Recall Your Very First AD Visit

[DCGuy1965]

Happy Holidays TRF,

Whilst looking thru all kinds of nostalgia that brings back all sorts of memories I couldn't help but think way back in the days of Back to the Future movies when I first became familiar with Rolex. I sported a Seiko at the time and thought I was all that and then some. Heard about the brand but never saw one until my boss was chatting with me and I saw the DateJust on his wrist and froze in my tracks. He, being an offbeat Englishman, smirked and let me try it on and I knew then and there at 20 years old I had to have one.

The very first AD I ever visited was a jeweler in Tysons Corner called Bailey Banks & Biddle. They no longer exist but it was one of those extremely high end Tiffany's types of places. Keep in mind at 20 not too many SAs will take you seriously but one older very nice lady did and let me try some pieces on. Of course she told me prices and I nearly fainted. But compared to today's prices I still almost faint when I hear how much these things have increased. A SS Sub retailed for $1380, 2-tone Sub? $2380. The DayDate? Like $6600. Ah the good old days. My main observation I'll never forget even in 1985 was the other established folks around me that were wearing one already and wanted to lok at some others. I'm thinking "why on earth do you need more than one?" Yea I know......

As I'm in the process of obtaining my grail watch I think back to that visit and trying El Presidente on saying to myself one day I will be the person like those around me. Of course that might have to wait if the Dow falls another 78% in the next 2 weeks or so but do any of you TRF folks have fond memories of the very first time you set foot in an AD and tried a Rolex on for the first time?

[coralfarmer84]

I saw a client of mine wearing a rolex and knew nothing about watches other than the name rolex. I visited the AD near me and fell in love with the submariner. They had a black date in the case, I was sold. The salesperson then mentioned they had a green dial version in the back if I wanted to see it. Green being my favorite color I had to check it out. Long story short I was torn between the two because black seemed better for everyday wear and I only planned on being a 1 watch guy. My wife talked me into the green (yes I had to be talked into it over a reg sub). This was about 7 years ago before the explosion of SS models left nothing to be purchased. Time has led me to become a collector and now I'm the proud owner of a 10+ rolex (its a disease at this point). I still have my green sub thou and doubt I'll ever part with it

[codecow]

On my very first AD visit I almost bought a non-ceramic bluesy more than 20 years ago. I didn't end up actually buying a Rolex until 2013. In that case it was my 2nd trip into an AD and I bought a TT DJ II rhodium dial with green roman numerals.

I was not offered a Diet Coke with or without ice.

[stratlanta]

Not a Rolex and not fond but.....

When I was much younger - in my twenties - a friend of mine had just gotten his first "real" job and wanted to celebrate with a Tag. He had expensive tastes, particularly for what we were both making at the time. I clearly remember a month where he couldn't make rent... but I digress..

I knew nothing about nice watches at the time and thought the Tags he was looking at must certainly have been the pinnacle of watch making. He handed me one - no idea what it was - and I gently wiped a smudge off of the crystal with my shirt. He blew a gasket and basically accused me of being a slobbering dolt. I thought the sales person was going to faint... hahah. Needless to say it took a long time before I walked into another high end watch dealer.

But I currently own three amazing Rolexes so I suppose it all turned out ok. ;-)

[Ravager135]

I was approaching 26 years old in 2008. I was living in Philadelphia attending medical school. My parents were in town and we were walking down Walnut. We stopped into an AD (that is no longer in business) on a whim. My parents had always promised me that if I ever became a doctor that they would buy me a Rolex. I had paid for medical school myself by accepting a commission in the US Navy which covered by medical tuition in exchange for five years of service. I had always wanted a Yachtmaster but that was a little above what my parents were willing to spend at the time. I don't recall the selection they had exactly, but I remember it coming down to the 16610 versus the 16610LV. They were the same price as offered by the salesman. Looking back, I should have gone with the LV as it was barely over 5k. I went with the traditional Submariner Date as I wanted something classic. I wasn't able to wear it out of the AD. The back was engraved and given to me a few months later just prior to my medical school graduation party.

I left Philadelphia a few weeks later and reported to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. I wore that Submariner Date every day for a year until I rewarded myself with a Navitimer that is now long gone. The Sub still gets wear from time to time, but admittedly it carries more sentimental value than anything these days. I will likely pass it to my son who is due January 5th.

[Annan]

Not a visit, just my nose pressed against the glass (after hours) in the 1970s looking at a YG DD. As I recall the price was $1,300. At that point in my life it might as well have been $1.3m. Regardless, the Rolex love affair started!

Fast forward to 1990 and my first Rolex of choice/affordability then was a 36mm TT DJ. Price was $3,300 and I walked out of the AD with it on my wrist. The AD could not have been nicer and it was a thrilling experience. Each purchase since has been a thrill too but will never quite match that first DJ.

[droptopman]

Alvin Goldfarb in Bellevue WA back in the mid 80's. Bought a 16613LB there and they are still going strong. Bought a few from them over the years. Nice store with nice people.

Much simpler back then, you could just go in and buy any Rolex you wanted.

[ArtNouveau]

I bought my first Rolex, a SS Datejust with blue dial and fluted bezel, for $975 in 1984. The store was Corrigan’s Jewelers, a long gone chain that has a place in history with the Omega Moonwatch. I was a youngster of 28 making the biggest non-automotive purchase of my life. Traded it a couple of years later for a blue dial two tone DJ.
Those started a trail of 10 Rolexes as well as a bunch of other brands of mechanical watches. I’ve never considered myself a collector, the contents of the watch box are ever fluid.
I do find myself occasionally perusing the vintage sites. I’d love to find a similar doppelganger to thar first nice watch to bring some nostalgia to my box.

[HogwldFLTR]

My first AD visit was to ask about verification of a used DJ; they said that they'd need to send it away for verification. I wasn't impressed.

[Chloe&Harley]

I went into my AD to buy a bracelet for GF , brought my 12 year old son he went straight to watches and Rolex , sales women spent time with him talking watches. She brought him 3 books out one hard cover to take home . Always knew when I was ready to buy that was where I was going.

[SearChart]

I was 16 and saw a Rolex AD in Liechtenstein that sparked my interest and eventually led me to become a watchmaker.

My first AD visit was when I was 18 and bought a Cartier tank (Rolex was still out of reach and I just liked a simple dress watch), that is also the local Rolex, Patek and Lange AD.

[riverrat]

I was in Hawaii on a trip I had just won. I remember not being serious (kid, mortgages etc) but looking at a Date Just and knew one day.... Fast forward about 10 years and the one watch Id worn 99% of the time for over 20 years (a Krieger Tidal Chronometer) was looking the worst for wear. Id already had it serviced once and thought how stupid I was for not buying a Rolex when I could have as that was throwing money away. Walked into an AD and they were nice but didn't want to work with me. Found some time to stop in another AD (to get a new battery for my Krieger) and struck up a conversation. Put myself on a wait list and darned if they didnt call me. Still dont have a Date Just though. Long story short, I still consider my first "real" visit the one who's sold me my three Rolex's since the other one was "snobbish" and Id rather remember a good experience.

[lenfried29]

It was only a few month ago since I started collecting Rolex watches, but it's all blurry for me. I've been to so many ADs(most in Europe) in the first month six month ago I don't remember which one was first.

Edit: I remember now. After so many unsuccessful attempts to buy Rolex ss sport model in Europe, I returned home in US. Went back to local to my office AD, the same one I visited very first time. And there it was - my first Rolex.

[Odie-r]

My first visit was within the last 3 years. A local AD in a mall, had walked by a hundred times before that.

Stopped in, did the wander, tried on LN GMT, Sub, and SubDate, left the store and went back out into the mall. Came back after thinking about the ND Sub and couldn't shake it.

Was my first visit to a Rolex AD, and not my last.

Purchased it that night and wore it out straight to a Christmas party. Was so proud of that thing on my wrist, although no one noticed!

[Boothroyd]

My first visit was in my late twenties. I didn't want to go for the "yuppie" Rolex look, so got a Raymond Weil. Youth!

[rtalk]

Very positive experience at Wempe in NYC. Called if they had the BLNR and they said they did. Came the next day and bought it! Good experience.

[YoyoGift8]

First AD I visited was selling not only Rolex but other brands as well, can’t afford Rolex & was an aspirational goal for me so always settled on Raymond Weil, Rado & Omega. Took me more than a decade after to finally get into Rolex.

[Harry-57]

Mine was around 2006 ish. We went in to get a nib changed on a pen. I had admired the 16610LV through many an AD window and was becoming seriously interested. I asked if I could try one on. Naturally, they had one in stock. It was smaller than it looked from a distance but as beautiful up close as I had anticipated. And well finished. What I had not anticipated was how light it was and how tinny and insubstantial the bracelet was. For me the bracelet ruined it. And the diving extension was frankly embarrassing. I was happy to pass.

Since then I've bought three 6 digit Rolex from them, an Omega, two Tags and a Breitling mesh bracelet and Superocean service. Not to mention pens, jewellery, accessories, etc. So they've done OK from us and my first visit was not indicative of what was to come.

Since the first time we visited, they have never failed to greet us by name whenever we walked in and put the kettle on regardless of what, if anything, we bought on each occasion. . They return phone calls and respond promptly to emails. Dealers like this are easy to give money to.

[Chester01]

I recall going into Sherman and Sons (no longer in business) and always getting superior service. This is going all the way back to my 20’s. Now perhaps this was due to what my parents wore on their wrists on a few occasions they were were with me (gold his and her presidents). However, this is back when I really did not know the names/brands just looked at what I liked. I was drawn to the Daytona and submariner not because I even know the significance, just something about their appearance. My parents eventually bought me a two tone date just, 16610, and two tone zenith Daytona for me from that outfit and they never changed me for any adjustment on my watches or even my wife’s watches ever. I even brought in my Navi a couple years ago not purchased from them and they were happy to make the adjustment and replaced the battery in my wite’s Concord.

[214270Explorer]

In December 1987 I came out of a movie theater one afternoon in Scottsdale, Arizona, and on a whim wandered into the Rolex store next door for a look-see. (All that area has since been rejuvenated and updated, and that Rolex retailer is long gone). L.L. Larson Manufacturing Jewelers was the dealer.

They sold me a TT 36mm black dial Oyster Perpetual Date on a Jubilee bracelet. It was (w/out tax) $2480. Today the same 36mm model, only with a different color dial and updated movement, retails for $11,200 !!!! WOW! Talk about inflation!

I had also looked at and tried on a Date Sub but felt it was "too much watch for my wrist". "D'OH!" If I only knew! Today I have a 5-digit 16613 TT Bluesy and no thought of it being "too much . . . " -- it is perfect. On the other hand, that 1987 Sub would be a really great collectible today.

I still own the OPD with the box, papers, links, etc.

I had contacted another Scottsdale AD to get this watch serviced 28 years later in 2016 (yes, I meant 28 years later!). They had an on-site Watchmaker, an Austrian gentleman, Rolex trained, who is now retired. Now everything gets sent to Dallas. I felt very fortunate that my watch was one of the last he serviced, if not THE last. He was incredibly meticulous and thorough and his skill at renovations and polishing was unmatched. He had been there around 40 years.

I was additionally browsing there when dropping off the watch, and at that moment caught "the bug" to start collecting more watches.

My current AD has become a friend, and he told me they have been in that location since 1953 -- family owned. Apparently the "Larson" AD was not able to compete with this AD. Of course at my 1987 purchase I had no idea of the other 1953-era AD's existence, what with my almost non-existent knowledge of anything Rolex.

Currently I am on hold waiting to see if Baselworld 2019 offers anything of interest.

If not - - - there are a few current Rolex PM models that I am considering for purchase in mid 2019.

[thesharkfactor]

It was August 2004. I wanted a 16610 but couldn't find one anywhere. I bought a 14060M from my local AD which was Strang's, Cemeron House, Loch Lomond. The Submariner cost me £1970.

[Bob the brush]

I vividly remember my first visit as I had been working and saving hard as I knew I wanted a Rolex, and couldn't decide between a Sub and a 1016 Explorer, this was back in 1980

I chose the Explorer as my best mate had a Sub, and didn't want the same. The second visit was to pick up the watch, it was about a week after choosing (how times have changed), and I drove with my new girlfriend, to Zales in Truro from Penzance in my Morris Minor van, to pick up my watch,.. Wewere then off on a camping trip to the south of France the very same day. How proud I was of that watch, which I still have and am wearing it writing this. I still have the girlfriend, now my wife of over 30 years. I wish I still had the van, as those are now fetching silly money, a bit like the 1016, which I paid about 400 pounds for back in the early 1980s. Happy Christmas to all.

[Seattle911]

I dropped into many during my 20's not knowing what they cost and just wanting to look at them, mainly on trips to Vegas. Never tried them on as I didn't want to waste time knowing I wasn't a buyer.

After finishing school a nice watch was on my mind, but delayed due to purchasing a house and paying down debt. When I felt comfortable with the purchase I tried some on but none spoke to me. Then the SD50 was released and it answered all my problems with the submariner.

Different feeling going into a AD knowing what you want and will buy on the spot. Put on a list at my local AD and 3-4 places in Vegas. Local AD called me 3 months or so later, purchased. Think Vegas called roughly a year later.

[TswaneNguni]

I would say around 11 years old ...yellow gold DD did make an impression.