sites and a multitude of comments, the life of the Kam family is recorded on the Internet about as well as any family in the world.

On Valentine’s Day, Nathan wrote about the gift he received from his wife and the gift he gave to her in the family blog. The blog went like this: “My wife just surprised me with this awesome Rolex watch for Valentine’s Day.  Unfortunately, I’ll never be able to wear it.  Why?  Because she literally gave me “this Rolex”…this picture version…for the special occasion. And I love it!  LOL! What’s going on you ask?  Well, a few years ago we agreed that instead of wasting money on flowers, candy, gifts, etc., we would send each other a picture of a gift we would have bought one another.  Fun right?  It’s gotten a little out of hand obviously. I actually used to send her a photo of the flower arrangement I would have bought. She would send me a photo of something cool. But now it’s just silly and still fun. Well if you thought she splurged on me, check out what I would have gotten for her.That’s right a Mercedes SLR convertible for JUST $495,000. Happy Valentine’s Day all and I hope Cupid bring you something nice too!”

Nathan’s positive approach to this family tradition of giving pictures of gifts on Valentine’s Day is heartwarming, but is it necessary? In the case of the ultra-expensive Mercedes SLR convertible, a picture probably is the best Nathan will ever be able to do for his lovely wife. However, thanks to Melrose , owning a real Rolex has become an affordable possibility for Nathan Kam. No longer the exclusive domain of the wealthy and famous, Rolex watches can be owned by a multitude of regular guys and gals thanks to the great prices that Melrose is able to offer on refurbished Rolex watches. If you check out the site, you will be amazed at how affordable and reasonable the special Valentine’s Day sales are at Melrose . Yes, the economy is tough these days and money is tight, but the Rolex watch you are dreaming of Nathan Kam can still find a home on your wrist if you know where to look. Without question, Melrose is the place to find that special Rolex watch.