Surprise pickup, luck and serendipity in Holland

[uscmatt99]

Thought I’d share a fun story from recent travels. TL;DR my friend scored a win for the little guy, see pics below.

My wife and I are fortunate to be good friends with our next door neighbors (but not with our other next door neighbors!!). We’ve traveled with them one other time to Costa Rica and had a blast, but it’s been difficult to align our schedules until this year for another trip. One of them is of Dutch descent and has always wanted to visit the motherland, so we decided to spend a week in Amsterdam, with the plan to do a couple of day trips.

After spending a couple days exploring Amsterdam, we decided to take a trip to Rotterdam to explore the city center and take a boat trip. That place is an engineering marvel! First stop from the central station was to be the big market near the water to sample the delicacies. As Western European residents are aware, it was crazy hot, and that country is just not set up for days that hot. So we debated walking or just taking an Uber. We decided to walk, and made our way from the station.

There’s a lot of shopping opportunity with a beautiful modern design that is pedestrian friendly. While walking, our friend spotted some sundresses to try on, as we’d all packed for cooler weather. My buddy and I knew this would take a bit, and while waiting outside, we noticed a watch store with AP and Omega. I’d been recently eyeing Speedmasters and peeked through the window. The store was on a corner, larger than it appeared. So we ventured around the corner and noticed they were a Rolex AD as well.

My friend is a big dude and his only mechanical watch is a GMT Coke he was gifted after graduating high school. He left it at home for the trip and was sporting an iWatch. He’s always wanted a Submariner or Sea Dweller, but had put it off due to other priorities. Of course now that the time has been right, there is no stock anywhere. However, this AD was a bit different. Among a small sea of 2-tone DJ’s, there was a beacon of pure stainless steel, without the signature cyclops. It was a beast. It was a DSSD.

We walked in to enquire about it, and sure enough they had just put it in the case that morning an hour or two before we arrived. Not spoken for. He tried it on, and with the adjustable clasp nearly completely extended, it was a match made in heaven. This guy is totally over the moon, and the anthem for the rest of the trip was “Dude, what time is it again?”

Mandatory wrist buddies shot:

Watch buddies by uscmatt99, on Flickr

I’m so happy for him, he works his ass off and this is a great way to celebrate the accomplishments he’s had in his career. But I have to say I was feeling a bit inadequate. He can go to the bottom of the ocean, but all my watch can do is climb Everest. I needed to go as high as a watch can go if he can go as deep as a watch can go, after all.

So my wife and I paid a visit to Ace Jewelers on our last day in Amsterdam. I’ve been lusting after a Moonwatch for years, as my birthday is July 20th and it just seems oh so appropriate. They made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Here it is!


Over the moon by uscmatt99, on Flickr

Hope you enjoyed the story, it was an epic trip

[SpeakWithMichael]

Memorable purchases, that's awesome.

[Timenor3c]

Just picked up the DSSD in ATLANTA, AD also has a green gold Daytona I got a call for next day. Shortage is a joke......

[Tom5518]

Congratulations to you and your buddy! Awesome watches and I love the Explorer on a strap. That was originally my plan when I picked mine up a few months back, but I've been digging it on the oyster and forgot about the plan.

[drtii]

The DSSD is a sweet piece. Enjoy it! BTW you got the right dial color ;)

[eltonbalch]

If your other neighbors house is ever for sale, let me know. Sounds like fun living next door to you! Belated happy birthday too

[Swaye]

Awesome story!

[uscmatt99]

Originally Posted by SpeakWithMichael

Memorable purchases, that's awesome.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Tom5518

Congratulations to you and your buddy! Awesome watches and I love the Explorer on a strap. That was originally my plan when I picked mine up a few months back, but I've been digging it on the oyster and forgot about the plan.

Thanks! The Explorer is so versatile. I usually keep it on the oyster during cooler months, as it’s sized a bit on the tight side without using the easy clasp for warm days. On rubber for travel, it’s completely under the radar as well, I’ve gone all over the place with the rubber strap or a nato.

Originally Posted by drtii

The DSSD is a sweet piece. Enjoy it! BTW you got the right dial color ;)

Thanks much, I’ll let him know. He’s still pretty giddy as expected.

Originally Posted by eltonbalch

If your other neighbors house is ever for sale, let me know. Sounds like fun living next door to you! Belated happy birthday too

We are very fortunate. It’s funny, on the internet we would be “enemies” as we have very different views on things, but as gear junkies with a contiguous lawn without fence, we get along great! I can’t count how many driveway conversations we’ve had over the years. And thanks for the birthday wishes, admiring the new acquisition as I type this

Originally Posted by Swaye

Awesome story!

It wrote itself! As the day started out so well, we finished off with some special brownies followed by a show at the “performing arts” Casa Rosso theater. Frankly, we should have had more brownies or something stronger

[Oldfellow]

Great story, very entertaining.
Beaut DSSD, for your friend.
And your Birthday treat looks fantastic on the black leather.

[Pw92676]

Very nice. Congrats to you both.

[brandrea]

Congratulations to you both

[Heartlandblaster]

Fantastic story for you and your mate!! What a memorable holiday you had! Congratulations and wear em in great health!

[Rebel]

[PVCC1]

Congratulations to both of you. That's a great way to cap off the vacation, story to be told for years to come.

[Nikrnic]

Congrats to you both!

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk

[Urosfan]

Congrats to u both

[Bizcut1]

Fantastic - and what a double watch purchase should be - epic!