New (to me) Ed White 321- the “Retirement Watch”

Kind of can’t believe my luck this week, it has been truly excellent and a bit of a rush to be frank.

I managed to finally sell my business two weeks ago, after working a little over 25 years in the same location as a fishmonger. My interest in finding a “retirement” watch was fully piqued, I’d had full blessings from my lovely wife to go nuts finding one.

I have had two goals for a little over a year now, sell my business and find a 321 Ed White, and not necessarily in that order.

Unfortunately where I live Chrono24 is pretty much the best resource for stock, with all being a little more I’d want to pay for the reference.

This 321 surfaced earlier this week at same price as retail, on Facebook of all places, 2022, stickered except for dial, unsized bracelet etc, just too good to be true. The second I saw it I offered to place a deposit.

My excitement was palpable and the price felt like it could be a possible scam. Went through the usual vetting and it all seemed above board, highly reviewed dealer over the short period of time selling, some serious watches sold throughout the year.

I placed the deposit. I’m essentially an unemployed layabout at this point so I thought, why not?

It turned out the quite professional, but fairly new to being independent dealer had just taken a heap of watches on consignment. Either a little overwhelmed or too busy I guess he wasn’t able to conduct enough research to what he could have fetched for the 321. On collection he certainly knew he let it go too cheap.

After I had placed my deposit he had three others offering to either take it that day or pay more, so I’m very glad he was able to hold to his word, and my deposit.

Arriving home yesterday there was plenty of fun in opening the big box with my daughter and wife, reading through the manuals and history and sizing the bracelet for the first time.

Peeling off the caseback sticker was true joy, my little one exclaiming it looked like a “treasure box.” It was my first time seeing a 321 other than in massive macro on a screen, so I was just as delighted as she was.

The bracelet is stunning, quite a bit thinner than the Trilogy Speedmaster, and even without adjustment on the fly I have found it supremely comfortable.

The winding experience of the 321 compared to the 1861 in the Trilogy Speedmaster feels softer, a little more refined and much more quiet.

The pusher feel is what really stood out for me though, such a directness and lightness to the engagement. I think my eyebrows lifted an inch the first push, what a superb mechanical click.

Not quite sure if this will be the last “retirement” watch, the Ed White is more than enough reason to rejoin the workforce at some time in the future: naturally with the hope of securing another equally good reference at the end of it.

Wow, congrats on everything!

Cheers Aroxx, a very fortunate few weeks, I would have waited if it was at all possible, so glad not to though!

Thanks Evitzee, it has been the most perfect set of circumstances, definitely. It would have required a little bit of honour to keep his word too, that meant a lot- and I did thank him for it.

I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to hang around at the house for, after so many years of being so busy I don’t enjoy sitting down!

The one-year anniversary for mine . . .



. . . was a few weeks ago. Congratulations on scoring yours!

Art

Congratulations!

Has anyone done the “catch of the day” pun yet?

Congrats, what a watch to celebrate the occasion. You got that at a very sharp price considering how long the wait is. Wear in good health.

congrats on every part of this post; the watch is a beauty and the occasion it's now associated with is certainly a personal milestone!!

Thanks Alex, it is a perfect watch to mark the end to a career, very Fortunate on so many fronts!

I still can’t believe how lucky I was, will be a shining reminder of early retirement!

Congratulations on all counts!!! Looking forward to the time I can find/buy my retirement piece!

Such a fantastic reference, we are both very lucky!

Not yet, but would be the catch of the year for me!

I’ve been unusually patient, that’s definitely key. Eventually I would have gone grey market but was really holding off.

Well done, dude. Enjoy the watch and enjoy retirement.

Thanks man, hyped to hear that Scooter song after all these years too, very fitting, I’d forgotten about it. There’s a line in the song: “the chase is better than the catch.” I think the reverse was true for me this week!

Without a doubt, so very happy with the result. I had a little doubt before the deal was complete, but it ended up being a brilliantly straight sale. The relief, and also the enjoyment of finding one so easily in the end was just perfect. Cheers!