From novice to Rolex expert in a few years...

[Idle Swede]

I ran in to this article that some of you might find comic.

Amazing how a person that has never held a Rolex in his hand until a few years ago now is a self proclaimed Rolex expert.

According to this review an Invicta watch is as good as a Rolex Submariner.


http://www.discountwatchstore.com/in...lexsubmariner/

[BarkMaster]

He must have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!

Read his plug for his Invicta book he wrote... any bearing?

[newmedia]

Nice watch and nice review but I try not to were homages if possible.

[gettocard]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

I ran in to this article that some of you might find comic.

Amazing how a person that has never held a Rolex in his hand until a few years ago now is a self proclaimed Rolex expert.

According to this review an Invicta watch is as good as a Rolex Submariner.


http://www.discountwatchstore.com/in...lexsubmariner/

I haven't seen you at J.H. forum for a while and now you come out with this stuff.Interesting indeed....

[Art 1]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

I ran in to this article that some of you might find comic.

Amazing how a person that has never held a Rolex in his hand until a few years ago now is a self proclaimed Rolex expert.

According to this review an Invicta watch is as good as a Rolex Submariner.


http://www.discountwatchstore.com/in...lexsubmariner/

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by gettocard

I haven't seen you at J.H. forum for a while and now you come out with this stuff.Interesting indeed....

I didn't come out with this stuff, it's a written review.

As a matter of fact I read it again and it seems that Invicta is a better watch as a Rolex is a waste of money.

[Tools]

Didn't he give that Invicta to his son when he got himself a Sub........

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by Tools

Didn't he give that Invicta to his son when he got himself a Sub........

Is there another way to get rid of them, surely you can't sell them?

[Dr.Brian]

Apparently he has changed his mind.

[haakon59]

Have to admit, I hadn't seen this review before, although I have run into Mr. Holbrook, occasionally (online). Objectivity is a fine lense, but even so, I have to admit that I am still astonished that he felt the Invicta has anything even close to the level of quality the Rolex Submariner has. Any objective reviewer would realize this. I have been on Mr. Holbrook's watch site before and at least as of about a year ago, he then seemed to be a Rolex fanatic. Practically intolerant and unwilling to see any flaw in the company's offerings. I guess the art of assessing the quality of watches doesn't come naturally to him.

It seems that the concept of objectivity has eluded him.

Occasionally you read a poster who asks questions like: is the Patek Philippe as good as a Rolex, etc. Of course, the two are not in the same category. Sometimes posters give Rolex too much credit, even though they are an excellent company doing quality work.

Still, I am stunned that this now "Rolex expert" started off by bashing them with such an inept comparison. Is a Rolex watch comparable to the Omega or Breitling brands? Yes, value comparisons are certainly appropriate. But concluding an Invicta is even in the same market is silly.

[moviefreak]

as my dad says... There are watches and then there is Rolex...

[jake]

"I got to spend time milling over the watch, the packaging, the documentation…everything you don’t get to play with even when you go into a Rolex dealer to try the watch on. I got to pop the crown….wind the watch….rotate the bezel. I also took several pictures of the watch. In short, I got a really nice test drive on his dime. Hey, I did buy him lunch… I also took the opportunity to do a nice side by side comparison of my Invicta 9937 to his Rolie Sub. Here are my impressions:" -John B. Holbrook II [March 16, 2003] World's Leading Rolex and Jesus Expert

Did he really say in 2003 he "got to pop the crown...wind the watch...rotate the bezel"!?!?!?!?! In his defense he does proclaim he is "a life-long watch enthusiast." Does this mean he is only 6 years old?

All I want to know is if he wrote this excellent review before or after he started having a personal relationship with Jesus!?!

I also wonder if he would buy Jesus lunch (after getting a really nice test drive on his dime–of course!?!) Maybe Jesus enlightened him on Rolex!?!

I also wonder if he was a professional watch photographer when he wrote this world-class review or did that occur later!?! Hard to tell since he seems to be so proud of his "No Image" photos? He did say that he took several pictures!?!

What is it that Jocke's signature says: "Buy a professional camera and you´re a professional photographer, buy a flute and you own a flute." I am certain John B. Holbrook II plays the flute as well as he shoots photography and writes Rolex reviews.

[jimbones43]

than the Rolex.

Also I assume you know who the author is.

JimC

[jake]

"I’ve heard it said that the Rolex Submariner is an outstanding $800.00 watch. I would tend to agree, but the problem is that it costs $4000.00. Many will point to the fact that because the Rolex appreciates in price, it is a better overall value than the 9937. In my opinion, this argument totally ignores the huge price difference between the two. I can buy a 9937 that will likely last me a life time with proper maintenance (that ETA 2824 in the 9937 is no slouch, and has a heritage in its own right) for about $300.00. I can invest the cost difference between the two and make A LOT more money than any profit I might make from the Sub if I bought one and sold it later. Heck, I could buy a 9937 every ten years and still come out money ahead. For me, it’s not a question of which one is better, it is a question of opportunity cost – I look at how good the 9937 is, and how much more money I’d have to spend on the sub. To me, what I have to spend in order to get what the Rolex has which my 9937 doesn’t (namely the better movement and the brand name) isn’t worth it when I think about what else I could do with the money difference. Buying a couple of Omega Seamasters instantly springs to mind (which I would argue is a better watch than the Sub, but that’s another article…)." –John B. Holbrook II [March 16, 2003] World's Leading Rolex and Jesus Expert

Well that settles it for me!!! Invicta is better than Rolex. Such thorough and "Objective" analysis from one of the worlds leading Omega, I mean Invicta, I mean Rolex experts.

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by jimbones43

than the Rolex.

Also I assume you know who the author is.

JimC

Jim, I think that's pretty obvious.

[rkammer]

Originally Posted by jake

"I got to spend time milling over the watch, the packaging, the documentation…everything you don’t get to play with even when you go into a Rolex dealer to try the watch on. I got to pop the crown….wind the watch….rotate the bezel. I also took several pictures of the watch. In short, I got a really nice test drive on his dime. Hey, I did buy him lunch… I also took the opportunity to do a nice side by side comparison of my Invicta 9937 to his Rolie Sub. Here are my impressions:" -John B. Holbrook II [March 16, 2003] World's Leading Rolex and Jesus Expert

Did he really say in 2003 he "got to pop the crown...wind the watch...rotate the bezel"!?!?!?!?! In his defense he does proclaim he is "a life-long watch enthusiast." Does this mean he is only 6 years old?

All I want to know is if he wrote this excellent review before or after he started having a personal relationship with Jesus!?!

I also wonder if he would buy Jesus lunch (after getting a really nice test drive on his dime–of course!?!) Maybe Jesus enlightened him on Rolex!?!

I also wonder if he was a professional watch photographer when he wrote this world-class review or did that occur later!?! Hard to tell since he seems to be so proud of his "No Image" photos? He did say that he took several pictures!?!

What is it that Jocke's signature says: "Buy a professional camera and you´re a professional photographer, buy a flute and you own a flute." I am certain John B. Holbrook II plays the flute as well as he shoots photography and writes Rolex reviews.

Normally, I wouldn't attempt to defend John Holbrook but your comments prompt me to want to make some counter points here:

1) The article was written in 2003, over 6 years ago. We all have to start our trip down WISdom somewhere, don't we?
2) The review did not bash Rolex. It was as objective as one could expect coming from a non Rolex owner at that point in his life.
3) He wrote a book on the Invicta watch company as a function of his publishing aspirations so, he was bound to talk highly of the 9937 which, by the way, is a very good watch.
4) The fact that John Holbrook did or did not find Jesus should have no bearing on his reputation as a watch expert or of his photography skills and shouldn't even be commented on here.
5) Mr. Holbrook is a very good photographer, even considered an expert in many watch circles. Take a look at some of his photos sometime. He is very, very good.

As a final disclaimer I will add that I do not know Mr. Holbrook personally, and have never met or talked with him. I just didn't like what I felt were comments (by several posters) that bordered on character assassination.

[Idle Swede]

My intention with the original post was to show how you can go from a novice to a self proclaimed Rolex expert in a few years, nothing else.

Oh BTW, I've met him several times..

[sturgeon123456]

I have an invicta, I bought it on sale at tj max for $60 bucks, for some reason it gives mr a different feeling than when I put on my GMT II C TT, hmmmmmmm.......that feeling is of emptiness I do believe.

[jake]

If only you spoke Hovitos, Dr. Jones...

[sturgeon123456]

Well this guy feels like a million bucks with his invicta.....so smart and sophisticated

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by sturgeon123456

Well this guy feels like a million bucks with his invicta.....so smart and sophisticated

No offence but I do believe my cat has better taste in watches.

[moviefreak]

Leo do you use or have a watch without gold.. .The singer from Gipsy Kings.. he wears a gold Daytona.. really nice..

[sturgeon123456]

U Win, my maybe one day my pups will have Rolexes LOL

[Speed]

Here is Holbrook's main page. He bashed Rolexes until he got his first...then he appears to become a fanboy:

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by moviefreak

Leo do you use or have a watch without gold.. .The singer from Gipsy Kings.. he wears a gold Daytona.. really nice..

I have a couple of TT's.

[ingoodtime]

Life is all about change people. Our opinions change as our experiences change. Owning and experiencing a product can give you a whole different perspective. I have other watches, not just Rolex. But Rolex is the most expensive brand I currently own.

The brands include Invicta, Citizen, Renato, Breitling, Seiko, Movado, NFW, ESQ, Android, Zodiac, Sturhling, Potger-Pietri. Some of these are designed very well. Some have ETA 7750 auto movements, SW-200 movements,ETA2824, quartz etc. I enjoy them all. Some of these watches are stunning and the attention to detail and styling brings lots of stares and words of praise from on-lookers and heck, they are not cheap either, just not in Rolex league. That said, I don't get many ooos and ahhs from onlookers when wearing my Rolex watches except from fellow watch enthusiasts who know what it is I am wearing. The satisfaction must come from within.

When I wear my Rolex, I know I have a fine timepiece on my wrist. It has slowed my collecting of other time pieces. Partially due to the major investment I must plunk down when buying a Rolex and, I am fine with that. However, I still do enjoy my other watches. I have many friends that can afford to buy a Rolex but would rather enjoy having a larger stable of designs and brands and, with the amount of watches they have to rotate, they will also last many years. Still not Rolex but nice watches non the less.

Mr. Holbrook obviously had a life changing learning experience when he acquired his Rolex watches.

[JBat]

Originally Posted by Tools

Didn't he give that Invicta to his son when he got himself a Sub........

I think John has kind of changed his tune regarding Rolex over the last six years. All it took was him actually acquiring one.

[Rebel]

Does he know about batteries in the Sub?

[USCpaneristi]

We all say things we wish we hadn't. I'd be willing to be if he could take that interview back, he would. So basically, no worries.

[Brushpup]

I used to like him.......until recently. I read this review when it was fresh on the net and then I found his forum a few years later.....

I thought at the time....this HAS to be a different guy.....