About a year ago, I wrote about Mondani’s book ‘100 years of Rolex’, which is a must have if you are a (serious) Rolex passionate. Now, especially for the iPhone user, Mondani Editore created an iPhone app (Apple users like to use this shortcut for ‘application’) that contains 182MB of information about Rolex wristwatches. Since Rolex, and especially vintage Rolex, is booming – this might be a well-aimed shot from the creators of this iPhone [killer] app.

For a fraction of the price of the book (which is around 299 Euro), you will buy your own electronic copy of 100 years of Rolex, which contains over 500 high quality pictures, updated prices and enables you to search Rolex models on model, production year, reference and value. This iPhone app costs 9,99 Euro and is available through Apple’s AppStore.

The application has categories on Years, Model, References, Movies and the aforementioned search option. Let me show you a few examples of what this application does, using some screendumps I just made with my iPhone.

First of all, you can flip to the most important years of Rolex’s history, starting in 1908 ofcourse, when Hans Wilsdorf registered Rolex.

However, being a Rolex enthusiast for years and owning several nice publications on the subject, I quickly skipped to the Models section. This Explorer section for example, period and reference numbers show the various models made. Clicking the latest 114270 model shows the following:

A nice close-up photograph of the ref.114270 Rolex Explorer and some additional model information.

Interested in the vintage Rolex GMT-Master ref.1675? Currently quite popular amongst collectors (sold mine too quickly for too little money).. When clicking the blue icon (telling us it has 7 pictures inside), you will see the following:

A nice close-up of the Rolex GMT-Master ref.1675 on a Jubilé bracelet. As you are used from Apple’s iPhone, using your fingers to either zoom-in or zoom-out, also perfectly works with this ‘100 years of Rolex’ app.

The Movies category shows you in which movies you can see a Rolex wristwatch. I think Ed Heliosz started this hype – of listing watches used in movies – in 1998, and it became the sub-hobby of many of us watch nuts (including Jake’s ).

I think Guide Mondani Editore did a very nice job on this 100 years of Rolex app for iPhone. Yet another great iPhone app for many watch enthusiasts, since the Uhren Katalog and Jaeger-LeCoultre iPhone applications. World Watch Report (IC-Agency) did some research on iPhone applications and the world of sheer Luxury, which you can find here.

The 9,99 Euro can make people a bit hesitant to buy this app, but you have my recommendation (for what it’s worth). A true killer app (for Rolex fans)!!

Click here to download ‘100 years of Rolex’!

I bought a few German watch magazines in München last week, and in the latest Uhren Magazin there was a full-size page ad about their Uhren Katalog for Apple’s iPhone. Once I got home (I switched off the data mode since it is very expensive to use in foreign countries), I immediately checked out the Uhren Katalog application in the AppStore.

Now, there is a fee version called Uhren Katalog Lite and a full version for 6,99 Euro (as pictured below). I first tried the Lite version ofcourse (hey, I am Dutch) and it is exactly as it should be in my opinion. Fast, quite complete and easy to use. Since I am buying loads of magazines anyway, I quickly downloaded the full version:

Unfortunately, the application is only in German, but very easy to use. I actually don’t think this should be a problem for the non-German speaking (reading) watch fans. Besides that, as an avid watch fan, you should be able to read at least a few words in German

You can either browse through the catalogue on brands (Hersteller), on price (Preis, duh) or you can search for a brand (Suchen). See below for a small part of Audemars Piguet’s watches in the Uhren Katalog. The application offers more watches from AP ofcourse, but not the full catalogue of AP. However, the annual catalogues on paper also only have a selection of watches per brand.

When you select a watch (just tap one), you will get to see a picture of that particular watch, as shown below in the screendump I made after selecting a Porsche Design model. If you tab the “i” on the screen, you will see the specifications/data of the selected wrist watch (see below).

As you can see in the above listed specifications, it contains all the useful information needed. The price just fell off the page when making a screendump, but it is all there

Among the huge number of (mostly useless) iPhone applications I have, this one really rocks. The Uhren Katalog app contains over 1000 watches. It is well worth the 6.99 Euro and I suggest you started downloading it immediately after reading this. IF you have an iPhone that is.