Another metallic addition to the family!

[Vernal]

As I shake my head in disbelief, I introduce you to the newest member of my Rolex family, my Explorer II 40mm. I'm not exactly sure how this happened - a phrase which I think should become my signature on TRF, as it probably appears in every post like this I write. At the beginning of July I owned ZERO Rolex watches, nor was I even really shopping for one.

I had to bring in one of my babies to see about getting it fixed, and happened to get spotted by my usual saleswoman. However, I was just there to drop off my watch for repair and get back home to watch football, but while the staff was doing their stuff to prepare the watch for shipment to their jeweler, I decided to wander around. I want to repeat I WAS NOT THERE TO SHOP! I looked again at all the Tags, Omegas, Breitlings, Cartiers, Pateks, Panerei - nothing called to me. Then I passed by the Rolex case. Nestled in the corner was the 40mm black-face Explorer 2, right next to a white-face.

And then the voice started whispering.

"You know you want a watch with a GMT function..."

I answered myself with confidence. "The GMT looks too much like the Sub for me to buy because I already have four Subs. Only a Pepsi can tempt me now, otherwise my collection is complete."

"You know that they are making the Explorer 2 bigger next year..."

"I don't need another watch."

Then my saleswoman who sold me my Hulk brings out a black-face SS Daytona from the safe! Man, what a watch! I looked, and I lingered, and lusted.

"You know you need a watch with a chronograph..."

"Yeah, but I need it to go to 1/10 of a second, and the Daytona doesn't do that."

"But LOOK at it, man, just LOOK at it..."

So I tried it on, and thought about it, and thought some more, but decided I just couldn't pull it off, fashion-wise. I have NO fashion sense, so I must be careful. However, off in the corner came the whispering again.

"What if they don't ever make a Pepsi GMT ceramic...

"I'll just buy a used original one."

"That Explorer 2 looks like it will go with everything..."

So I asked to try on a 41mm Datejust, just to see the size of it on me. Too big. 42mm would be out of the question. I'm barely pulling off the Subs with my micro-wrists.

"What if you decide you 'need' a watch with the GMT function and run into the same trouble finding a Pepsi that you had with the 16613?....

That was hard to refute. I can be very persuasive to myself sometimes. So I tried it on. Fit like a glove!

Then I offered her three prices - if they were willing to consider them, I gave them a) one that I told her I would have to go home and sleep on; b) one that I would go outside and think about; and c) one that would have me pulling my credit card out right there.

A few minutes of conferencing in the back, and I became the new owner of the Explorer 2.

I have to say, my opinion is that this watch has been underrated on this forum. It is light as a feather, more comfortable than my 14060 (which was in the lead, to date), it appears to feel quite rugged, it doesn't catch on my cuff when I try to check the time, and it has a subtlety that the Subs lack.

Of course, as you can see by my other picture (taken for my insurance company doubters, who were questioning that I would add so many expensive watches in so short a period of time; I guess they thought I was flipping them and was going to report them all stolen or something despite a few decades of no claims whatsoever), I LOVE the "noise" that a Sub makes. It's just that sometimes I want to listen to Rock, and sometimes to Jazz.

Next time I go in that store to pick up my other watch, I'm going to make that saleslady go in another room. I mean, there is no ulterior sales mojo going on, no "attraction" to anything other than the watches; it's just that she shows up, two buddies talk about watches for a while, and I walk out with another watch.

I don't know if conventional wisdom will say I made a mistake by passing on the black-face Daytona (which was SO cool but wouldn't look right on me), or by buying the black-face Explorer 2 instead of the white-face, or the 40 vs the upcoming 42, or the old bracelet over the new, etc. All I know is the "buy me" song started playing in my head again, and the only other time that song plays is when I'm looking at something with a V-8.

So now I'm sure my collection is done. All I need is a wife and some kids to pass them down to. Although she did show me in the catalog a cool-looking Panerai with a blue face that I've never seen before...

[toph]

great story again! great watch enjoy

P.S we all know, you are in FACT, not done

[matt4hand]

Well done. I guess we can't nickname you Sub-boy now that you added the Exp II.
They all look great!

[dddrees]

Congrats, now you need one of these:

[renfield33]

great story! i foresee a pepsi GMT in your future.

[renfield33]

by the way, that pepsi looks great on the jubilee.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by renfield33

by the way, that pepsi looks great on the jubilee.

Thank you, and I too believe it would be a good idea if Vernal got one.

[MortgageGuy]

Awesome collection and congrats on the new addition, it looks perfectly at home on your wrist

[Vernal]

Originally Posted by dddrees

Thank you, and I too believe it would be a good idea if Vernal got one.

Can't I EVER satisfy you? I'm only buying these now in the hope that one day I see a post from you that says "You have now bought every cool watch on the planet and now you may rest, or perhaps go shopping for some other luxury (such as food)."

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Vernal

Can't I EVER satisfy you? I'm only buying these now in the hope that one day I see a post from you that says "You have now bought every cool watch on the planet and now you may rest, or perhaps go shopping for some other luxury (such as food)."

Your doing fine, I'm just trying to help another TRF brother. You said you wanted a Pepsi, so I thought it might be a good idea to show you one just in case.

If you ever need any further assistance I'm here for you. I just want to be as helpful as possible.

You know one day you just might want to consider a SS Daytona. I think you mentioned a Black face, I'm sorry I only have a White face one.

Food, who needs food?

[SWIMPRUF]

Congrats, Great collection.

[seand442]

Very nice addition.

[dddrees]

Vernal, Vernal, you there?

I posted a SS Daytona for you.

[Vernal]

Originally Posted by dddrees

Vernal, Vernal, you there?

I posted a SS Daytona for you.

I had to sign off so I could watch the Redskins debacle, but as always I appreciate your help with improving my fiscal restraint!

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Vernal

I had to sign off so I could watch the Redskins debacle, but as always I appreciate your help with improving my fiscal restraint!

Seriously, thats one great collection you have. Congrats!!!

[sea-dweller]

Nice!

[MY-WATCH]

congrats

[Cru Jones]

great choice! the 16570 is perfect in so many ways.

i enjoyed the read, too. you got it bad!

pepsi or daytona next??

[The Joker]

Great piece.

(whisper) You realise you are missing a chronograph there matey?

[Vernal]

Originally Posted by The Joker

Great piece.

(whisper) You realise you are missing a chronograph there matey?

I KNOW I need a chronograph, but I really want one that does 1/10 of a second. A horse covering the last 3 furlongs in "35-38 seconds, hold on, let me shove my eyeball against the dial to be sure, that's probably 37 seconds" does not lead to me having the funds to buy as many watches as one that says "35.8." They had a Tag there that did tenths AND hundredths, on an analog dial, and it was in the discount case too (because it had been discontinued), but it was too big for my wrist.

The Pepsi may take a while for two reasons:

1) The vain hope that they come out with one that has a ceramic bezel.
2) The interchangeability of the bezel inserts means I actually have to do some research to make sure I'm buying the grail, and not a grail look-alike.

Now that the logic is out, and is proven sound, I think I can sleep soundly tonight. Last night, I was a bit fitful after watching the Redskins pull out a defeat in the last two minutes, and there must have been a draft in my room because I kept hearing a breeze that sounded like:

"I bet that SS/black-face Daytona is still be in their safe. They don't pull it out for everyone."

I just have to hope that when I go back to pick up the 16613 I'll find that someone already bought it.

[eric23]

Congrats!

[psv]

Best move ever. I think the older ExpII will become a lot more popular now when the new one has arrived. Just looked at the prices of a Pepsi GMT these days.

[chicagofan]

Nice addition to a very nice collection. Congrats!

[ikovalchuk17]

Great watch, enjoy it.

[masterserg]

Beautiful! Love the Explorer II!

[dpkong]

hey Vernal, great EXP2 pick up before they run out!!

and you know you want a Daytona as well.. somehow, sooner or later, you will feel her calling to you...

you won't get 1/10th seconds but do we really need that???? can you hear her calling yet???

can i call you Daddy???

[TSW]

Congrats!

[DolphinV8]

Congrats! That's my first Rolex!

[ufboy73]

love the insurance picture - almost like a proper ransom picture, dated paper and all!!

and, yes, that redskins game was a debacle...much as it pains me to admit about any of my fellow gators, rex is just not the guy

[marshallr47]

Nice addition to an already wonderful collection. Congrats!