How did YOU choose Rolex and how did YOU pick the model(s) you own?

[1William]

An article about Rolex watches used in the Vietnam war by SOG personnel put me on the quest to learn more and I went from there. Rolex Submariner.

[Gearjockey]

My larger than life uncle always regaled me with stories of his time spent in Anguilla in 1967 during the revolution while he was working as an officer for Bank of America (anyone know him?) While residing in Anguilla, he purchased a 1967-5512 m-first submariner ($250 Usd) which had been with him his entire adult life.
I loved my uncle, loved his stories and I always loved that watch. It is a reminder of him and his life and it shaped and framed my idea of what a perfect watch was.

What I didn’t appreciate at the time was that this was a watch which would endure and be passed down generation to generation. Subsequently, I’ve acquired a few different ones which I plan on giving to my two boys as well.

[Yobber76]

Originally Posted by jb335

I picked Rolex so everyone would know I wasn't poor and I chose my model by asking TRF which one to buy. Easy!

Chewey, is that you?????????

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Gearjockey

My larger than life uncle always regaled me with stories of his time spent in Anguilla in 1967 during the revolution while he was working as an officer for Bank of America (anyone know him?) While residing in Anguilla, he purchased a 1967-5512 m-first submariner which had been with him his entire adult life.
I loved my uncle, loved his stories and I always loved that watch. It is a reminder of him and his life and it shaped and framed my idea of what a perfect watch was.

What I didn’t appreciate at the time was that this was a watch which would endure and be passed down generation to generation. Subsequently, I’ve acquired a few different ones which I plan on giving to my two boys as well.

Nice story

I honeymooned in Anguilla back in 1995. I’ll never forget sitting at the bar and hearing the news that Jerry Garcia had past.

[cdmorenot]

I've liked watches since I was a kid! My mother was a single mother at nineteen and she got me my first watch when I was around 6 or 7. It was a cheap Quartz watch that I loved and held all through middle school until I lost it during a field trip.

Over the years, I would save my allowance to buy watches. My most expensive purchase was a Skagen that I bought at the mall for around $100 when I was around 11. Loved that watch!

Had a few Citizen watches and then my "real watch" was a Longines La Grande Classique which held me down throughout college. I wore that thing everywhere!

When I finished school and got my first real job I started looking to see what was next. I saw a giant billboard going into the office and knew I had to have that watch! It was GMT Master II ... Ended up going a Submariner. That was almost 11 years ago.

I'm not sure if I picked Rolex or I just progressed into it... I've always been fascinated and into watches. My collection has evolved a lot over this past decade but the models I own today are likely to stay. I'm only looking forward towards a Day Date in yellow gold which I hope to buy myself for my 40th birthday in 3 years.

Interestingly enough, a Rolex isn't the most special watch in my collection. It is actually a Hublot. It's the only watch that I own today that has sentimental value behind it because my mother is part of that story.

[Yobber76]

Oddly, Rolex was never a watch that I dreamed of buying, even though I admired and was envious of "successful" people I saw wearing Rolexes in business.
I bought inexpensive watches all of my life and threw them away when they broke. They were tools to tell the time quickly.
My first luxury watch was a Tag. It cost me $2500 new. That was about 10X the money I had ever spent on a watch. It ended up being the gateway drug to buying Rolexes, as well as other luxury watches.
My first Rolex was a DJ 41, smooth bezel, silver dial, oyster bracelet. Why? Because I got a 15% discount on it from a TS on this forum at the end of 2017. That model configuration was not popular then. Nice watch. The next Rolex was a 114060. Why? Cause you had to have a Sub if you were a Rolex guy, and Sean Connery wore a Sub ND in his early Bond films.
I have bought other brands since, Tudor, Panerai, Breitling, more Rolexes.
While I have no grail, I do keep gravitating back to Rolex watches. Call it marketing, call it envy, hubris, call it life's journey, there is something about Rolex I can't deny.

[csaltphoto]

Wanted a submariner since I was a kid. All the underwater explorers had them. Finally bought one 6 years ago and think it was one of the best things I ever did for myself.

[jlovda]

5513 - Purchased in Zürich in 1970 right out of college. $125
1675 - My wife's wedding present to me in 1976. I told her which model I wanted. The prettiest watch in the world. $575
216570 - Purchased in Bergen, NO in 2018. I just felt like getting something new after 42 years. The watch was in the case just waiting for me.

Actually, the watch I really, really wanted when I was in high school and college was a Bulova Accutron tuning fork watch, either the Astronaut or Spaceview. I searched for one throughout Switzerland during my 1970 trip but then realized they were made in the US so I bought the Sub. My luck was terrific. Accutrons are now worth about $300, the 5513 over $10K.

[Ferdelious]

Growing up, my Dad had a yellow gold Day-Date and my Mom had a yellow gold ladies Date-Just. I always admired their watches. When I graduated college they bought me a stainless Date-Just with blue dial. My tastes have changed since then, I mostly gravitate towards divers now.

[S’portEye]

My dad had a full gold datejust 1601. He ended up selling it when I was in college. No particular reason other than perceived excess in his sales job and he “didn’t lose money” on it. I knew right there that I wanted a YG rolex, and I would never sell it. I purchased a 228238 around 2020 and it is my weekend watch. Dad ended up buying a TT 16233 many years later.

The 16233 is my most cherished watch as I inherited it after Dad’s passing this year. I may get a 1601 one day.

[NigeG]

Thought provoking question.

In the late 80’s I was not very WIS at all. In fact I couldn’t have cared less about a watch. I wore an LCD Casio if I actually wore a watch.

The local “spoilt rich kid” at the pub I used to frequent, as well as having the latest motorbike his Daddy had financed, rocked up one day wearing his new Rolex Submariner that his Dad had secured for him. I don’t recall if it was a Sub or Sub Date, I do remember it saying 660ft 200m. So I’m thinking last of the 5513s. He got really pissed when people assumed it was fake, myself included.

Fast forward a few years when I started to take some notice of watches and I bought a Breitling Colt as it was considerably less than a Sub, available now and no one would assume it was fake. It was my first premium brand watch and I still have it 30 years on.

In the early 2000’s I was working for a really big brand in the automotive industry. I was at a dealer conference at dinner. I was the only one not wearing a Sub of one sort or another. I concluded that the SS Steel Sub was the go to Motor Trade Watch and to be avoided at all costs.

In 2010 I changed my opinion and bought a 14060M 4 liner with some of my annual bonus. I wore it sparingly, the Colt being my daily work watch. The Sub my weekender.

In 2016 I exchanged my Sub for a Speedmaster Apollo 13 45th Anniversary Silver Snoopy. My watch and a grand cash. In many ways it was the best deal I’ve ever done; whilst in others it was the worst. In pure cash terms it was an amazing deal as I sold the Snoopy last year for a ridiculous amount. The Sub had I sold it last year would have been worth around 30% of the Snoop. However, I never wore the Snoopy, never even fastened the strap. It was a safe queen, a pure investment. I bitterly regretted parting with my Sub.

My AD lost its Rolex franchise some years ago and I was faced with trying to establish a new relationship with another. I’ve bought a few Omega from them, a Longines, a Seiko and was on the list for a 39mm Explorer. When I got the call I didn’t actually like it. I thought it was too big. I went on the list for the new 124270 which I collected in February 2022. I asked about getting on the list for a 124060 Sub. “Sorry that list is suspended” and if still is apparently.

I bought a used 16610LN a couple of years back which I love.

I’d still like to get my hands on a new non date Sub but seems unlikely from the AD I chose. I’m registered with another but don’t hold out much hope. So I may end up back going for a 14060 at some point.

The more hoops that the AD’s put in my way the more I’m thinking “f**k it, buy something else”


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[dba]

I bought mine for my 29th birthday in 1984. I got the GMT because that's what Magnum, PI wore.

[discreetpeacock]

It needs to get me really excited inside

[geoach]

My father bought a new 18078 in 79 wore and loved 24/7 every day for 30 years until he passed. How can you not love a Rolex DD when you grew up on one with dad. I wear it now. I'm so lucky.

[njlam]

My interest in watches developed when I started my first job in NYC in the 80s.

I worked in the investment banking business and a lot of the senior guys had nice watches. There were a few guys I admired and I aspired to have the DD and DJ models they owned. I ultimately bought one of each.

Later in life, I began to travel a lot, so a GMT made some sense. The Batman rounds out my current Rolex collection.

While I have other Rolexes on my wish list, they are just variants of the ones I already have. I am not that interested in Subs or Daytonas, however I would consider a ND or Ghost if it was offered to me.