14 watches. 27 years. Collection complete

[toomuchtalk]

Another tent shot; this time Antarctica...

[Beef]

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

Another tent shot; this time Antarctica...

Amazing! This is a great thread! Since my niece worker down there, I've been fascinated with Antarctic exploration.

[Grey.Coupe]

Collection complete.

Oxymoron.

[BMW Guy]

I love Florida therefore I could not imagine myself staying in a tent in such cold climate. Can't help to wonder, with the freezing climate did you notice any issues with your watches, running slow or anything in that nature ?

Lastly, I beg to differ there is no such thing as a complete collection :)

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by BMW Guy

I love Florida therefore I could not imagine myself staying in a tent in such cold climate. Can't help to wonder, with the freezing climate did you notice any issues with your watches, running slow or anything in that nature ?

Lastly, I beg to differ there is no such thing as a complete collection :)

The watches work fine.

A complete collection depends on what you want you collect. My aim was to collect what I call the rolex expedition watches, that I could get when they came out; not second hand- hence no original explorer 2.
Also no 'sport' watches like yacht master /Daytona etc. just the ' expedition' type watches.
Plus in my opinion Patek make the finest watches...
But rolex make the best workhorse watches..

[toomuchtalk]

Expedition watch for the sea...

[toomuchtalk]

And it's not all snow..
High up on a volcano in Mexico...

[GED]

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

And it's not all snow..
High up on a volcano in Mexico...

Great photo! Reminds me of this:

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by GED

Great photo! Reminds me of this:

That's a better picture!

[Chainring]

Toomuchtalk, I have to give it to you. You've turned this thread around big time. You'll have to forgive the folks here. We've seen many a thread start out like yours and flop. But this is one of the most interesting ones I've read in a long time. Your photos are fantastic and inspiring. I have to know the back story. You say you're an expedition leader. What's the point of the expeditions and for who's benefit are they done? I hope this thread has more life in it. I've lost count of how many watches you've posted.

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by Chainring

Toomuchtalk, I have to give it to you. You've turned this thread around big time. You'll have to forgive the folks here. We've seen many a thread start out like yours and flop. But this is one of the most interesting ones I've read in a long time. Your photos are fantastic and inspiring. I have to know the back story. You say you're an expedition leader. What's the point of the expeditions and for who's benefit are they done? I hope this thread has more life in it. I've lost count of how many watches you've posted.

Thank you.

I work for an expedition company based in the UK. They do educational expeditions for young people to overseas destinations; field work expeditions for adults; and historically they did polar expeditions- less so now as they are so expensive!
They also do a lot of UK based adventure activities.

So far I have posted 9 watches posted! I know some want the lot in one go; but where is the fun in that.

[xtra3cats]

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

So far I have posted 9 watches posted! I know some want the lot in one go; but where is the fun in that.

I agree! I've seen so many shot pic collection and not much history behind it. This thread makes me and many others come back for more. Keep on them coming TMP

[a_plus1234]

Great pics... You are teasing us slowly. How many more thread pages before we get the watch collection pics? C'mon let's see the collection!

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by a_plus1234

Great pics... You are teasing us slowly. How many more thread pages before we get the watch collection pics? C'mon let's see the collection!

Patience. Expeditions require patience...
Spent 3 days in a tent once waiting for the weather to clear..

[a_plus1234]

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

Patience. Expeditions require patience...
Spent 3 days in a tent once waiting for the weather to clear..

Great response. I should have known. Keep the pics coming

[Mendota]

Very nice pics and interesting back story. Keep the posts coming with more of all of the above.

[Boothroyd]

Keep them coming, toomuchtalk. As was mentioned, this has turned into a great thread!

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by Boothroyd

Keep them coming, toomuchtalk. As was mentioned, this has turned into a great thread!

Thanks.

[mannyv11]

awesome pictures and thank you for posting them =)

[nickb732]

I hope we'll get to see a picture of all of them together once you've posted them all one by one!

[lsettle]

2.5 years, three watches. My collection is complete.

3570.50 / 14060 A serial / 16570 P serial

Cheers,

Lawrence

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by lsettle

2.5 years, three watches. My collection is complete.

3570.50 / 14060 A serial / 16570 P serial

Cheers,

Lawrence

Agree!

[Kobayashi]

Seeing your collection is great but I'm enjoying your expedition pictures even more! Have you scaled any mountains or gone spelunking? This thread is a lot more interesting than the normal topics that come up each day. Thanks for sticking around and sharing your adventures!

[toomuchtalk]

Thanks all. This is getting like a part time job :)

[JohnFM]

How about a picture of you wearing a Rolex in Antarctica?

... then we can substitute "he" with "we're": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H31mmbN6Rk

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by JohnFM

How about a picture of you wearing a Rolex in Antarctica?

... then we can substitute "he" with "we're": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H31mmbN6Rk

This one was taken into the South Pole marker:GMT master 2

[HogwldFLTR]

There may not be pole dancers at the South Pole but with the slow delivery I feel like I'm at a place that specializes in that sort of dancing. I'm just wondering which article of clothing comes off next. I hope there will be a recap with all the watches shown at once. Frankly I'm running out of bills and will need to get change for a twenty soon.

[toomuchtalk]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

There may not be pole dancers at the South Pole but with the slow delivery I feel like I'm at a place that specializes in that sort of dancing. I'm just wondering which article of clothing comes off next. I hope there will be a recap with all the watches shown at once. Frankly I'm running out of bills and will need to get change for a twenty soon.

[toomuchtalk]

Rolex's were designed for a purpose. That's why I always wanted one; an expedition watch. For on the first expeditions I went on, there were no external time checks. No sat phone. No gps. You could have a radio if you had the gear to carry it.
So you needed a watch that was reliable, tough and kept the time.
Rolex. A Patek would not survive...despite bring the better timepiece.

Image from a slide; east Coast greenland early 90's.

No time check except a rolex...

[Maverick_1908]

What an awesome thread toomuchtalk. Only read half so far but these are my fav quotes.

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

From experience the black dial edges it. In clear day light you don't notice the difference, but in dusk or low visibility in snowy conditions the black dial stands out more.
Especially on the newer explorers.
The black dial is the better 'polar' watch.

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

The watches work fine.

A complete collection depends on what you want you collect. My aim was to collect what I call the rolex expedition watches, that I could get when they came out; not second hand- hence no original explorer 2.
Also no 'sport' watches like yacht master /Daytona etc. just the ' expedition' type watches.
Plus in my opinion Patek make the finest watches...
But rolex make the best workhorse watches..

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

Patience. Expeditions require patience...
Spent 3 days in a tent once waiting for the weather to clear..

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

Rolex's were designed for a purpose. That's why I always wanted one; an expedition watch. For on the first expeditions I went on, there were no external time checks. No sat phone. No gps. You could have a radio if you had the gear to carry it.
So you needed a watch that was reliable, tough and kept the time.
Rolex. A Patek would not survive...despite bring the better timepiece.

Image from a slide; east Coast greenland early 90's.

No time check except a rolex...

Originally Posted by toomuchtalk

The best use I have ever used a Rolex for, was in greenland. We had to self rescue to the coast after an accident. After 10 days we made it to the coast and to the top of mountain.
I saw a local hunter in the fjord..
Ran down the hill and met him. There was notable language issue..
So I turned the hands of my Submariner to 6 o'clock. He smiled and went away.
That night we moved most of the gear down the hill, the next morning it was gone..
In despair we tried to self rescue across the rivers and fjords to the settlement. Failed and decided then to wait to 6 o'clock pm..the hunter turned up and also had the rest of our kit! He had been there at 6.am...
He then took us via his boat to the village, which was on an island a km out to sea, so we would never have made it anyway ...