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mruhland31 · 27 January 2014, 09:46 AM

So I took my kids to a museum today and spotted this on gentlemen sitting with his wife. We got to talking about his watch and I thought his story was pretty cool. He said that he was in the air force in Vietnam Nam and bought it on a base there. He said that a superior was telling him and his buddies to go and buy a Rolex as they were great watches and would be "worth something" one day. He said that it's only been serviced three times since he bought it and that it still ran perfectly. My phone picture is terrible but the watch was stunning. When I reacted to how little it cost back then he made a great point that the $175 was a months pay. On a side note once I looked at the picture the hands don't look original. I can't honestly say whether it's the picture or they are replacements. Certainly didn't look that way at the museum but I was just casually looking at his watch. Anyway I thought I would share. Sorry for the bad pic of such a classic watch.

tkerrmd · 27 January 2014, 09:53 AM

Wow cool story

bentgsu · 27 January 2014, 09:56 AM

That's awesome, I love the stories behind people's watches.

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swils8610 · 27 January 2014, 09:59 AM

Great story. It's nice when people will tell you the story behind a Rolex.

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jjnd08 · 27 January 2014, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentgsu

that's awesome, i love the stories behind people's watches.

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+1

HL65 · 27 January 2014, 10:07 AM

Very cool!

Byrdguy · 27 January 2014, 10:10 AM

A good friend of mine has a GMT Pepsi he bought in the early 70s. He was in the Navy and bought it on a base exchange for $450. He still wears it and it runs fine.

petenyc · 27 January 2014, 10:38 AM

great story thanks for sharing

mrhy · 27 January 2014, 10:58 AM

My eye doctor bought a GMT for $175 in Geneva in 1974

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cop414 · 27 January 2014, 11:09 AM

Stories like this warm my heart, thanks for sharing.

AbsolutelyROLEX! · 27 January 2014, 11:30 AM

If watches could talk, imagine what theyve seen!

sea-dweller · 27 January 2014, 12:01 PM

Nice story!

bottom of the ninth · 27 January 2014, 12:22 PM

Cool!

etp095 · 27 January 2014, 12:42 PM

Great story, thanks for sharing.

MJD · 27 January 2014, 01:50 PM

Nice story! I still remember when the AAFES PXon base used to sell Rolex watches over 20 years ago. Submariner used to sell for under $2,500 back then.

GGGMT · 27 January 2014, 02:24 PM

Great story. Still wearing my gmt i from day 1 in 1995. Such a sweet watch. Timeless.

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HogwldFLTR · 27 January 2014, 02:28 PM

Nice story, thanks for sharing the photo and story. I was looking at a beat up sub a while ago; what really got me was that he wanted more for it after 10 years than what he originally paid for it. His smugness really bothered me and after inputs from the forum that convinced me of the real price I'd be paying.

apollo11 · 27 January 2014, 02:31 PM

Great watch he has there!

My father bought an Air King in 1971, manufactured in 1968 for $71 in Okinawa. The watches were originally in Korea for $142, and they could not sell them. So they marked the things 50% off and shipped them over to the post exchange in Okinawa.

It's really cool to hear of similar stories.

Laszlo · 27 January 2014, 02:31 PM

Great share!

Hairdude1 · 27 January 2014, 03:37 PM

Awesome

YousefAlharoun · 27 January 2014, 04:20 PM

Great stories guys love to hear more like this

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Vincent65 · 27 January 2014, 04:40 PM

nice gilt!

travisb · 27 January 2014, 07:58 PM

Just awesome! Love hearing / seeing these stories.

Casey VP-26 · 27 January 2014, 10:32 PM

Thanks for sharing and Thank him for serving. Good Story almost 50 years ago.

SixPak · 27 January 2014, 10:59 PM

Wow, almost 50 yrs old and still ran perfectly after only three services. That's a tribute to Rolex. Great story and thanks for sharing.

mike · 27 January 2014, 11:32 PM

So great to see a watch that has lived life the way it should. While the hands are replacments the watch has a wonderfull history.

subtona · 27 January 2014, 11:46 PM

I wonder how many times he asked

"can i wear my gmt when I..."

Cc1966 · 28 January 2014, 12:49 AM

Very cool indeed!

Beef · 28 January 2014, 12:50 AM

Great story, thanks for posting! There are still lots of RVN PX purchased GMTs out there.

iclick · 28 January 2014, 01:15 AM

I still own the GMT I originally purchased in Jan. 1971 from the China Fleet Club (Navy Exchange) in Hong Kong for $140. It's been worn almost daily since then. At the time the GMT cost $180 from the PX in Viet Nam and $255 MSRP in the U.S. It has the original case, dial, hands, and bezel. The only parts that have been replaced over the past 43 years (AFAIK) are the stem tube, mainspring, bracelet, and crystal.

Note the small pit in the edge of the bezel ring at about "4". That was caused when I shorted my car battery with the watch in the 1970's, which is a time when I almost never removed the watch for any reason. That incident caused lots of sparks and heat but didn't seem to faze the watch in the least. As time progressed I started to be more careful by removing it when doing chores like that which might cause damage. Now I'm even more vigilant about taking care of it but still wear it almost daily.

27 January 2014, 09:46 AM	#1
mruhland31 "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Santa Clarita CA Posts: 1,028	1965 gmt So I took my kids to a museum today and spotted this on gentlemen sitting with his wife. We got to talking about his watch and I thought his story was pretty cool. He said that he was in the air force in Vietnam Nam and bought it on a base there. He said that a superior was telling him and his buddies to go and buy a Rolex as they were great watches and would be "worth something" one day. He said that it's only been serviced three times since he bought it and that it still ran perfectly. My phone picture is terrible but the watch was stunning. When I reacted to how little it cost back then he made a great point that the $175 was a months pay. On a side note once I looked at the picture the hands don't look original. I can't honestly say whether it's the picture or they are replacements. Certainly didn't look that way at the museum but I was just casually looking at his watch. Anyway I thought I would share. Sorry for the bad pic of such a classic watch. Attached Images

27 January 2014, 10:07 AM	#6
HL65 TRF Moderator & 2024 SubLV41 Patron Join Date: Dec 2007 Real Name: Ken Location: SW Florida Watch: One on my wrist. Posts: 64,007	Very cool! __________________ *SPEM SUCCESSUS ALIT*

27 January 2014, 11:09 AM	#10
cop414 TRF Moderator & 2024 SubLV41 Patron Join Date: Apr 2012 Real Name: Tim Location: Pennsylvania Watch: 14060M Posts: 72,244	Stories like this warm my heart, thanks for sharing. __________________ Rolex Submariner 14060M Omega Seamaster 2254.50 DOXA Professional 1200T Card carrying member of TRF's Global Association of Retro-Grouch-Curmudgeons TRF's "After Dark" Bar & NightClub Patron P Club Member #17 2 FA ENABLED

27 January 2014, 11:30 AM	#11
AbsolutelyROLEX! "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Real Name: Andy Location: Ontario, Canada Watch: AKA: ANDERL712000 Posts: 4,935	If watches could talk, imagine what theyve seen! __________________ We want to be the first in the field and Rolex should be seen as the one and only-the best. Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex founder

27 January 2014, 12:22 PM	#13
bottom of the ninth "TRF" Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Real Name: Trent Location: Good old IOWA Watch: Daytona Black Posts: 1,255	Cool! __________________ "Baseball? It's just a game-as simple as a ball and bat. Yet, as complex as the American spirit it symbolizes. It's a sport, business- and sometimes even religion." Ernie Harwell

27 January 2014, 09:53 AM	#2
tkerrmd "TRF" Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Real Name: Tom Location: In a race car! Watch: ME RACE PORSCHES Posts: 24,123	Wow cool story

27 January 2014, 09:56 AM	#3
bentgsu "TRF" Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Real Name: Ben Location: Atlanta Watch: TT Submariner Posts: 81	That's awesome, I love the stories behind people's watches. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

27 January 2014, 09:59 AM	#4
swils8610 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Real Name: shannon Location: usa Posts: 9,211	Great story. It's nice when people will tell you the story behind a Rolex. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

27 January 2014, 10:10 AM	#7
Byrdguy "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Florida Panhandle Watch: Sub C LV, Posts: 490	A good friend of mine has a GMT Pepsi he bought in the early 70s. He was in the Navy and bought it on a base exchange for $450. He still wears it and it runs fine.

27 January 2014, 10:38 AM	#8
petenyc "TRF" Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Real Name: pete Location: NYC Watch: 116610LN Posts: 1,011	great story thanks for sharing

27 January 2014, 10:58 AM	#9
mrhy "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: new york Watch: Pepsi GMT Posts: 2,383	My eye doctor bought a GMT for $175 in Geneva in 1974 Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

27 January 2014, 12:01 PM	#12
sea-dweller "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Real Name: Dennis Location: Bay Area - 925 Posts: 40,018	Nice story!

27 January 2014, 12:42 PM	#14
etp095 "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Real Name: rudolph Location: chicago burbs Posts: 2,026	Great story, thanks for sharing. __________________ tt date circa 69' 5513 circa 81' ss sub w/date (z) pepsi gmt for dad(D) polar expy II(z) 1675 gmt circa 68' ladies datejust on jubilee for mom (z) sea dweller16600(M) SS Sub-C(g) Omega Planet Ocean,45.5 on mesh(2500D)

27 January 2014, 01:50 PM	#15
MJD Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 64	Nice story! I still remember when the AAFES PXon base used to sell Rolex watches over 20 years ago. Submariner used to sell for under $2,500 back then.

27 January 2014, 02:24 PM	#16
GGGMT 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Itinerant Watch: 79010sg Posts: 8,346	Great story. Still wearing my gmt i from day 1 in 1995. Such a sweet watch. Timeless. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

27 January 2014, 02:28 PM	#17
HogwldFLTR 2024 ROLEX SUBMARINER 41 Pledge Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Real Name: Lee Location: 42.48.45N70.48.48 Watch: Too many to list! Posts: 33,695	Nice story, thanks for sharing the photo and story. I was looking at a beat up sub a while ago; what really got me was that he wanted more for it after 10 years than what he originally paid for it. His smugness really bothered me and after inputs from the forum that convinced me of the real price I'd be paying.

27 January 2014, 02:31 PM	#18
apollo11 Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: CO Watch: BLNR Hotness Posts: 153	Great watch he has there! My father bought an Air King in 1971, manufactured in 1968 for $71 in Okinawa. The watches were originally in Korea for $142, and they could not sell them. So they marked the things 50% off and shipped them over to the post exchange in Okinawa. It's really cool to hear of similar stories.

27 January 2014, 02:31 PM	#19
Laszlo 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Watch: Date & No Date Posts: 10,868	Great share! __________________ "You might as well question why we breathe. If we stop breathing, we'll die. If we stop fighting our enemies, the world will die." Paul Henreid as Victor Laszlo in Casablanca

27 January 2014, 03:37 PM	#20
Hairdude1 "TRF" Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Real Name: Alex Location: Chicago Watch: AP,PP, Rolex Posts: 37,156	Awesome

27 January 2014, 04:20 PM	#21
YousefAlharoun "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Real Name: Yousef Location: Kuwait City Watch: ing The Sopranos!! Posts: 300	Great stories guys love to hear more like this Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ "My Rolex Oyster not only remained waterproof during my swim across the English Channel, but it also kept perfect time." –Miss Mercedes Gleitze, First English woman to swim across the English Channel from France to England (October 21, 1927)

27 January 2014, 04:40 PM	#22
Vincent65 "TRF" Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Switzerland Posts: 14,298	nice gilt!

27 January 2014, 07:58 PM	#23
travisb 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Real Name: Travis Location: FL / NYC Watch: Yes.. Posts: 33,493	Just awesome! Love hearing / seeing these stories.

27 January 2014, 10:32 PM	#24
Casey VP-26 "TRF" Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: America Posts: 2,721	Thanks for sharing and Thank him for serving. Good Story almost 50 years ago.

27 January 2014, 10:59 PM	#25
SixPak "TRF" Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Real Name: Phong Location: Toronto Posts: 2,718	Wow, almost 50 yrs old and still ran perfectly after only three services. That's a tribute to Rolex. Great story and thanks for sharing.

27 January 2014, 11:32 PM	#26
mike "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 22,683	So great to see a watch that has lived life the way it should. While the hands are replacments the watch has a wonderfull history.

27 January 2014, 11:46 PM	#27
subtona "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Real Name: gus Location: East Coast Watch: APK & sometimes Y Posts: 26,599	I wonder how many times he asked "can i wear my gmt when I..."

28 January 2014, 12:49 AM	#28
Cc1966 "TRF" Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Real Name: Christopher Location: Georgia, USA Watch: ing the Sea... Posts: 6,713	Very cool indeed! __________________ "I wish to have no Connection with any Ship that does not Sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way." Captain John Paul Jones, 16 November 1778 "*Curmudgeons* " Favorites: 1665 SD, Sub Date, DSSD, Exp II, Sub LV, GMTIIc

28 January 2014, 12:50 AM	#29
Beef "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,824	Great story, thanks for posting! There are still lots of RVN PX purchased GMTs out there. __________________ "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." "So you have enemies. Good. You must have stood up for something, sometime in your life." Winston Churchill

28 January 2014, 01:15 AM	#30
iclick "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 813	I still own the GMT I originally purchased in Jan. 1971 from the China Fleet Club (Navy Exchange) in Hong Kong for $140. It's been worn almost daily since then. At the time the GMT cost $180 from the PX in Viet Nam and $255 MSRP in the U.S. It has the original case, dial, hands, and bezel. The only parts that have been replaced over the past 43 years (AFAIK) are the stem tube, mainspring, bracelet, and crystal. Note the small pit in the edge of the bezel ring at about "4". That was caused when I shorted my car battery with the watch in the 1970's, which is a time when I almost never removed the watch for any reason. That incident caused lots of sparks and heat but didn't seem to faze the watch in the least. As time progressed I started to be more careful by removing it when doing chores like that which might cause damage. Now I'm even more vigilant about taking care of it but still wear it almost daily. Attached Images

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