No White Whale, the Last Dinosaur

[AdamW]

I know it’s a love it or hate it thing with Rolex collectors, but I’ve always been in love with the Datejust black and silver Tuxedo with a roulette dial. From the very first photo I saw of one more than a dozen years ago, I knew instantly that it was something that I eventually wanted to have.

Unlike a lot of folks, I’m not into buying used watches. I just want the experience of having something that was only mine. The awesome anticipation of going to the AD, finding the watch, trying it on, and on, and on… And then making the purchase. I’ve been very fortunate to have an AD that over the years based on our relationship, (aka me buying more and more watches), takes very good care of me in terms of generous discounts. But since the Datejust Tuxedo 116234 had gone the way of the Dinosaur 7 years ago, I knew finding a new one was not likely and I buried my dream.



3 years ago I was at a concert at a casino and there was a Rolex store in the complex. And there, in the window was a BRAND NEW Datejust Tuxedo, jubilee with fluted bezel (the only combination on that watch that I ever could imagine). How could that be? New? So in I went, tried on my precious and fell in love. Unfortunately at the time my heart said yes, my wallet said no. So back it went into the case.



Flash forward to this past August. Same casino, same Rolex store and sure enough, same Tuxedo! The sales clerk said it had been there for years, and not only hadn’t it ever been sold, nobody had in her memory ever asked to have it taken out of the case!!!! Unreal. I still couldn’t afford it. Home I went.



However, since we had moved into the new year this month, I was pretty close to buying a watch without having to destroy my bank account. I couldn’t stop thinking about the Datejust. Now some casino ADs aren't like a regular AD. The Rolex store at Foxwoods is owned by the casino and they don’t discount. Ever. Not a penny. They won’t even ship to your home to save you the tax. And since I’ve never actually paid full retail for a luxury watch and I would get hives just thinking about it, I began my search to find another, somewhere in the hinterlands of the country, either gray market or not.

Now I’m kind of OCD, so when I say I searched, I mean I searched. I spent days online, checking every reputable dealer, every trusted seller, and called every AD in three states. And I came to the conclusion that this one, the one I saw at the casino was likely the last new 116234. But was it still there? Surely someone took it home months ago.

 No, I can't pay sticker!!!!!

Yesterday morning I found out that a college friend had passed away. She was a beautiful spirit and at 58 was taken from this world far too soon. But losing my friend, just put things in perspective. I saw the news on Facebook. got in the car.

Life is short. Never miss an opportunity to tell the ones you love how you feel about them because you never know when they may be gone. Life is way too short. So I drove an hour an a half to the casino.

 I had no idea if the watch was still there. They have a policy of not confirming on the phone what their stock is (silly). So when I walked in the door, was asked if I could be helped and I said I was interested in a Tuxedo they used to have, the woman said, “I remember you! You came in last summer!” I asked her how she could possibly remember that and she replied “nobody has asked to see this watch since.”

Well what can I say, I guess I’m only one with really good taste!

I bought it. I paid full retail. I don’t care. As far as I know there isn’t another NOS Datejust silver and black Tuxedo out there and if there is I don’t want to know. The hunt was real. The struggle was real. And losing my friend made mortality for me more real.

So now I have my dinosaur. When I look at it I will always think of my friend, my great time in college far too many years ago and I will be reminded that time goes by too quickly. Love each other. Be kind. And take care of yourself. We only go around once.

Peace,

Adam