Unexpected Discovery in the Grande Dame of the Southern Hemisphere...

[Nostromopilot]

Part of the joy of this hobby is the thrill of the hunt, the rush of the chase, and the subsequent euphoria of finding that elusive timepiece that has perhaps eluded one‘s grasp for so long. For better or for worse, the unavailability of SS in the vast majority of worldwide ADs has served as the catalyst for transforming the average buyer into modern day Indiana Joneses: we set out on quests to physically (and/or virtually) scour the globe for that carpenter’s cup (or bejeweled chalice, you do you Dr. Elsa Schneider).

Tenacity, perseverance, enthusiasm, patience, (both tempered expectations and an unwillingness to give up) and sometimes good ol’ fashioned serendipity were this Indy’s faithful companions along the journey. To compliment my diametric opposite 116660 2009 DSSD MK1 and 16030 1980 Tiffany and Co. DJ, I considered something that would accompany me on my adventures around the world. My requirements were that it needed to be low profile, rugged, no-nonsense, yet quintessentially all that is Rolex: reliable, elegant, classic, and a quietly confident final touch to how I choose to present myself visually. It also needed to be sufficiently distinct from my other two timepieces to warrant its acquisition.

Our journey begins begins first in the United States—visits to ADs in the DC metro area, New York City, Miami (from which I admittedly had not previously bought) yielded every possible version of the Oyster Perpetual, DJ, DD, the occasional YM that one could imagine, yet not what I was looking for. While I found many of the DJs punnily timeless, especially SS with a fluted bezel and a jubilee bracelet with PCLs (which mine is not, but that’s another posting), I continued my search. Calls to reliable sources out West yielded some initial intriguing prospects but I ultimately elected to take a different (quite literal) route.

Frustratingly, albeit not altogether unsurprisingly, much of Western and Central Europe extending ponderously to Switzerland did not yield what I was looking for. Plenty of vintage pieces abounded but they were either incomplete, lacking service history, or too similar to my DSSD. (We shall revisit this post in 10 years time whereby I curse myself for not buying a plexi Sub or Great White at non-eye watering prices.)

Insert an American 777-300ER for a Pan Am Clipper Ship and we continue Indy’s dotted line of travel deep into the Southern Hemisphere, further south than the entire continent of Africa. Cape of Good Hope, meet Cabo de Hornos. Here we find the capitals of Santiago de Chile, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires. (I did not have the opportunity to visit the sole AD in Asunción, Della Poletti.) Searches in Chile were over before they even began, while Montevideo yielded some tempting but not quite perfect vintage pieces. A 3 hour Buquebus journey traversing Río de la Plata later, we arrive in Buenos Aires, the grande dame of South America. (Observations on the economic situation in Argentina are best served for another forum.) The sprawling metropolis of 16 million people surely would have many an AD to cater to a polo and rugby playing, grade A bife de chorizo eating, and Gran Enemigo swishing clientele—as luck would have it, I was not wrong.

(The quest continues...)

[Nostromopilot]

Acá tenemos

[chieftd]

Nice story, reminded me of my travels within South America back in the 80s. I still can’t get over how big the Rio De La Plata is in Montevideo! I was not looking for watches then, but those cities were so nice. Had the best steak in my life in Buenos Aries. Perhaps your journey will take you to Lima or the heights of La Paz. That would be cool if you find an Explorer in an AD in LaPaz at 14,000 feet. Good luck on the search. Cheers, Tim

[J-rob]

What’s in the box?

[Largoshark]

Great story!...Now what the %&#? is in the box?!

[Odie-r]

What's in the box?!!?

[cda555]

10/10 post... until I got to that photo of a closed box.


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[stylinleems]

I'm guessing a BLRO...

Congrats in advance!!

[Maiden]

Just go grey and save us the drama.

[J-rob]

Excellent prose, terrible reveal thus far.

[kieselguhr]

My guess is a Rolex ExplorerII 216570. White dial.

[Fort Rolex]

As Harry Dunn once said, FOR GOD'S SAKE JUST GIVE ME THE DAMN (ref) NUMBER!

[GovernorsGovernor]

Air King.

[JR16]

Not sure what’s going on here but have lost interest ...


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[rodo]

Y?? Que hay??

[Nostromopilot]

Unsurprisingly, Buenos City boasts several ADs, all of which appeared to have been continuously operating for decades, and most are concentrated in the exquisite Recoleta neighborhood. Think Rue Saint-Honoré/Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré but as an entire neighborhood with stores that specialize in polo mallets and sterling asado knife sets, in South America.

It turns out, the horological holy grail intersection is Alvear and Ayacucho, and among several options (Zanotti, D.LIS Joyas y Relojes, Santesteban - Galería Promenade Alvear, and the exceptional Tempo Di Vintage) a small blink-and-you-miss-it store front caught my eye: Santarelli, specially at AAA, Avenida Alvear 1845, C1129, CABA, Argentina. But, write this down, as you’ll be knocking their doors down when you see what they had in stock.

[SeikoBake]

What do they say in BA On ceramic Daytona SS availability ?

[Nostromopilot]

Approaching from the sidewalk, a security guard posted outside made himself conspicuous and, politely but matter of facingly asked me my business as I lingered, mouth agape outside the store. After expressing interest in entering, he radios ostensibly to someone inside who electronically unlocks the outer door. I remove my hat and pass my whip to Short Round who waits in my 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster. The guard accompanies me into a small space, an ante room of sorts flanked by glass cases of watches. SS tool watches to the right, DJ and the like to the left. After a moment, an inner door opens, the guard remains in the ante room and another guard meets me as I enter the boutique.

It’s easily the smallest I’ve ever visited, but good things come in..well you know the adage: they come in green boxes of course. The following greeted me as I entered:

[SeikoBake]

La Cabrera is a great restaurant

[Nostromopilot]

The Count says One, Two, Three bats ah ah ah. And by bats, I mean, 4 different versions of the YM which were not of interest to me and exist in this photo and in my fleeting memory. 2 Subs, a DEEPSEA, a Daytona, An Air King, an EXPLORER II white face, and...one more. Other cases held more DJ, OP, and DDs in rare colors than I have ever seen, and were packed solid.

[Nostromopilot]

Once inside, I spoke with two individuals who detailed the history of the AD. Santarelli has been selling Rolexes for more than 80 years in Buenos Aires in two locations. Santarelli even outlasted Harrods Buenos Aires, the shuttered first overseas branch of Harrods London.

Once we had discussed terms of the sale (I requested to have the bracelet swapped out in favor of another option and I had the caseback engraved ), I opened up my trusty satchel, traded in my sankara stones that Mola Ram didn’t dump into the river, and left with a nondescript brown paper bag, purposely belying what lay within. This time when I open the ark..err box, I would tell Marion not to shut her eyes...

[P1nky_Up]

Prediction: the sports models were for advertising purposes only. And this super long drawn out post ends w a TT Lady DJ

[Nostromopilot]

The 2019 214270 EXPLORER MK II.

Bracelet was fitted in the event I choose to wear it someday. It now rests on a tan Morellato NATO purchased around the corner from Tempo di Vintage on the same day, at the same time, as I walked back and forth between the two boutiques. This timepiece will accompany me on my continued adventures around the globe.

::Cue the Raiders March::

Let my armies be the rocks, and the trees, and the birds in the sky.

May you all continue to EXPLORE your world.

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by Nostromopilot

The 2019 214270 EXPLORER MK II.



Bracelet was fitted in the event I choose to wear it someday. It now rests on a tan Morellato NATO purchased around the corner from Tempo di Vintage on the same day, at the same time, as I walked back and forth between the two boutiques. This timepiece will accompany me on my continued adventures around the globe.



::Cue the Raiders March::



Let my armies be the rocks, and the trees, and the birds in the sky.



May you all continue to EXPLORE your world.

I’m happy for you. Congratulations on your new watch and enjoy

Btw, were you traveling for pleasure and just made watch hunting part of your trips or did you make dotted lines on a map specifically for this watch?

[Nostromopilot]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

I’m happy for you. Congratulations on your new watch and enjoy

Btw, were you traveling for pleasure and just made watch hunting part of your trips or did you make dotted lines on a map specifically for this watch?

Pleasure. Part of that pleasure included the hunt for this watch in multiple locales around the world. And then, when I least expected it, it’s sitting inconspicuously in the window of a tiny AD halfway across the globe. (Specifically, it sat in the inner window of the ante room, if you read my physical description of the boutique.) Was not visible from the street.

[Nostromopilot]

And joined by its brethren. A sublime trifecta.

[1SG MTB]

Really cool story and story-telling, befitting a really cool watch!

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by Nostromopilot

Pleasure. Part of that pleasure included the hunt for this watch in multiple locales around the world. And then, when I least expected it, it’s sitting inconspicuously in the window of a tiny AD halfway across the globe. (Specifically, it sat in the inner window of the ante room, if you read my physical description of the boutique.) Was not visible from the street.

Glad you didn’t fall victim to Kali and her priests

[harvey]

I have seen more of these incoming than any other reference. Really think this will be updated next year...

[gunhose]

Should of drove to Costco first.