How old were you when you had your first Rolex

[WatchesNPalms]

How the hell did half of you guys afford a Rolex prior to age 20-25?

Got my 1st Rolex at 33.

[Jackie Daytona]

Originally Posted by WatchesNPalms

How the hell did half of you guys afford a Rolex prior to age 20-25?

Got my 1st Rolex at 33.

Honestly mine was more that it had stopped keeping time very accurately and I had a Seiko quartz to trade to my father which of course I did (I was about 16).

On top of that I’m sure it was sort of a way for him to pass it down to me. I think he fell out of love with it a bit after neglecting service for years and it had been relegated to a drawer for some time. So right place, time, relationship sort of thing so only maybe halfway afforded it. First personal purchase I believe was at 33.

[ian.thomas]

17 - Air King from my then girlfriend.

Attached is the appraisal from when she bought it in 1989 ... $1,050!

[robinyoursoul]

32 - Explorer 1 124270

[Thomas Brown]

I got my first Rolex at 27 years old and it was an Airking.

[Filipão]

The day I turned 16.

My bday present was my father's 6538/0 from 1958.

[Tylerlsu2008]

36 — Polar Explorer II purchased from an AD about two weeks ago.

Got the call for the Saturday before I flew out to California for my wedding.

Was crazy timing as it was my first Rolex and I was just hoping to attain one by 40 at this point (refuse to buy grey). Had forgot I even spoke to them about it (nearly two years ago), guess it was meant to be.

[Bob the brush]

In 1982 I was 27, a 1016 Explorer. Still wear it. Still love it.

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[Pop Art Suzy]

I just purchased my first Rolex at 57 (just got a month ago).

[knighty88]

My 30th birthday present to myself… A 214270 after trying to get one for months my birthday luck found one at T3 Heathrow airport, whilst flying out on my birthday holiday.

[garyk]

Originally Posted by infoe

I'm 25 and buying my very own first Rolex. My dad has a few that he says I can wear any time and I'm sure will want to pass on to me eventually, his Thunderbird, YG DD, Cellini...But I want to know when you bought your very first, or when your very first was "given" to you.

You're a lot older now and I would love to hear how its gone for you!!!

Got my first at 29, a SS Sub date and a gift from my wife. That was 43 years ago and Rolex continues to be my favorite watch. I've had 12 Rolexes, still have 5 and my wife of 50 years... Happy collecting...

[andysel]

63 You're never too old to get started. Picked up my pristine 16610 yesterday and I love it!

[JJW]

45. TT GMT Jubilee Black face and bezel. I still love it after all these years.

[dkg1616]

24 when I bought my SS Sub almost 6 years ago. Since then have owned and sold a few. Currently I view my collection as non-movable pieces. The sub of course, black 116500 and white jubilee 326934.

[Philadelphialawyer1]

38 years old 3//16
I settled a good case, knocked out the last of my loans, banged out the 401k for the year and called my AD at 945 am on a Saturday and was wearing a SS sub date by 1130.

[kidneymd]

Age 40 - purchased OP Date 1500 from local watchmaker who had purchased from original owner and serviced it.


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[kenneth]

Age 30. I bought my 16710 Pepsi in Minneapolis over Thanksgiving weekend in 2007 and was about to head back out as a flyer for a deployment to the Middle East.

[Wee-Willie]

Originally Posted by ian.thomas

17 - Air King from my then girlfriend.

Attached is the appraisal from when she bought it in 1989 ... $1,050!

I bought my first Rolex there in 1986...a TT YG Air King with a white dial & roman numerals...but, I was 31.

[thesharkfactor]

27, a 14060M Submariner

[StanGMT]

Originally Posted by WatchesNPalms

How the hell did half of you guys afford a Rolex prior to age 20-25?

Got my 1st Rolex at 33.

I was at university in 1967; I wasn't wealthy but I really wanted a GMT Master. My summer holiday job was as a bus conductor/driver in Liverpool and I worked all the shifts I could get over ten weeks to accumulate enough money to buy the watch in the September, before I went back to college. As I was working all the hours I could I didn't have a social life, so I wasn't spending any money and saved it up! Never regretted it.

Stan.

[Raypep]

Early High School graduation gift, I think 18? Maybe 17? I remember I begged to get it early lol. 126200

[TGRE]

I was 21 in 1991 and it was a new gold/steel date just with a blue jubilee dial and gold arabic numerals. Wish I still had that watch.

[Noni16]

I got my OP36 in 2020 when I was my 50's birtdabay. I have a Sub also, I bought it 6 months ago.

[Ghudsondvm]

Inherited my 5 digit bluesy at 25. 1st purchase myself was a TT Daytona at 27 shortly after finishing graduate school.


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[sanman28]

30. 42 now

[APhound]

Stopped by my ad the day before my son was born and scored a 41 dj. Was hoping to get him a birth year rolex but literally have his birthday on the warranty card. Thought it would be nice to give to him someday when he has a child or gets married we’ll see. In the mean time fitted it for the wife and she wears it all the time. Two birds one stone.

So my son got one the day he was born and I was probably 24-25 when I got my first.

Just realized. A pre owned dj2 was actually my first too! A rhodium dial fluted bezel and the same week I bought a Pepsi 16700 then like a month later bought an explorer 2. Been addicted ever since!!


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[LTCAL94]

I was 26 when I got my “coke” 16710 . I am hoping to complete the circle of life with another coke on my wrist. I hope they come out with a new coke soon and that will be the last Rolex I plan on buying .


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[PN005]

I was 27 when I purchased my Explorer II 16570 Polar. I am 31 now and got the call from the AD to pick up my new Sub Date (my 2nd Rolex) a few months ago.

[White Collar Boy]

I was 40 when I bought an old Air-King. I had never thought much about wristwatches until a friend asked me what I thought of a black five-digit Explorer 2 he was considering; my loose and completely inexpert advice was to get it “right now, before you wind up married with children!”

Seeing his Explorer 2 (he got it) not only put Rolex on my radar, but got me thinking a lot about other watches too. The Air-King came several months later, after the initial, tentative “spree” of a Seiko turtle and a couple of Casios. These days my appreciation is limited to aesthetics and a sprinkle of history, and I still have just that one Rolex. But I’m glad my friend got me started when all he wanted was a little nudge.

[sanman28]

Originally Posted by WatchesNPalms

How the hell did half of you guys afford a Rolex prior to age 20-25?

Got my 1st Rolex at 33.

This. Got some serious ballers here right outa college…..or some very generous parents. Either way, good for them! A luxury timepiece is indeed a special thing unlike most other worldly possessions.