Cigarette Racing Rolex Sub

[tekno]

I was poking around on Erik Ku’s Instagram and saw this… thought you guys would like to see it. A little research shows there are 50 in the world - afew fellows on the offshore racing forum that have one.

This is a cool watch…



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[drockadam]

Super cool!

[ppbskis]

Thats a cool piece for sure.
I started watching the Cigarette boat races here off the New Jersey coast in 1972 when it was known as the Hennessy Grand Prix.
I remember the race programs that featured in prime placement a Rolex Submariner and the Kiekhaefer Aeromarine III cigarette.
If it was good enpough for Doc Magoon, it was sure good enough for me at 12 years old. Thats when I knew it was my watch.
Best Wishes, thanks for the post.

[alllexandru]

Never heard about this one, cool find!
Thanks for sharing!

[Jackie Daytona]

Very cool watch. Thanks for sharing.

[brandrea]

Color Chris … any more info on this? Origins etc.

[ReturningSon]

Very cool piece! Never seen one of these before. I wonder if anything is on the caseback?

[jatco]

Very cool indeed..

[77T]

A rare find - certainly seldom seen in the wild. Rolex and Cigarette and it’s founder had another connection….
It’s a long read - and only one Rolex anecdote - but Aronow was the most unusual guy in North Miami.
https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/b...der-don-aronow

He came along after my family had been involved with the Gold Coast Marathon.

We were doing race communications up the Intracoastal from Pelican Harbor to Palm Beach using a ham radio network to keep race control informed.



But he took racing to a new level with the Bahamas races.



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[zapokee]

I don't even know what I'm looking at. What is it?

[Boopie]

That is very cool. I’ve never heard of that before. Thanks for sharing!

[Gary Busey]

Wow !! Super cool
Way cooler than those idiotic sheikh and Emirate kings editions.


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[GimmeTheLoupe]

New one on me.

[MrGoat]

Wow!! That’s amazing!! I would love to find one!! Thanks for sharing OP!!


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[alwayshere]

Originally Posted by zapokee

I don't even know what I'm looking at. What is it?

looks like a late 5513.... frankly less appealing to me. WG dial advertising cigarettes? no thanks, let the other collectors pay for it.

[tekno]

Originally Posted by zapokee

I don't even know what I'm looking at. What is it?

Sorry,
I didn’t explain very well. I grew up around offshore race boats. I forget everyone doesn’t know what a Cigarette Powerboat is.

Cigarette is a brand of Offshore Powerboat, 20-50ft race boat… similar to what was used in Miami Vice.
Don Aronow (original owner of Cigarette Racing) is basically the father of offshore power-boating. In the 80’s a Cigarette Powerboat is the Rolex of boats.

Supposedly they ordered 50 of these in 1986 to give to race team members, clients etc. I assume Don ordered them, he got knocked off in 87.

He built quite afew legendary race/pleasure boat companies and sold them off to friends. Won 350 offshore races, 2 time world champion, 3 time US champion.

Brands like Formula, Magnum, Donzi, Apache, Cigarette (where he was when he was killed in 87). Many of the boats made by competitors were copies of hulls designed by those companies.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Aronow
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auct...ference-5513-a


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[77T]

Christie’s had one a while back.

They say 60 were made but not sure of that. Apparently 5512/5513 models were both turned out.


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[1665fan]

Originally Posted by tekno

Sorry,
I didn’t explain very well. I grew up around offshore race boats. I forget everyone doesn’t know what a Cigarette Powerboat is.

Cigarette is a brand of Offshore Powerboat, 20-50ft race boat… similar to what was used in Miami Vice.
Don Aronow (original owner of Cigarette Racing) is basically the father of offshore power-boating. In the 80’s a Cigarette Powerboat is the Rolex of boats.

Supposedly they ordered 50 of these in 1986 to give to race team members, clients etc. I assume Don ordered them, he got knocked off in 87.

He built quite afew legendary race/pleasure boat companies and sold them off to friends. Won 350 offshore races, 2 time world champion, 3 time US champion.

Brands like Formula, Magnum, Donzi, Apache, Cigarette (where he was when he was killed in 87). Many of the boats made by competitors were copies of hulls designed by those companies.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Aronow
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auct...ference-5513-a


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I go to the lake a few times a year......I’ve heard people refers of the fast ones like that as cigar boats.....I knew where you going with it, very rare piece if only 50 or less made i think it might be the first one I’ve seen

[tekno]

Originally Posted by 77T

Christie’s had one a while back.

They say 60 were made but not sure of that. Apparently 5512/5513 models were both turned out.


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I would love to see the 5512. If I was going to buy a watch with a company logo that would be the one.

That article was a good read… “the boats a piece of shit kid, I just did you a favor”. Holy crap…

Maybe I overstated his involvement in offshore power-boating. He may not have been the father but he definitely was a player. I bet if he was telling the story, he was the father of the sport. Lol.

I know he built boats for drug smugglers, then for Bush/US Customs. With all the craziness surrounding that brand, the owner, the year these watches were made - I can imagine they will be worth some serious money one day.

[alwayshere]

Originally Posted by tekno

Sorry,
I didn’t explain very well. I grew up around offshore race boats. I forget everyone doesn’t know what a Cigarette Powerboat is.

Cigarette is a brand of Offshore Powerboat, 20-50ft race boat… similar to what was used in Miami Vice.
Don Aronow (original owner of Cigarette Racing) is basically the father of offshore power-boating. In the 80’s a Cigarette Powerboat is the Rolex of boats.

Supposedly they ordered 50 of these in 1986 to give to race team members, clients etc. I assume Don ordered them, he got knocked off in 87.

He built quite afew legendary race/pleasure boat companies and sold them off to friends. Won 350 offshore races, 2 time world champion, 3 time US champion.

Brands like Formula, Magnum, Donzi, Apache, Cigarette (where he was when he was killed in 87). Many of the boats made by competitors were copies of hulls designed by those companies.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Aronow
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auct...ference-5513-a


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thanks for the lesson - its a brand of speedboat! not a cancer stick... got it!

[JohnGingerwood]

Badass.

[stmoore]

Originally Posted by alwayshere

looks like a late 5513.... frankly less appealing to me. WG dial advertising cigarettes? no thanks, let the other collectors pay for it.

Speedboat manufacturer, not tobacco. Muppet.

[Gary Busey]

Originally Posted by alwayshere

looks like a late 5513.... frankly less appealing to me. WG dial advertising cigarettes? no thanks, let the other collectors pay for it.

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[alwayshere]

Originally Posted by stmoore

Speedboat manufacturer, not tobacco. Muppet.

Read my latest post. I stood corrected but thanks for the name calling lol - very classy

[Wk33outlaw]

ESPN 30 for 30 has this on him

http://www.espn.com/30for30/film/_/p...r-of-donaronow

No doubt a legend in offshore racing and other adventures in his life. As a fellow offshore enthusiast this would be a nice piece to have. Guessing with a very limited number they would bring top dollar.

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[2loaded]

Very cool. It looks like it's been out on the water a few times. If it could only talk...

[tekno]

Originally Posted by Wk33outlaw

ESPN 30 for 30 has this on him

http://www.espn.com/30for30/film/_/p...r-of-donaronow

No doubt a legend in offshore racing and other adventures in his life. As a fellow offshore enthusiast this would be a nice piece to have. Guessing with a very limited number they would bring top dollar.

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That’s a great documentary, thanks for sharing that. I saw a lot of the boats in the beginning race as a kid.

I hope to get back out on the water one day. Those boats are not a cheap hobby… there isn’t much that tops flying over the ocean on a 30ft cat at 100+mph.


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[Wk33outlaw]

Originally Posted by tekno

That’s a great documentary, thanks for sharing that. I saw a lot of the boats in the beginning race as a kid.

I hope to get back out on the water one day. Those boats are not a cheap hobby… there isn’t much that tops flying over the ocean on a 30ft cat at 100+mph.


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Amen to that.

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[snakeeyes]

to me this is one of the coolest watches here.

[FrenchBigCrown]

Originally Posted by alwayshere

Read my latest post. I stood corrected but thanks for the name calling lol - very classy

Maybe you should get that 'hair trigger' adjusted dude.

I've seen a few posts where you've dived in - only to recant later when you've been educated.

Chill.