What motivated you to buy your first Rolex?

[DeskPop]

My girlfriend at the time got me a 16600 as a gift. I gave her an engagement ring. We gave each other a couple more from the AD for our 10 year anniversary 2021.

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[eijiboy]

Back when i was in college and every sunday after church, i always go to the mall and go to the AD. i never go inside but instead i just stare at the window looking at them not just rolex but other brand as well. i said to my self "Someday"! And i did it! Got my degree, worked hard and finally pulled the trigger and davidsw popped my rolex cherry back in 2015 (sd4k) during black friday sale. Scariest wire transfer since it was the first time purchasing to a person that i never met.

[Tim Plains]

I'm 43 and always wanted one because Rolex is thee nice watch brand everyone knows. I remember wanting to get one some time around 2009/2010, found a local AD on-line and sorted them by lowest price first. It must have been an OP but I remember seeing the $2,000 CDN price tag and thinking there is no way I'm paying $2,000 for a wrist watch. lol

[malba2366]

Instagram, and YouTube videos posted by watch flippers suggesting that Rolexes at "market price" are a good investment.

[Texex]

Short answer, A girl...... I was 24 and dating a girl and we were hanging out with a buddy of mine. His successful older brother came by wearing a 36mm DJ, white dial, fluted bezel, and Romans. She thought it was so impressive and "mature" so I had no choice. I went to Bob's watches and bought the EXACT same watch. Pretty lame and then we broke up a few months later and now I have a watch (that I loved) but couldn't wear around my friends brother. Now getting say a BLNR or BLRO that someone you know has is fine, they only make a few options but a DJ with all of those options getting the exact same one? It's like seeing your neighbors new car that the are so proud of and then getting the exac same car, color and all. My buddy and his brother were annoyed. Sold it 5 years later to buy a BLNR which I regret because I could have had both. The only Rolex I've ever sold and I want it back. Before that I had a Tag as my first Nice watch so I've been into them as long as I can remember. Sorry I went on a bit but I haven't thought about this in a while. This is why I love TRF.

[wuyeah]

Me too turned 30, wanted to celebrate my adulthood.

[Texex]

Originally Posted by ONE WARRIER

I have always wanted a Rolex but could never bring myself to purchase one due to the price of these beautiful watches. I have a total of 53 years with the United States Navy so far (21 Active Duty - 32 Civil Service). I'm going for 60 total years and then I might make the Navy a career! Anyway, I thought about reaching 50 years and suddenly I could justify the purchase as I felt that anyone with that many years should have something very nice to commemorate it. I bought a new OP 34 (I have a small wrist) in the beginning of 2018 and I'm so thankful I did. Inventory with the A.D. was already getting a bit scarce so I was lucky to get it. I'm hoping for a Rolex Sky-Dweller when I reach the big "60". Sorry for the wordy explanation folks.

Great story, couldn't help but notice only 8 posts in over 4 years. A man of few words for sure.

[Addictedtowatches]

I grew up around my doctor uncle and his kids. My cousins were wearing Rolex at age 8 (I disagree with this). My grandparents bought me a datejust for $1200 back in 1987 and I still have it even though I have resized it for my wife to wear. That will always be a special watch to me. When I was able to, I purchased my submariner with my own money. I now have some Breitlings, Ball, Tudor, Tag, and my Rolex.

[TomLou]

Family tradition with the marque, started with my paternal grandfather.

[Bestdj777]

I’m sure I’m not the only one, but hip hop turned me on to the brand and my parents started the tradition of a watch marking important milestones when I graduated college and they got me a gorgeous Tag. When I got my first job out of grad school, I spent part of my first bonus on a DJ. I later marked my wedding with another and my wife picked one up for me to celebrate our last anniversary.

[rolexpure]

When I made my first million is when I got my first Rolex.

It marked how far I had come in my career and investment journey I wanted something to remember that accomplishment.

[Westmeres]

Got engaged to my fiancee and we both love to have Rolex walk alongside our journey.

[IamJacky]

For me it was turning 30 and having accomplished a significant achievement in life at the same time, wanted to get myself a nice watch.

[norcalctr]

I had rich uncles that had Rolexes so always admired the craftsmanship. When you go to Hong Kong on vacation, you see everyone wearing a Rolex and it definitely added extra appeal to me. Worked for over 10+ years, received a few promotions and bought my second house so figured it was time to get myself a Rolex.

[russeree]

Bought one solely on the premise that inflation was ripping in the US and needed protection.

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[jimcameron]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

I knew that owning a Rolex instantly meant automatic hot women, high octane, and superstar status.

How did that work out for you?

[Dirt]

What motivated me was a desire to get something to wear that was seriously good.
I never really a fan of Rolex watches on a number of levels, but after looking at the state of play in the industry I came to the conclusion that Rolex was worth taking a look at with a different suite of perspectives.
After the first one(a 4 digit) the light really went on in my head

[el3ctronick]

My one and only Rolex-sea dweller 43mm. The reason behind this is that I like large sized for my wrist watches and for this reason I own a couple of panerais. I always liked submariner but they looked like womens watch on my wrist. I had no clue about the 43mm SD and one day my brother told me that there’s a Rolex which looks like submariner but it’s size is the right one for my wrist. In 1 week I went to AD, asked to see it..this is when I found out how ridiculous is to buy a Rolex.. and I added my name to the “list”..thankfully I got a phone call after 3 weeks. I went straight to the shop, saw a SD for the first time in my life in person and got it. I can say it’s the best all day and every day watch I own. I love my little panerai collection but this SD is the perfect all around watch. Next I could probably go for is the deep sea but we’ll see.. I can’t see any other Rolex as I definitely want 43mm+

[Ferrari308]

My path is maybe a bit different than most here.

I was always a watch guy. My Grandmother purchased a Timex for me when I was in about the 4th grade. I wore it ALL the time. By the time I was in junior high I knew Rolex and knew I wanted one. Right after HS I made an overseas trip and found a fake Rolex for $30. I bought it and wore the CRAP outta that watch. It was a replica Day-Date.

Over the course of my career I went along a number of paths including being a school teacher (no Rolex there), retail management (no Rolex there), and eventually did twenty years in the Army as an enlisted guy (no Rolex there) - I did buy my Ferrari then though.

When my mother passed away I came into a little bit of money, but other real life issues got in the way and although I was very close to buying one I never pulled the trigger. I wanted a Bluesy sub.

Well, last year a situation came up and I was again in the position to get one. My wife told me that this was probably my best chance to buy one. So, I went through DavidSW and got a 2021 TT Daytona with diamond markers. After that I bought my 1990 Submariner, and later, a 1961 Oyster Perpetual. I have three kids and thought that one day I could leave one to each of them. My kids are 19, 11, and 5. I want them to be able to look back at family photos when I am not around and recognize the connection to me when they see me wearing each of these watches. I have viewed them as a life-goal completed (but still want the Pepsi-GMT so I can drive my Ferrari and look like Magnum).



PDG

[carlmartin]

Got a swatch from my mom when I turned 5 and was hooked on watches from day one but could never aford to put more than a few 100USD into my collection.

As I did my first internship during college I ended up in a building that had an AD at street level, which meant I "had to" look at Rolex watches every evening as I left the office. At christmas one of the analysts at the firm bought a Hulk for himself, note that this was at a time it was just sitting in the window and you could get a discount. I simply couldn't let it go and bought my first Rolex (exp) three years later and a Hulk 5 years later. Both long gone now though

[jimcameron]

Originally Posted by Ferrari308

did twenty years in the Army as an enlisted guy
PDG

Thank you for your service.

[st8edge]

Around 1973 I was in Hong Kong for the summer working as an intern for an Accounting firm. I wanted a watch and my parents were always very generous with me and told me I could chose what I wanted, within reason which was about $400.00. Visiting the famous Nathan Road shopping area often there were two watch that I narrowed my search down to: Rolex OP DJ in SS or a new watch that with the push of a button told the time in digital format with red LED, very futuristic. I believe it was a Pulsar and both watches were about the same price $350.00 back in 1973. I decided on the Rolex SS OP DJ which has continued to rise in price but the following year the Pulsar prices crashed with TI introducing calculators at low prices. Since then I have owned a Submariner, GMT Master 11 116710LN, SkyDweller black face and recently the Tudor BB GMT. I continue to be a fan of Rolex over the digitals. My Father was never a watch person when he worked but when he retired he liked to wear a watch instead of hunting for a clock so I gave him the original OP DJ when he was about 93 and he enjoyed wearing it daily. That watch is now owned by my Father's favorite Grandson who cherishes it.

[PA Zu]

Covid boredom. I had always thought about getting a nice watch, but never acted on it. Then the lockdown came, and as I looked for places online that avoided constant covid or political talk (which wasn't easy), I ended up here and learned a lot. Once stores started opening again, I emailed a nearby AD and ended up with my first Rolex.

[dchernikoff]

My motivation was I bought a fake TT Submariner at the "Copy Mart" in Shanghai 20 or so years ago when on a business trip. Just because it looked cool, I didn't know anything about watches and never spent more than $50 on a watch before (the fake cost $20). Ended up really liking it, and ran into a coworker that had a real Rolex and clued me in on the difference. After wearing the fake for a year, the crown fell off! And some of the fake gold rubbed away. But the image of that watch stuck with me, and 15 years later when I inherited some money from my Uncle I bought my first real Rolex, a GMT-II. That hooked me, and I've been slowly building the collection ever since!

And I should add, another motivation was I kept burning thru my cheapo watches, scratching the crystal, breaking the bracelet, etc. Decided I wanted one that was rugged and would last, that looked good but didn't need any babying. Rolex fit the bill quite nicely for that!

-Dan

[Gerry62]

I discovered the watch at 40 years... and after my father (he always wore his no/Rolex) died ... I bought a new one from AD Rolex (Sub 14060), and from that day my passion was born

[digitalR]

Had a big promotion at work, my GF was insistent on owning at least one watch that I can wear places other than my apple watch... so I bought a DateJust. Then really got hooked and couldn't stop admiring the design+engineering and ended up adding a handful of sport models.

[Dawid]

Back in the 1980's a fellow coworker wore a Submariner. At the time I was wearing a Casio Quartz Diver. I was smitten with the Sub but with a young family I just could not justify the extravagance. Now, the kids are raised, the mortgage and cars paid off, life is good. A couple of years back I bought a 16610 followed quickly with a 114270 Explorer. While I really like them, I cannot shake fear that I will scratch them. Most of the time I wear the old beater SKX Seiko.

[Innocenti]

I liked the feeling of association the brand gave me.
A few of my cool adventure focussed mates wore old battle scared rolex.

[alphadweller]

The 116622 pt dial was my first Rolex.

It all started with its predecessor, the first "Rolesium" ref 16622. This thing left me gobsmacked the day I saw it for the first time in the window of a watch dealer in Brighton UK around 2003, proudly standing between a utilitarian looking Sub and a colourful Coke GMT, from what I can recall. It had that gentle sparkle from its sandblasted platinum dial which set it apart from anything else.

I had never seen that frosted finish on a watch before. Man, it looked so cool, effortlessly classy. My problem was they wanted almost 5,000 British pounds for it (about 8,200 USD back in the day) which to me was an absolute fortune and it wasn't even new, a 5k preowned watch, what? I didn't even step inside the shop. Being essentially broke and clueless when it came to watches, I struggled to overcome the sticker shock. I had recently landed a £30k job as a jumior analyst for an investment bank in London and taken a credit to buy a new car. I was in no position to splurge on a luxury watch but it was nice to dream that maybe one day I would.

I almost forgot about it but I never totally could until my dream came true 12 years and several watches later (Omega, Breitling, Longines and microbrands). I decided to celebrate my 40th birthday with a Rolex and took the plunge with the updated 116622, my first watch from the crown. I visited a few local ADs and was able to try it on. Rolex had just increased the price, back in 2015. RRP was a whopping 11,350 euros. ADs would offer a 15% discount on that piece, but I really wanted 25% off. In the end, I decided to go grey and managed to find one new, stickered and full set for 7,600 euros (after some serious haggling).

Well what can I say, I find it supremely comfortable, so stylish and by far the most versatile watch I own. Also, this little marvel has been ticking at +1.5 s/d since day one, good old 3135 movement.

Other Rolex watches came after and they all felt great, but they can't beat that first Rolex feeling.

[JSCP]

My father and grandfather had Rolex in early 60’s. They were considered the best watches in Latin America. So at 15 yo I asked for one for my birthday. Grandfather gave me one.

I took to prep school, dad had warned me to! I did. Stolen!

My grand father found out 6mo at Christmas , wanted to replace it. My Dad said absolutely not. But he can get a Timex, which I did, and looked like a sub I think to recall.