I've always loved watches. I grew up in England where I went to a boarding school for seven years from age 11. There's very little privacy in a boarding school and a nice watch on my wrist became a little oasis of privacy when I studied it.
I always liked robust, diver-type watches. I got my first divers' watch at about the age of 11 or 12, I took it into the bath with me, only for the crystal to fog up within minutes. I guess I should have realised that a "Fashiontime" brand watch wasn't really waterproof!
That set back just made me more determined to have a "proper" waterproof, robust watch. My first Rolex was an Explorer I, bought with my first earnings after graduation. From there I moved up to a GMT II, then a Rolex Date, with Oyster and silver dial.
For the last few years I haven't had a Rolex, as kids, houses and other incidental expenses have got in the way. Then I started to catch up with the money going out the door and a new Rolex looked like well-earned compensation for all the long hours and stress.
I hung out here, on eBay, and elsewhere. I was not a huge fan of the new styles of Rolex. I found them a bit more clunky not quite as elegant as the older ones I was used to. Then I read Minus4plus6's comparison review of the GMT II vs the GMT IIc and it all started to fall into place.
"Research" crossed the border into "Obsession" and didn't look back. I went to my AD and held both the GMT and the GMT IIc in my hands. All of a sudden the timeless GMT II which I'd owned for many years looked... old fashioned. The clasp looked like a cheap Seiko's. The hands were spindly, the dots too small. The winder looked like a pimple!
In comparison, the GMT IIc looked like the watch the GMT II always wanted to be. The little irritations of the strap becoming either too big in cold weather or too tight in hot weather were solved with the "comfort link". The clasp looked, felt and worked like nothing you'd ever find on a $300 watch.
The broader case and lugs stopped looking like change for change's sake as soon as I slipped it on. Together with the flatter bottom, the GMT IIc rode like no previous Rolex I'd owned - flat and stable on my wrist, with no "flop" and no tendency to disappear off the back of my wrist.
I bought it soon after. The AD, Swiss Concept in Pitt St, Sydney, was excellent. They had a huge stock, and perfect manners. If you go there, ask for "Thai'. Lovely bloke and loves his watches.
He carefully peeled off all the plastic film (although he recommended leaving the film on the clasp as long as possible), did the paperwork and there I was with the best watch in the world on my wrist. I was so happy.
A few weeks later I'm still happy. Yes, the new Oyster bracelet is more shiny. If I could've had the brushed finish I probably would have gone for it, just for the practicality. But the polished centre links have the lustre of surgical instruments. This is not plastic chrome people, this is a very hard substance, polished to a mirror finish.
Yeah it gets scratched. Build a bridge.
The green font for GMT MASTER II and the matching 24h hand is genius. When we were redecorating our house we had a lady colourist come around and give us some colours. I learned then that there are people on this planet who see things much more clearly than I do. Some of them must work for Rolex. I always thought anything but red would look tacky and cheap - probably because every other colour has been tried by Citizen, Seiko etc. Then some genevois(e) pulls this out of a hat. Flipping genius.
The new bezel instantly separates the GMT IIc from all previous generations of GMT, Submariners and Sea Dwellers. Like the bracelet and the colour, the ceramic bezel makes the GMT IIc distinct from all lesser watches. You'll never find anything as complex and beautiful on a Citizen.
My GMT IIc keeps excellent time. I'm not obsessive about accuracy, but the watch is remaining within COSC specifications, even though I wear it 24/7, including running, in the shower and sleeping.
I notice that the GMT IIc seems to drive the owners of other sports Rolexes crazy. They can't keep their eyes off it! It is still a very rare watch in Australia. As of May, 2008 I haven't yet seen anyone else wearing one, or indeed any ceramic bezeled Rolex. That's kinda cool, but I know I'll still be enjoying this watch when it's yesterday's news.
