Colin Chapman: Founder Of Lotus Cars

Colin Chapman

1928-1982

Lotus Founder
&
Formula One Pioneer

A Passion For Sports Cars & Rolex Day-Date

Colin Chapman pictured above in 1981

Colin Chapman was born in 1928 and passed away in 1982 at the young age of 54. They say the candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long, which was likely the case with Chapman. Colin was a highly influential British designer, inventor, and automotive industry maverick that left his mark upon Formula One racing.

Colin Chapman pictured above in an early Lotus

Colin Chapman made his first Lotus, which he called the Lotus MK1, from a modified Austin 7 in 1948. From 1948 to 1951 Chapman made what he refered to as Mark 1 to Mark 3 Lotus models.

In 1952, Chapman founded the Lotus Car Company and began making his own cars.  Chapman was a revolutionary designer in the world of Formula One innovation. In the early years of Lotus Chapman raced his cars, but later focused on the engineering marketing sides of the business.

Among many of his innovative achievements was using struts as a rear suspension device. Colin Chapman once famously said, "Adding power makes you faster on the straights and subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."

Colin Chapman is pictured below with Formula One race car driver Jim Clark who was from Scotland. James Clark the world championship in 1963 driving his Lotus 25, after having earned the maximum number of points for that season.

Jim Clark and Colin Chapman.

Jim Clark won the Formula One championship in 1965 for Lotus. Unfortunately, he was killed in an accident in 1968 racing in a Lotus at the Hockenheimring in Germany, and Colin Chapman said at the time he had lost his best friend.

Colin Chapman is pictured below with Peter Warr who Colin chose in late 1969 to be Team Lotus' Competition Manager in Formula One. Clark led Team Lotus to World Championship victory in 1970 with Jochen Rindt, and again in 1972 with Emerson Fittipaldi. Warr left Lotus in 1976 and returned after Chapman's death to become the team boss.

Colin Chapman is pictured below in 1972 with then Brabham team leader Bernie Ecclestone at the Formula One South African Grand Prix. Bernie Ecclestone would go on to become the CEO of the Formula One Group.

Before Colin Chapman motorsports and Formula One was considered a wealthy man's sport. Colin changed that with his concept of sponsorship liveries. Meaning he was a pioneer in branding race cars with sponsors advertising their names and decals on Formula One cars, which became moving advertisements—a tradition in full force today.

Roger Moore

The Spy Who Loved Me

One of Colin Chapman's greatest coup was a getting a Lotus Esprit Coupe placed in the epic 1977 James Bond movie name The Spy Who Loved Me which starred Roger Moore as James Bond. 

The Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved me was no ordinary Lotus as it was not only a car but a submarine!

Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla owns the actual Lotus Esprit that was used in The Spy Who Loved Me, and this is ironic as the first Tesla ever made, which was the Tesla Roadster was built upon a Lotus chassis.

The first image one of the publicity stills associated with the James Bond film, "The Spy Who Loved Me." If I understand it correctly, it was used in as a publicity still but not shown completely in the film. 

Ironically, Roger Moore is wearing a Rolex GMT-Master, as opposed to a Rolex Submariner, which we usually see him wear when he played James Bond.

Roger Moore is pictured below in what I believe is a Lotus magazine ad for the Lotus Esprit Turbo.

Colin Chapman would become involved with John Delorean in the development of Delorean's highly controversial DMC-12. The Delorean DMC-12 was basically a Lotus Esprit in disguise, and if you look closely you will notice the cabin and rear dimensions are almost identical. The difference is that the Lotus has a much more cab-forward design.

If you think about it, it is ironic that both the DeLorean DMC-12 and original Tesla Roadster were built on a Lotus chassis.

Colin Chapman's Rolex Day-Date featured a champagne dial with diamond markers as seen in the photo below.

As we see in the photo below, Colin is pictured sporting his trademark yellow gold Rolex Day-Date which kept the time of his life. From my research findings, it appears he began wearing his Rolex Day-Date sometime around late 1969 and wore it until he passed away in 1982.

"To add speed, add lightness." –Colin Chapman

1957 Rolex Chronograph

...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day...

1957 Rolex Chronograph

Tri-Color Pre-Daytona

Pre Daytona Rolex Chronograph models never cease to amaze me with their beauty. This 1957 model is Antimagnetic, and features dual scales printed on the dial, as apposed to the Daytona which has a single scale on the bezel.

Notice the subsidiary dial detail, that features the beautifully nested circular tracks...

The Complete History of The Rolex Tridor

...The Complete History...

ROLEX  TRIDOR

Rolex has always been a company that has experimented like crazy with making different models. In 1988 Rolex introduced the Rolex Tridor which was a tri-tone Rolex Day-Date which offered a bracelet that featured white pink and yellow 18KT gold. The image below appears courtesy of Robert Maron and features a Rolex Tridor model with an interesting green dial.

Rolex referred to this model as part of their "Crown Collection."This unusual watch brought to life a Day-Date that looked from a distance like a two-tone Datejust.

The close up photo below of the Rolex Tridor Day-Date Bracelet appears courtesy of Bob's Watches and shows the center Tridor links close-up. Producing center links with three different colors of gold was a major technological feat for Rolex as it was previously thought to not be possible, but Rolex R&D figured out how achieve this.

Rolex discontinued the Tridor around the year 2000, but it remains as an interesting piece of design language. 

Rolex Tridor Day-Date

[Reference 18239B]

ROLEX TRIDOR DAY-DATE

In the photo below we see NFL Football legend, Mike Ditka wearing a Rolex Tridor Day-Date. The Rolex Tridor looked like a two-tone Datejust had a baby with a Rolex Day-Date. Mike Ditka was the Head Coach for the Bears when they won Super Bowl XX.

The photo below shows Bill Walsh giving Mike Ditka a congratulatory hug after winning against the 49ers on October 13, 1985, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

1992 Rolex Day-Date Tridor Ad

The Rolex Tridor magazine ad below from 1989 featured legendary golfer, Arnold Palmer wearing his Tridor, Day-Date model. The Tridor was really kind of the ultimate 1980s Rolex watch...

The photo below shows Arnold Palmer sporting his Rolex Day-Date Tridor, which is featured in the 1992 Rolex Ad above. Rolex called this watch the 'Tridor' as it featured center links that were composed of pink gold, yellow gold and white gold. 

I believe, from a design perspective this was Rolex's attempt to offer a Day-Date model that offered a two-tone Rolex Datejust alternative. In other words, in the eighties, the two-tone yellow gold and stainless steel Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet was all the rage, and I believe Rolex wanted to offer a Day-Date that capitalized upon and achieved a similar look—without looking like a cheap Seiko Clone. Thus, Rolex flexed its design and material muscle and came up with this unique design.

The photo above and below show a Rolex Day-Date Tridor Reference 18239 in detail and they appear courtesy of Bob's Watches. The photo below really shows the intricate precision of how Rolex achieved this amazing technological feat. Rolex discontinued the Tridor model many years ago, but it remains an interesting novelty in the history of Rolex design language.

The Rolex Magazine ad below was originally published in 1980 and features PGA golf player, Curtis Strange rocking a Rolex Trader.

REVERAND JESSE JACKSON

Reverend Jesse Jackson is another person who famously has worn a Rolex Trader as pictured below.

The Eisenkiesel Dial

...Unique pattern...
The Eisenkiesel Dial
A delicately veined, deep brown decorative quartz stone that creates a distinctive pattern with each iteration – no two eisenkiesel dials are the same. It confers the diamond-set Day-Date 40 in 18ct Everose gold with a unique personality. 

...Rolex Tennis Super-Hotness... Ana Ivanovic

...Rolex Tennis Super-Hotness...

Ana Ivanovic

Rolex Daytona

Rolex 'Orange Hand' Explorer II Polo Ad

Rolex 'Orange Hand' 

1983 Explorer II Polo Ad 

[Reference 1655]

Rolex Lume Shot of the Day: DEEAPSEA

...Lume Shot Of The Day...

DEEPSEA SEA-DWELLER

30 Second Exposure 

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

General Dan Caine

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Rockin Rolex SKY-DWELLER

We are living through some surrealistic days, and as you are probably aware the United States and Israel recently attacked and declared war on Iran, which may very well represent the beginning of World War 3. 

War is a terrible, and my goal with this article is not in any way to glorify or justify it, but to share the fact I noticed in a Pentagon briefing today in Washington D.C., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine was rocking a Rolex SKY-DWELLER as pictured below as he discussed "Operation Epic Fury":

In the high resolution image below we can made a 100% positive ID that confirms General Caine is wearing a Rolex SKY-DWELLER, and my best guess is that he is wearing a Rolex 42MM Rolesor Oystersteel and white gold model Reference 336936 with an intense white dial, which typically comes on a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet, but as we see, the General put in on a black aftermarket rubber strap.

One of the most interesting details about General Caine's Oystersteel and white gold SKY-DWELLER is it looks remarkably similar to Rolex's White Gold SKY-DWELLER which is pictured below. 

For frame of reference, the White Rolesor Oystersteel model General Caine is wearing in the photo above features a white gold fluted bezel, but the case is made from stainless steel, and it currently retails for $17,750. 

The Oystersteel Rolex Rolesor model (pictured below) only comes standard with either an Oyster Bracelet, or a Jubilee bracelet, but General Caine put his on an black aftermarket rubber strap, which makes it look very similar to the White gold model pictured above, which has a current retail price of $50,850. 

Pictured below we see the Oystersteel version which retails for $17,750, and they pretty much look identical. The ONLY visible difference I notice is the white gold variant (pictured above) comes on a Rolex OysterFlex bracelet/rubber strap, and it includes white gold solid end links, which give it a more polished look. 

If you look closely at General Caine's SKY-DWELLER you will notice his rubber strap lacks the solid end links (SOL). So basically, he took the Oystersteel model (pictured below), and by putting a black rubber strap on it, made it look like the almost three times more expensive all white gold model pictured above. I doubt he did this try and make it look like the more expensive model, but likely just prefers the beautiful looking high contrast look and simplicity of the black strap with the bright white dial, which is brilliant!

Below we see General Caine's Rolex SKY-DWELLER from a better angle where you can really make out the details in a photo that appears courtesy of the United State Department of War and was taken by PO1 Alexander Kubitza.

Below is an image that appears courtesy of the Department of War that shows the Operation EPIC FURY Timeline for the first 100 hours, which is fascinating on many levels.

Below is another image of General Caine rocking his Rolex SKY-DWELLER. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine met with Airmen from the 162nd Wing at Morris Air National Guard Base, Ariz. Dec. 5, 2025. (DOW photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist James Mullen).

I remember when Rolex first introduced the Rolex SKY-DWELLER, back at BaselWorld in 2012, thinking to myself, "I wonder what SKY-DWELLER means as a name, or what it stands for?" Now that I think about it, I can't think of a more fitting or appropriate name for a Rolex model that a 4-star Air Force General, who is also the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would wear!

If you want to watch the entire press conference briefing on the U.S.-Iran war, you can check it out below. It's difficult to put into words, how over-the-top crazy-insane this situation is!?!!:

If you just want to watch General Dan Caine's comments while rocking his Rolex SKY-DWELLER you can watch it below:

When I was doing research for this story on General Dan Caine, I came across this image that shows him recently with United State Marine Corps Lieutenant General, Michael J. Borgschulte, rocking his Black Bezel Rolex GMT-Master. This photo was taken on August 30, 2025, at the United States Naval Academy versus the Virginia Military Institute Football game in Annapolis, Maryland.

I originally published the story seen below back on June 25, 2025: 

Several readers wrote in to share images of The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Air Force, General, Dan Caine rocking his Rolex GMT-Master as pictured below.

Special thanks to Nick Gould (Eagle Eyes) discovered and shared the images above and below with me.

Rich wrote in and provided the image seen below and said:

Jake,

Saw this on Fox News.   White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles likely wearing a Datejust.  

Not sure what Gen. Caine is wearing or even doing in this photos! As a Tudor owner I very much enjoy your site.  It’s both informative and entertaining, something which isn’t easy to accomplish.  I’ve shared it with numerous “watch buddies.” 

Please keep up the great work.

Rich

The video below features Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Air Force, 4-Star General, Dan Caine briefed the American people on June 22, 2025, as part of Operation "MIDNIGHT HAMMER", which he goes into detail on in the video below.

There have been many 4 star General's, and top Rolex Military Leaders who have worn Rolex watches, and I am including a few images below for frame of reference. First we see, U.S. General, Gruenther, who was the recipient of Rolex's 200,000th Officially Certified Swiss Chronometer.

Next we see General David Howell Petraeus, when he was the 10th Commander of U.S. Central Command.