Introduction and some stories about my Rolex watches

[Prof. Rolex]

Dear Rolex-Fans,
as it is the first time I attend ROLEXFORUMS please let me introduce myself. I live in Germany (therefore please excuse my english) and since nearly 40 years I´m collecting wrist watches. Possibly some of you know me already from the german Rolexforum (R-L-X), for those the following stories might be boring.

Rolex was always my favourite watch, but I was also and am still interested in Omega, Breitling and all type of Chronographs. So I started 1975 with a Breitling Chrono-Matic Ref. 2110 which is still in my hands today and it is keeping perfect time. By the way, I own nearly all Rolex catalogues and several other booklets since 1975 (same for Omega and Breitling), but mostly in german language.

My first Rolex came in 1979 and was a gift from my father for finishing school with the german so called “Abitur”, which gives the right to start at University. The Rolex choosen by me was absolutely uncommon at that time: it was an Explorer II Ref. 1655/0 with a special engraving on the back “Abitur 1979”. The dealer where it was bought (Bucherer in St. Moritz) had to take firstly a look into the catalogue because he only knew GMT´s, Sub´s etc.. But after looking to the Explorer II which he had in stock he was of the opinion that it is a great choice as it is not an “everybodies Rolex”. By chance the 1655 I bought has a so called “rail dial” with symmetric chronometer character.

The reason for me choosing a 1655 was a book from the famous mountain climber Reinhold Messner about his solo attempt to the Nanga Parbat, where I saw pictures with Messner wearing an Explorer II. Well, my Explorer II 1655 is still with me and keeping accurate time after an overhaul at Rolex in 2000.

And here is my 1655:















If you still have some time, I will shortly tell the stories of some of my other Rolex watches:

In 1983 I bought my second Rolex and once again my choice was an uncommon Rolex at that time. It was a Daytona Ref. 6263/0 with a silver dial. Comment from the dealer at that time (Bucherer in Interlaken): “Why do you buy a Rolex watch with handwinding movement and no date? You are the first one asking for a Daytona since the last 3 years.” Doesn´t this sounds strange from the todays point of view? Nevertheless I bought it together with a special fitted jubilee bracelet (also uncommon) and an engraving of my initials “MS” on the back. The Daytona was so unusual to the dealer, that he gave incorrectly a chronometer certificate with it, but at that time only the 18k Daytonas were certified chronometers.

Unfortunately I sold the watch 1989 obviously in mental desease to a vintage watch dealer and the only things I still have in my hands are the box and the papers (“chronometer”/guarantee certificate, instruction booklet, invoice). Believe me, I will never sell one of my watches again! Yes, there would be the opportunity to buy another 6263, but it will not be MY 6263 and therefore I refrain from buying and will still quarrel with me.

The remaining things of my 6263:





and a „phantom“-picture I found (was made with a Minox C, where the negatives are only 8x11 mm, therefore please excuse the quality):



A more sad story is about the Day-Date 18038 (silver dial, single quickset). My father bought this watch in 1982 at Bucherer in St. Moritz after several years of my continuous recommendations to him for buying a Day-Date. May be he was tired about any further recommendation and therefore he bought the watch. He wore the Day-Date only on special occasions, as his daily watch was a 1978 16013 Datejust. Unfortunately my father died in April 2000 and 4 weeks before he gave the Day-Date to me for keeping it well. I will do so and just in the same way as my father, I wear it only on special occasions. In 2004 I gave the watch a complete overhaul at Rolex.

And here it is:











Over the years more Rolex watches came into my collection, but this will be told in further posts from time to time.

For the time being
Best Regards from Germany
Matthias