How I bought my first Rolex

[Droffen]

History:
I'm from Germany (please excuse my English) currently owning a Nomos Tangente since 2007 and several Garmin Forerunners one after the other.
In the last few years I wore the Nomos only very seldom. Maybe because it's too much Bauhaus style. Maybe because of the feeling of the sharp edges on the lugs. Never really thought about it.
As I started doing sports I completely switched to Garmin sport watches 4-5 years ago using the Nomos only for official occasions. My current Garmin is the Forerunner 735xt.

Today:
As I'm turning 43 now and my girlfriend and me want to get married I was thinking to get me a new mechanical watch as replacement for the ring as i hate to wear rings. I had made mind to get a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso or the new true second from JLC, having omega and some other in my mind as well. I never, really never thought about Rolex.
So accidentally on our trip to the Baltic Sea for our holidays we came to visit the town of Münster on July 30th.
During our window shopping we past the shop of Ording Erdel and regocnized that they have a special event with JLC as a Polo tournament was ongoing that weekend. So I immediately pulled the trigger and went into the shop.
A few minutes later I tried my first JLC Reverso and it looked and felt great on my wrist. After talking with the salesman and telling him my thoughts and prerequisites (no complication, SS, no leather strap as I'm sweating like hell, crashed the Nomos cordovan strap within 6 months only) he told me that rectangular watches are not the best to make waterproof. So I decided to try if I would find a better on.
The salesman went back and chooses a few watches thinking they would fit to my prerequisites.
JLC true second (only available in PM and with leather strap)--> too heavy and too formal and white dial; it turned out that a dark dial suits me better
Breguet Marine big date; white dial and rubber strap --> dial was too reflective and white dial, very hard to read
Cartier Diver with rubber strap --> quite good, but slightly too much going on on the dial
Several Omega flight/sea/speedmasters --> too thick, colors, strap materials
Another 10-15 watches where I didn't remember which brands they were.
Sometimes in between I saw the watch the salesman was wearing which looked very unspectacular.
Later I ask which watch he was wearing. He told me a Rolex 15 years old .
At the end I had the Cartier diver chosen as my favorite when he said he has an idea.
After around 5 minutes he came back with the new 39mm Rolex Explorer 214270 (but the one introduced 2010).
I put it on my wrist. Wow what a feeling. Of all the 20-30 watches I tried this one immediately slipped on my wrist like non of the others. This one was like love on the first sight. Everything was feeling and looking so smooth; not too big, not too small, not too thick, not too heavy, ... , only disliked the 3 numbers 3,6,9 for not so easy to read but this was a minor feeling. I cannot describe it in an other way. Why did I never looked for Rolex?
I immediately said I want this watch. He told me that unfortunately it was already reserved for a collector. He went back again for checking something and came back with a white box. He was able to "find" the newest Rolex Explorer 214270 with improved hands and dial. At that time I wasn't aware that Rolex just introduced a revised Explorer in 2016.
This now my new watch, leaving the shop 15 minutes later.

After 10days i cannot be more satisfied with my purchase. Sometimes I'm wearing both the Rolex as my new GADA watch and the Garmin as my activity tracker.
The watch is gaining around 1spd.

End of the story.

PS: Nomos is for sale now at Chrono24.

[japenney]

Firstly, congrats.

I would suggest for your next purchase to do more research into the models and buy with less impulsivity. Although, this is just advice and you may do as you wish! You made an excellent choice and you have great taste in watches clearly if the 214270 sang to you.

[MonBK]

Welcome, great story.

[GFONG]

Awesome! Congrats!

[1William]

Welcome. Congratulations. Great watch.

[AK797]

Congrats, and only a German apologises for their near perfect English. You should hear us lot trying to speak any other language.

[cop414]

Thank you for sharing your story, you've picked a great watch that with minimal care will last several lifetimes!

[travisb]

Excellent choice! Congratulations!!

[Ronin78]

Originally Posted by AK797

Congrats, and only a German apologises for their near perfect English. You should hear us lot trying to speak any other language.

This.

Congratulations on the watch!

Don't worry because your English is much better than my German.

[masyv6]

Originally Posted by AK797

Congrats, and only a German apologises for their near perfect English. You should hear us lot trying to speak any other language.

[Javier2.0t]

Congrats and wear it in good health! In my opinion you lucked out by getting the new one. It has lume, it's a 2016 (like your wedding I'm assuming) and you have one of the first of this model to appear.

[axjimenez]

Welcome aboard and great story! Enjoy the Explorer!

[aekdb]

Congrats and nice purchase!

[firstOwatch]

Congratulations !
Very happy to read your story
Enjoy your New watch & New Lives

[rmlovett1]

Nice!!

[maxbaris]

214270 is the best first Rolex IMHO! The only thing is no one buys one Rolex. Welcome to the club!

[77T]

Well congrats on two scores.
A new Rolex
And a novel way to not appear married in the bars!

[Eva123]

Very nice story and nice watch. Congrats!

[Jamiewabbit]

Nice story. Thank you for sharing! Congratulations!

[Maiden]

Congrats, a great story, you tried a whole lot of watches on, and bought the one that truly sang to YOU. That is the way to do it, no matter what the brand or model. Wear it well!

[mdgrwl]

nice story :) congratz!!

[Big Bill]

Congratulations on your new timepiece. Welcome to the Rolex Club great story great watch. Sounds like you had a good salesman with a lot of patience showing you all the different watches saving the best for last. Wear it in good health.

[sea-dweller]

Looks great!

[victorescu]

Very nice story, enjoyed reading it.
Thanks for sharing.

[Droffen]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words.
After 2 weeks I'm gaining less than 0.5 seconds per day.
Absolutely stunning micromechanics...

[returntorolex]

Awesome - congrats!

[sickened1]

Congrats and welcome to TRF.

[jcbarrientos]

Congrats!!!

[dualcarb]

Great story. Congrats for getting a great watch and your coming wedding...

[520Matt]

Nice story.