My 1st Rolex

[HeyitsDexter]

Here’s the story behind my first Rolex, a GMT-Master II BLNR

What’s your background?
I’m a 34-years old recently married guy working in the advertising industry. Born in Manila, lived in HK for a bit, grew up in LA, worked in NY before relocating to London to be closer to my girlfriend at the time.

How did I get into watches?
Like many, I grew up having Casio watches. My mom would only buy me a new watch if my current watch is broken. Kid logic – one night I took my watch to the bathroom and smashed the glass against the marble countertop. Next week, new Casio Calculator watch!

With my first paycheck I purchased an “expensive" watch Gucci watch. This was years before I got into luxury watches. My younger brother purchased a Glashutte Original Panomaticlunar and I was amazed by the beauty of its details. From then on, I wanted to get something for myself but couldn't imagine paying that much for a watch. My priorities at the time were my car, travel and saving for a potential move from LA.

In 2012, my family travelled to Hong Kong. Whoa! The amount of watch stores and the pieces everyone was carrying was mind blowing! There I made an impulse buy, IWC Pilot Chronograph (IW371701).



Why a Rolex GMT?
Summer of 2012, I moved from LA to NY where my interest in watches grew. Managing colleagues Mumbai, family in LA and a girlfriend in London, I felt I “needed” a watch with multi-time zone function. I tried on many GMTs in the market and nothing struck my eye like the GMT Master II LN. The blackish-grey ceramic bezel with the hint of green, wow. The look of the Rolex’s Cyclops has been ingrained in my mind as a kid and always liked it. But that price (approx. $8000), I couldn’t do it at that time.

I then flew from NY to London in visit my girlfriend for the first time. During a layover in Dublin, I made another impulse purchase: Hamilton Jazzmaster GMT. It had the GMT hand and the city names which I liked but after a few weeks of wearing it, it didn’t fill my lust for the GMT Master II.

Why the BLNR?
I’m sure we all read and saw the pics from Hodinkee’s blog post from Basel World 2013 on the new Black and Blue. Remember your reaction? My eyes filled with awe as I stared at the picture’s high contrast of the blue and reflective black on the bezel and the subtle blue GMT arm. After 10 mins, I frantically started sharing the link to my brother and friends so they too can appreciate the new timepiece.

What’s the struggle?
$9,000?! Wow. Anyway, no stores in NY had it.

In 2014, I moved to London. My financial priority that time was an engagement ring. But I would still walk into the stores just to see if they would have it in stock. I spotted it a couple of times, but couldn’t pull the trigger because of the price. Then in December of that year, I was at Heathrow airport on the way back to LA to purchase the engagement ring and ask my girlfriend’s parents for her hand in marriage, and in the terminal, the BLNR was sitting in the showroom. VAT FREE! For 30 mins, I stared at the piece, calculating my engagement, travel and wedding budget and while trying to reason to myself why I NEED this watch. I made the sensible decision to walk without it.

After the engagement, I was searching for the watch. My fiancé and I wanted it as a wedding gift to myself symbolizing the coming of two time zones and having a lifelong partner as we travel to different places (Hey, I know it’s cheesy but don’t we all have a stupid reason why we are willing to spend thousands for a watch? Besides, it would have been a great story as I pass it my watch to my kid). Unfortunately, no AD stores in London had the watch. I put myself down in multiple “waiting lists” with an estimated 8 to 12 month wait – past our wedding date.

After the wedding – still the same story. No one had it. I was not willing to purchase a used one as my first Rolex and it had to be from an AD. I put myself on the list of every Mappin & Webb and Watches of Switzerland and like a typical Londoner, I kept on the queue and waited…

What happened after the Brexit?
The pound dropped, everyone from abroad started purchasing all the SS stock and looming price increase. I had a couple of friends abroad who contacted me to help them find several watches. I made it a point to contact stores that would help bump my name to the top of their waiting list. But with short supply and near price increase, it was a fight against time.

Ok, hurry up. When did you get the watch?
The week after one friend made his purchases, I randomly “googled” for an AD of Glashutte Original in London. Wempe showed up and it dawned on me that I haven’t visited the store in a while. So on a casual Friday, I walked in the store. I was greeted by a sales person and asked what I was looking for. “Oh, the black and blue. It’s impossible to get…we don’t do waiting lists…but fill this out with your details. While you’re filling it out. Let me check the back since we had a resent delivery, I’m not sure what was delivered.”

Two minutes later, a Rolex GMT Master II BLNR was sitting on a tray. It’s a very early 1-year anniversary gift from the missus but I can’t help myself but start wearing it.





Guys, I’m now part of your Rolex family!