Remember buying your 1st Rolex??

[DESH]

Feb 14th 2006- submariner

[shaunylw]

I remember! I bought a 1680 from Jacek at HQ Milton maybe 6-8 years ago. I got a ticket pulling into SF for speeding and window tint, but couldn’t have cared less. Was like a kid on Christmas.

[Zyfon]

My first was a 114060 sub nodate. I found it for about $5000, so I just said 'what the hell' and went it. It was my first time spending so much money on a luxury item. Wore it for about a year, then realized I wanted to try other watches. Sold it and moved on.

I have had the pleasure of trying multiple brands from Cartier to Patek, but finally came back to a Rolex when I saw the Hulk. Been on my wrist for the past 4 years.

With the way prices are these days, I don't think I can financially justify moving from piece to piece like before. It's really too bad. That was the fun part of this hobby.

[noshame]

July 2017, 116610LN for my 10 year wedding anniversary. Remember like it was yesterday. A very exciting 24 hours. I met my wife at the downtown AD while on her lunch, and the owner, who I dealt with via email, personally took care of us. The SS Professional hysteria was just starting to take off, so I felt very fortunate to get this within a week of seriously shopping around. Ahhh, the good old days!

[Rolex.Journey]

Would love to see more topics like this!

I began my search for my first watch in 2018. I had been floating the idea of buying myself a watch after I bought my wife’s wedding ring. I had always been into watches and saw my parents wear the same single timepieces for over 30 years. Figured it was something worth spending money on. After buying her ring, we wandered the LA Jewelry district to look at some used watches. I went by a shabby looking display case and asked to see a blue DJ 41. Dealer quoted me about retail at the time (I think 8k) and I nearly shit myself…… I then knew I was either being scammed or knew nothing about the watch market.

Spent 3 months researching till I decided to more than double my budget and get my 16613 Bluesy. Loved that watch immensely, but the addiction to watches continued, and my taste evolved!

[DCheeta]

August 12, 2000. A pre-owned 14060 for $2000, wore it for 17 years.

[kayaker21]

My first Rolex was a 1986 Rolex GMT 16750,purchased it from a pawn shop in Halifax Nova scotia for $800 in 1995, two years later purchased a 1665 double red seadweller from the same pawn shop for $5000 those were the days

[OrangeSport]

This was my first one, a 1406OM. I wanted a Submariner and was pretty sure I didn't want a date. I popped into a local AD at lunch time. They had Hulk that I tried on. That wasn't for me though. They got a 14060M in for me the next day and that did it.

Negotiated a discount. Asked if they did interest free credit - they did.

Walked out wearing my new Sub. Still my favorite Rolex.

[Harry-57]

2017, Polar, from stock, £500 discount. Easy.



It started getting less easy after that, although I have managed to bump into a Z Blue, BLNR, White TT Sky Dweller and OP36 Grape on spec since then, at my local AD. I passed on the BLNR.

[domi1]

From an early childhood i wanted a Rolex and 20 years later my dream finally came true. I will never forget that moment of purchase-january 2016 black SDDS!

[JSolution]

yep 2008 tt datejust.

still own it bought the sdame configuration in 41 this year :)

[brandrea]

My first was a 16600 SeaDweller bought new from Overguaard Jewelers in Kitchener in 1992. A small AD long since gone ~sadly).

I believe I paid in the range of $3400 )and I seem to recall getting about a 20% discount. I distinctly remember talking to the owner Grant about all the references which at the tome, were readily available and on display. The Daytona at that time was a slow seller.

[Hpozzuoli]

My first Rolex was bought at Benedetti Jewelers who are an AD in Rome. The year was 2003 and the wife and I were on our honeymoon. I bought a 2 tone date just on an oyster bracelet with fluted gold bezel. I paid $5,500 out the door and still wear the watch to this day. When I made the purchase, Benedetti was also giving out Cellini’s with their branding on them. I also have one of those so in reality I walked away with 2 watches that day. Everytime I wear it I remember that day.

[Daytonaman799]

Yes. In the 1980’s I was around 15 and I saw a 1675 Pepsi in a used case at a watch store. Paid around 800 for it on a jubilee band. That one is long gone. My first good watch was a couple of years before from my father…a blue lollipop Tudor sub. Came home one night and tossed me a box and said if you lose this watch it will be the last one I ever buy you. That one I still have!

[Gerry62]

Rolex Submariner 14060M - New from A.D. January 2010

[mike morris]

1 April 2019 after 1 week of my 35th , get call from AD in 6h drive, next morning jump in bus and still my favorite.

[AF_Rob]

Originally Posted by Gerry62

Rolex Submariner 14060M - New from A.D. January 2010

Me too. Same piece, from AD Apr 2012.

[kegan]

April 2000 took 15 minutes on first visit to pick out the blk/red GMT 2 over the black or Pepsi GMT (16700). Back then I was the idiot that spent 3500$ on a watch. I’ve since been accused of being a genius for buying it. This watch thing was way more fun when I was the
Idiot.

[Kt92]

In 2006...came off the most horrible boss of my career (up until then) who completely destroyed my self confidence but fortunately was "rescued" by my subsequent manager (I am still grateful to him to this day). Got my bonus and decided I needed to do something good for myself, and I had been eyeing the platinum Yacht Master 36mm for some time. Called up Jewelers on Time and they had one that had literally been bought and returned/sold in a day and selling at a discount, got it 2 days later and wore it as my daily until 2020 when I got my Daytona. I never felt such as a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when I got it and rocked it at work the next day. Even my new boss said I deserved it!

Fast forward - while I love that YM and what it stands for and how I got it (and I will never part with it), I got my first AD experience with my new GMT this past December and I will say, that was definitely a super fun and happy experience with the whole getting the surprise email notification, running in, getting it fitted, getting everything wrapped up with the holiday vibe all around me, and the interaction with my SA who is just lovely.

[Vos103]

My first was 2 weeks ago through the grey market. It is a DJ 12623 jubilee, fluted and silver dial. It came with full set. Would have preferred the real experience at an AD but we currently live in a market where me, the customer, is just a number in a long line for a $10,000 purchase.

[telesquire]

Only vaguely...33yrs ago when I was 20.

[Dan Pierce]

Yes, it was in 2005. My wife said, "let me get this straight, you're sending $XXXX.00 to a guy you never met, to buy a watch you've never seen." I replied, "well, if you put it that way....."

The purchase of the 1986 [Paul Newman, Color of Money] monochromatic silver DateJust w/ smooth bezel on jubilee turned out just fine.
dP

[JSolution]

Absolutely I do I spent many many months pondering a £3k purchase and debating whether to spend the money lol.

[adawil2002]

November 1985, Moses Jewelers at the Clearview Mall in Butler PA. Bought an 16550 Explorer II Polar because it reminded me of snow on a sunny day. Paid $1360 when I was 17, still my favorite.

[Rori]

I remember passing on a sub despite the SA insistence and advise to get it instead of me insisting on getting a Cartier pasha instead :-(
That was in 2000. I had to wait 20 years to rectify that “mistake”


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[Bizcut1]

My then girlfriend, now my wife, bought it for me in May of 1998. A 16610.

A day I'll never forget. She had paid for it in advance and steered me into Coffin & Trout at the Biltmore in Phoenix while we were out to just "have a look at some of their watches."

As I was trying it on, she told me it was already mine if I wanted it.

She had told me before she always loved Rolex...that day she proved it...

[rmlovett1]

Definitely remember. 1997, bought a 16610 while on a date with my girlfriend, now wife of 23yrs. I believe it was around $3500 and i struggled with the price and going between no date, or date, just because of the price :)

[csaltphoto]

I remember trying to...

About the most disappointing retail experience of my life... Felt like this...

[brigadoonb]

2008….my mentor offered his 16760 for $1800….and I passed due to lack of funds and just couldn’t wrap my head around that price for a watch…even though I wanted it badly. 2010…he offered it to me again for $2500…..and I jumped on it. Got a few more since then but this one is super special to me.


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[nyyankees]

I remember it well but it was also probably a lesson on how not to do it. Back then it was cheaper to buy on-line and I found a place in CA that seemed to have a huge inventory of DateJusts. And that's just how they were listed - no serials numbers, model numbers, etc..So I dropped $2500 on a Tutone Datejust, fluted bezel, with an oyster bracelet, and sapphire crystal. I get it and I am thrilled then all of a sudden I notice condensation in the dial. I start researching and the watch is a 1601 which should have an acrylic crystal - that explains why the condensation is in the watch, they had converted it and the seals weren't good. This caused a whole run around back and forth with the dealer who offers to put in a new movement! It was frankenwatch central. We finally worked out an exchange and I got what I wanted (I thought). About 6 months later I made a contact here who is a trusted seller and across the bridge in Jersey and we did a trade plus cash deal for an Explorer. I find out that the end links are wrong on the watch -all genuine though so that was good. I learned my lesson on that first purchase and have done way too many trades since then!