What’s the story of your first Rolex?

airansun · Jun 8, 2020

My first Omega was not nearly the big deal to me that my first Rolex was — I was such a snob. I assume that, for many of us, the first Rolex felt like it marked a passage.

Mine is a 1974 1002 with a sigma dial that I spotted in a modest, local estate auction one weekend in 1984.

White dialed, Date Oyster Perpetuals on bracelets, some with gold bezels, were boringly common at these auctions, and they went for around $175 to $250, depending on the details.

Well, this sweetie pie stood right out in the poorly lit display case in a dimly lit room. I couldn’t be sure of the dial color (the lighting was so poor), but I hadn’t ever seen another like it, so I bought it for a little over two hundred.

(It came on a nicer bracelet than this one.)

I wore this watch every day during my early years as a litigator. God forbid a juror sees defense counsel wearing a gold watch — this was a beautiful low key watch that, from a distance, no one would think was special. It didn’t even have that Rolex fluted bezel. Deponents, sitting across the table, could not easily read the time on it. 🙄

In 1987, I picked up an early, matte dialed 1016 Explorer and put this watch away. Every five years or so, I take it out and wear it for a few days. It’s been serviced a single time in my care, about ten years ago. It still keeps remarkable time.

And, honestly, it is still very special to me. I love how the dial changes color in different light.

So, what’s your story?

Canuck · Jun 8, 2020

I worked for a Rolex dealer in 1971. The chain of stores had a dozen or so stores that carried Rolex. Rolex sponsored a sales contest, and my store won it. Being store manager, the watch came to me. The prize was a Rolex Oyster Air-King Date, steel case and Oyster bracelet. It came direct from Rolex in a Rolex green vinyl case with the hang tag still on it. The MSRP was $215.00! I still have the watch, but after our son destroyed the bracelet and damaged the watch badly, I took it away from him, fixed it up, and put an after market bracelet on it. Here it is.

RCAFBuster · Jun 9, 2020

I had collected a couple of Tudor Subs starting a RCN collection, and really liked their quality.
Oddly enough I was a bit anti-Rolex as I was into Omega at the time.

However, I got a lead on this piece from a friend who said, "you really need to buy this". I said that "I couldn't afford it", eventhough it fit into my Military wristwatch collection. Luckily I was able to sell a few items which equated to the purchase price of my Rolex, so I quickly arranged a funds transfer as fast as possible.

Needless to say, I am over the moon with the aura and the quality of the 5513. Since then I have added a few more Rolexes to my collection.

Cheers,

Buster

WatchCor · Jun 9, 2020

RCAFBuster
I had collected a couple of Tudor Subs starting a RCN collection, and really liked their quality.
Oddly enough I was a bit anti-Rolex as I was into Omega at the time.

However, I got a lead on this piece from a friend who said, "you really need to buy this". I said that "I couldn't afford it", eventhough it fit into my Military wristwatch collection. Luckily I was able to sell a few items which equated to the purchase price of my Rolex, so I quickly arranged a funds transfer as fast as possible.

Needless to say, I am over the moon with the aura and the quality of the 5513. Since then I have added a few more Rolexes to my collection.

Cheers,

Buster

Wau, what an entrance to the Rolex world. Straight to the big boy league. 🥰 Well played sir.

WatchCor · Jun 9, 2020

My first Rolex is the 1655 Explorer II

When I started my watch hobby/collecting around 5-7 years ago (yes it was a slow process) I first saw these Explorer's when checking out watches and literally thought that these are the ugliest thing one could possibly get.

Few years went by and in the meantime I acquired a few "real" watches and a Speedmaster from the 60's when I decided that I'd like to expand my collection to includ a Rolex.

I was going to order a modern Explorer I or a submariner and boldly went to my AD to ask for these. That's when I got introduced to the concept of Rolex waitlists. 🤦

So of to the interweb I went and quite quickly I came up on pictures and sales ads for 1655's. Lo and behold, this time my brain was in love with that "ugly duckling". So a few weeks of intense studying and researching later I made my purchase.

After several years of ownership I still catch my self just looking at it for awkwardly long when wearing it. 🥰

Stripey · Jun 9, 2020

I'm hopefully about to write the story! Lovely to hear these.

pongster · Jun 9, 2020

I wanted an Omega Speedmaster for my 30th birthday.

My wife bought me a Rolex Datejust instead. My first Rolex.

RCAFBuster · Jun 9, 2020

WatchCor
Wau, what an entrance to the Rolex world. Straight to the big boy league. 🥰 Well played sir.

Pure luck that everything fell into place at the correct time, coupled with the recognition of a Grail, and the desire to achieve it.

OmeGez · Jun 9, 2020

My grail was a black dial 16570 - Which my plan was to purchase one in roughly 12 months for my 30th..

Turns out my wife knows me too well and I received my grail unexpected and early..!

MMMD · Jun 9, 2020

My wife was 8.5 months pregnant and I wandered into my local AD to find something for the new little guy. Anyway he’s almost nine now and I’m still breaking it in for him. Should be ready to go in about 15 years.

t_swiss_t · Jun 9, 2020

I got my first Rolex only 3-4 months after I'd bought my first vintage watch (a 105.012-65 Speedy from Bulang and Sons). I was down at a medical conference in Orlando when a family friend called to wish me a happy Namesday (for Orthodox Christians like me, it's the day of the year that the saint you're named after is commemorated; it's celebrated like a birthday) and that he had a present for me. When I next saw him, he pulled out a little box with some rubber bands around it and handed it to me. As I opened it, he said that he'd heard I'd gotten into watch collecting and that he had an old watch that he wanted me to have...

Though I discussed the potential value of it with him, he insisted on giving it to me as he is elderly, doesn't have children, and lives an ascetic life. He hadn't worn it in 20 years, after the second oyster bracelet broke, and wanted me to restore it and enjoy it. After some scouring, I was able to source a bezel/insert, twin lock crown, and a gilt-era handset and bring it back to life with the help of Bob Ridley. [Note: I know it should have a long-5 insert but I haven't gotten around to that yet.]

Throughout the process I talked to my friend about his time with the watch and learned it's history:

Edwin W. was a newly minted US Marine in Key West in 1960. He'd just completed introductory scuba training and about to be put on his first posting. In anticipation of this time away, his mother drove down from their house in Kentucky to see him and, while they were off base spending time together, wanted to buy him a gift. Having seen others in his new unit wearing dive watches, he decided that a Submariner would be useful as both a tool and a reminder of his family. He doesn’t remember the other models available when they walked into the AD but the 5512 was the newest, with the highest depth rating and crown guards, and his practical disposition led him to his choice.

Over the next two decades, Edwin would wear the watch on missions in the Caribbean during the Missile Crisis – reconnoitering Cuban beaches – as well as training a generation of Marine scuba divers, completing over 120 parachute jumps, and making it through two tours of Vietnam. While the bezel got lost and the band broke twice, the watch never stopped. When he went on to be a clergyman, his watch, no longer matching his lifestyle or serving its prior purpose, went into his bedside table.

Of all my watches, it's the one that will never be sold.

Andrew

Meyrin · Jun 9, 2020

In 1995 I was wearing the beautiful solid gold 1973 Omega Genève Automatic I inherited from my father. Unfortunately I´m a pretty clumsy guy and often damaged it, requiring many repairs. I decided I had to get a really tough watch. I started reading watch magazines (not much internet in those days!) and decided on either an Omega Seamaster or a Rolex Submariner…I like divers watches, and the functionality of a rotating bezel interested me. My next step was to talk to two watchmakers in two different Rolex/Omega ADs. Both said the same thing: if money was no object then the Rolex Sub, a watch built like a tank with a simple yet durable, rugged and highly reliable movement. Otherwise the Omega Seamaster, a hell of a lot cheaper back then!

In February 1996 I received a large cash bonus, and one lunch time I just walked into the biggest Rolex AD where I live. I remember they had all Rolex models on display, and all were available to buy, even one Daytona…those were the days!! I had them show me the various Submariners, and fell instantly in love with the 14060! (I´ve never been keen on the date window with the cyclops). I bought it on the spot, and didn´t pay one cent over the MSRP as advertised in the Rolex catalogue…DM 3.450. They did an excellent job sizing the Oyster bracelet for me, and it´s never been altered since! I also had some good coffee and was allowed to smoke, so you can see how long ago this was! I had enough left over to take my then girlfriend out for an expensive Chinese meal. She thought I was quite mad to spend so much money on a watch…she just didn´t get it!

I haven´t for one second regretted buying my Sub in over 24 years now. It´s been all over the world with me…banged, dropped, scratched etc. but has just kept on ticking, ticking, ticking. I´ve had it serviced twice in-house by my Rolex AD, the second time just last summer. It´s never been polished…I like all the battle scars, and considering what it´s been through with me I think it still looks great! Frankly, with what it´s suffered the crystal should have been smashed at least once, but there´s just a microscopic nick on it from when I inadvertently slammed the watch against a lamp post in Tokyo! BTW, I still have my dad´s Omega Genève, and have been wearing it a lot during the lockdown, while my Sub sulked on my desk! The Omega´s a beautiful, classy watch. But here´s my faithful old Sub:

blufinz52 · Jun 9, 2020

I bought a Rolex Submariner as my 1st Rolex. I have owned, and sold on, a GMT Master II, a Explorer II Polar and most recently a Milgauss, Z-Blue. but I will never sell the sub.

Togri v. 2.0 · Jun 9, 2020

About 5 months after buying a birthyear Speedy for my 30th birthday, and having convinced myself and my wife that it was the last major purchase, I found myself wanting a Rolex. I had been pretty indifferent to Rolex and had previously decided that it wasn’t for me. But there was just something about the older Subs 🙄

Short story short I somehow ended up pulling the trigger on a 14060M and I still remember the feeling, when I opened the box: love at first sight.

I have since bought several Rolex. Even with all the hype and retards wearing them, they still speak more to me than most currently Omega models.

If my next purchase wasn’t to be a Rolex it would probably be a Glashutte Original SeaQ (if only the panorama date would come in a 41mm case)

NikolShep · Jun 9, 2020

What a great thread, full of great stories! Keep them coming! I am yet to choose my first Rolex. I've tried multiple models and, unlike most contributors here so far, did not like a submariner (below is me trying one on, "a previously loved one" as they say in my AD). I went for a Tudor BB blue ETA instead. So, the quest for my first Rolex continues for me, which is exciting, I guess.

RCAFBuster · Jun 9, 2020

t_swiss_t
I got my first Rolex only 3-4 months after I'd bought my first vintage watch (a 105.012-65 Speedy from Bulang and Sons). I was down at a medical conference in Orlando when a family friend called to wish me a happy Namesday (for Orthodox Christians like me, it's the day of the year that the saint you're named after is commemorated; it's celebrated like a birthday) and that he had a present for me. When I next saw him, he pulled out a little box with some rubber bands around it and handed it to me. As I opened it, he said that he'd heard I'd gotten into watch collecting and that he had an old watch that he wanted me to have...

Though I discussed the potential value of it with him, he insisted on giving it to me as he is elderly, doesn't have children, and lives an ascetic life. He hadn't worn it in 20 years, after the second oyster bracelet broke, and wanted me to restore it and enjoy it. After some scouring, I was able to source a bezel/insert, twin lock crown, and a gilt-era handset and bring it back to life with the help of Bob Ridley. [Note: I know it should have a long-5 insert but I haven't gotten around to that yet.]

Throughout the process I talked to my friend about his time with the watch and learned it's history:

Edwin W. was a newly minted US Marine in Key West in 1960. He'd just completed introductory scuba training and about to be put on his first posting. In anticipation of this time away, his mother drove down from their house in Kentucky to see him and, while they were off base spending time together, wanted to buy him a gift. Having seen others in his new unit wearing dive watches, he decided that a Submariner would be useful as both a tool and a reminder of his family. He doesn’t remember the other models available when they walked into the AD but the 5512 was the newest, with the highest depth rating and crown guards, and his practical disposition led him to his choice.

Over the next two decades, Edwin would wear the watch on missions in the Caribbean during the Missile Crisis – reconnoitering Cuban beaches – as well as training a generation of Marine scuba divers, completing over 120 parachute jumps, and making it through two tours of Vietnam. While the bezel got lost and the band broke twice, the watch never stopped. When he went on to be a clergyman, his watch, no longer matching his lifestyle or serving its prior purpose, went into his bedside table.

Of all my watches, it's the one that will never be sold.

Andrew

A truly top notch piece and I love the provenance. Well deserved.

OmeGez · Jun 9, 2020

@NikolShep the BB Is a fantastic watch. Also, the hunt is greater than the purchase.

CJpickup57 · Jun 9, 2020

Great stories to read about!

Still looking and waiting for the right one... I'll post here one day!

Candle00 · Jun 9, 2020

@airansun my first and only Rolex is a 1002 from 1969. I haven't seen many of these with the anthracite/grey dial. Hoping to add a 1016 to the collection, one day.

airansun · Jun 9, 2020

Candle00
@airansun my first and only Rolex is a 1002 from 1969. I haven't seen many of these with the anthracite/grey dial. Hoping to add a 1016 to the collection, one day.

Damn! Very nice @Candle00 . How long have you had it?

Don’t see many of them.

What’s the story of your first Rolex?

airansun

Canuck

RCAFBuster

WatchCor

WatchCor

Stripey

pongster

RCAFBuster

OmeGez

MMMD

t_swiss_t

Meyrin

blufinz52

Togri v. 2.0

NikolShep

RCAFBuster

OmeGez

CJpickup57

Candle00

airansun

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