Rip Van Rolex - 11 year nap

[28mm]

Hey all,

Long time lurker and think I used to be a member here a long time ago.

I got my first Rolex in 1999, a Black Stainless Submariner, soon there after I bought a Blue faced two tone and off I went, adding here and there and bought my last one in 2009.

Never was really a 'collector' in my eyes, I just always loved Rolex's and never forgot that I saw one on my honeymoon in St. Maarten. Felt we couldn't afford such a thing and never forgot that I lost more than the cost of the watch later that night in the casino!

Only recently have I felt the urge to get another Rolex and as you all can imagine, awakening 11 years later to a very different Rolex world. While back in the day, stainless Daytona's were not easy to get, I still managed to get two without a crazy wait or being pressured to buy anything else.

I had a friend who buys a lot of watches introduce me to a dealer last weekend. Today the dealer texted me offering a $50K Patak ("the only one in the city" eyeroll) and if I did buy this hard to get watch, she would put me on the list to get a Submariner! Yes that happened..I have the texts to prove it!

My old Rolex AD is long gone, the other one has bare shelves but I am building up that relationship.

Today I was at another AD who I am friendly with, never bought a watch from of course but we really hit it off well. I told him the story of the Patek and the 'list' for the sub and he said, "I met you once and am trying to get one for you!"

I don't totally fault the dealer for pushing a watch to get me other watches, it's not my style but I get it...Yet the way it was done was ridiculous to say the least. I sent the text to my friend who flipped out and said he'd discuss it with someone higher up the food chain. I said do what you want but I won't go back to that store unless they have a Submariner for me with no other purchasing.

Last week I bought my first Rolex in 11 years (No date Sub!). I found it on Facebook of all places! Turns out I hit it off well with the seller, awesome guy who is having a hard time with his business. I felt bad that I negotiated so hard and offered back the last bit but he wouldn't have it.

Anyway, here's what I have and I look forward to embracing this new hobby, the one I basically never paid attention to other than...um, buying and wearing them. Not sure I love the new Rolex landscape at all.

I have my name on lists for about 5 watches and I am sure I'd love them but as great as the new ones are, to have all new hard to get Rolexes for me personally just doesn't do it.

I am just as interested in older models and will learn about them here!

Great forum and happy I'm back (if i were here before! )

[Tnied]

Great story! Welcome back

[sgwatchguy]

Welcome back. Great story and an excellent collection.

[EEpro]

Great collection! Wow!

[mrockperez]

Welcome back!!

[TswaneNguni]

16613
5 digit Pepsi
116520 Black

[fishingbear]

Welcome! Many of us can relate yet been here all along the way. Crazy times, great collection, glad we have what we've got.

[joli160]

Your 116713LN

Welcome back

[moneymike83]

Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kevin of Larchmont]

A great story and a refreshing perspective. Welcome back.

[woowoo]

Welcome back. I left this forum about 8 years ago and recently signed back up. Watch collecting and the people active on this forum have changed a lot in the past few years (some of the old TRF heads and mods are still around, though they are bit more jaded and curt it seems, you know who you are and we love you).

Couple things I have noticed since returning to the hobby and this forum. I might make a longer rant post at some point. But the short version:

-while talk of 'investment type watches' has always gone on even back in the day, it used to be more talk of retaining value and if you are lucky maybe selling for what you bought it for or small profit after wearing it a few years. Now there's a lot more people actually trying to make money from their watches. They are buying safe queens. Or getting into flipping. Or the thing about a watch that excites them the most is how much it trades over retail not the quality or aesthetics of the watch itself. Can I blame them? Yes, I think all that work and effort to maybe make a few grand is not the best use of one's time. Sitting at a watch meetup over a nice steak dinner and only talking about resale value feels kinda tacky.

-The position of PP as a hype brand is interesting. A few years ago, the hype watches were Rolex and AP. Rolex still king. PP has taken over AP's slot it seems. All good, deserved. Still talk of other brands and independent watchmakers feels less common than I remember.

Richard Mille is the new Franck Muller? People used to get hyped about a new Greubel Forsey tourb invention piece, now people get hyped when Patek releases a green watch strap? Is the Skydweller actually a great watch?

[henrylee]

Very nice collection!

[28mm]

Originally Posted by TswaneNguni

16613
5 digit Pepsi
116520 Black

You picked the one that gets the most wrist time by far! But the 114060 that I got this weekend is competing for the daily spot!

[28mm]

Originally Posted by Tnied

Great story! Welcome back

Thank you! Great to be back

Originally Posted by sgwatchguy

Welcome back. Great story and an excellent collection.

Thank you and hope to be adding but not a $50K PP for the price of admission

Originally Posted by EEpro

Great collection! Wow!

Thank you, for the longest time, they were buried away and I'd not look at them and just wear one or two..feels like I opened a time capsule!

Originally Posted by mrockperez

Welcome back!!

Originally Posted by fishingbear

Welcome! Many of us can relate yet been here all along the way. Crazy times, great collection, glad we have what we've got.

Exactly! Lucky and thankful to have what we have..and interestingly, as I started digging into the new models and what it will take to build up relationships again and with that dealer floating a $50k plus PP just to get on a list for a sub!

Originally Posted by joli160

Your 116713LN

Welcome back

Love that watch so much!

Originally Posted by moneymike83

Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

haha, I'll drink to that

Originally Posted by Kevin of Larchmont

A great story and a refreshing perspective. Welcome back.

Thank you for reading it, feels great to share it and be back!

Originally Posted by woowoo

Welcome back. I left this forum about 8 years ago and recently signed back up. Watch collecting and the people active on this forum have changed a lot in the past few years (some of the old TRF heads and mods are still around, though they are bit more jaded and curt it seems, you know who you are and we love you).

Couple things I have noticed since returning to the hobby and this forum. I might make a longer rant post at some point. But the short version:

-while talk of 'investment type watches' has always gone on even back in the day, it used to be more talk of retaining value and if you are lucky maybe selling for what you bought it for or small profit after wearing it a few years. Now there's a lot more people actually trying to make money from their watches. They are buying safe queens. Or getting into flipping. Or the thing about a watch that excites them the most is how much it trades over retail not the quality or aesthetics of the watch itself. Can I blame them? Yes, I think all that work and effort to maybe make a few grand is not the best use of one's time. Sitting at a watch meetup over a nice steak dinner and only talking about resale value feels kinda tacky.

-The position of PP as a hype brand is interesting. A few years ago, the hype watches were Rolex and AP. Rolex still king. PP has taken over AP's slot it seems. All good, deserved. Still talk of other brands and independent watchmakers feels less common than I remember.

Richard Mille is the new Franck Muller? People used to get hyped about a new Greubel Forsey tourb invention piece, now people get hyped when Patek releases a green watch strap? Is the Skydweller actually a great watch?

Great rant and yes, 100%. I fell in love with Rolex in 1985 when i saw my first one...wanted it so badly but felt I couldn't afford it then went to the casino on my honeymoon and lost that amount in an hour.. Lesson learned and never forgotten!

I have a great story of what triggered me to buy tht first Rolex in 1999 but that's for another thread!

But exactly right, I cared about value retention but that wasn't why we bought them, it was just good to know it's not money out the window.

I made a spreadsheet years ago with the serial numbers and the cost of each watch..then every few years I'd update the current value as I needed it for insurance..But it was only recently that I went to update again and as we all know it's mindboggling.

[28mm]

Originally Posted by TswaneNguni

16613
5 digit Pepsi
116520 Black

The 116520 has been the most underworn since i've had it..

That's about to change!

[reecester]

Lovely Collection!

[Robf52]

Quite a nice collection. Welcome back!

[Doc Savage]

Wow, nice collection and fun stories. Welcome back!

[28mm]

Originally Posted by reecester

Lovely Collection!

Thank you, it's fun to share it here!

Originally Posted by Robf52

Quite a nice collection. Welcome back!

Thank you! Nice to be here (again)

Originally Posted by Doc Savage

Wow, nice collection and fun stories. Welcome back!

Thank you DS! Looking forward to more!

[28mm]

Re-reading this thread I made a year ago.

And what a year it's been. Picked up a 116900, 214270, 126610LV, and lastly a Tudor 925...Need a bigger box! Wait and a Tudor Ceramic which I'm gonna sell one of these days!

I guess things will be normal in a year from now..

But seriously folks!

Happy Holidays!

[Texex]

Welcome "back" to the Jungle!

[SaintMickey]

Welcome back.

Bold move buying from Facebook. Glad it worked out.

[Mendota]

Welcome back. Nice collection. I really like your Breguet! I bet that dial and hands look stunning in person.

[28mm]

Originally Posted by Texex

Welcome "back" to the Jungle!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by SaintMickey

Welcome back.

Bold move buying from Facebook. Glad it worked out.

I know, I remember my gf suggesting it and me laughing at her..Worked out and I'm still in touch with the seller who turned out to be a great and interesting guy.

Originally Posted by Mendota

Welcome back. Nice collection. I really like your Breguet! I bet that dial and hands look stunning in person.

I let the Breguet go..I had bought it off my friend's wrist one night in 2007.. He is a real watch collector and had to sell off his watches due to financial troubles. He declared bankruptcy ultimately.. He's started back up and is doing well and I felt it was a good deed to offer him back his watch..He's in high end audio business and he's hooked me up with some great gear at cost..What goes around comes around but I miss that watch!

[Tangier11]

Welcome back!!

[jaySL350]

Welcome back
Great collection of watches,,,

[28mm]

Just got the Milgauss back a few minutes ago...First family portrait with a full box.

(Need another box!)

This place (TRF) is a great but not good environment!