Incoming - First Rolex, finally

[mand2240]

tl;dr - Worked my butt off, hit a couple speed bumps, purchased a Tudor, finally got my long sought after BLNR

Let me just apologize upfront for this novel I am about to bestow upon you (skip to the bottom for pictures). I really wanted to document my journey to acquiring this watch and I feel like this is a good place to do it. 

I have always been a “watch guy” and I think I have my dad to blame for that. During my first trip to Disneyland in the late 90s, all I wanted as a souvenir was a watch. (Pictured below) This was the first thing I ever received that I remember absolutely cherishing. 

Back to my dad. I grew up in a very middle class family. We had money, but not a ton. I think the nicest watch I remember my dad owning was a Quartz Tissot that I always envied. When I was 8 years old (in 1999), my brother graduated from college and I remember my parents gifting him a Rolex. It was a 16710 Coke GMT. I was in awe of this watch. My dad pulled me aside at the graduation ceremony and told me that he would make the same deal with me as he did with my brother. Graduate college without financial help = get a Rolex. 

Moving on to the early 00’s. My brother was fortunate enough to be in a pretty lucrative position after college and decides that he wants to return the favor and purchase our father a Rolex. He picks up a 14000 Air King and gifts it to dad.

Fast forward to my college years and life is different. My parents split up after 39 years of marriage and neither of them were in a position to buy a watch. The 2013 Basel release BLNR GMT was my watch, the second I set my eyes on it, I knew that was the watch for me even though I knew I would not be receiving one. This tore my dad up inside, and still to this day is a very sore subject to him.

After my college years I spent money on watches here and there. A couple of Bulovas, a Nixon (icky), a Samsung Galaxy Gear watch, and then the first Gen Apple Watch. When I bought that Apple Watch, I made ‪the promise‬ to myself that I wouldn’t spend another penny on a watch unless it was something that I would have for the rest of my life and could pass down to my children. 

After wearing the Apple Watch for years and watching the availability of SS Rolex’s plummet I got pretty disheartened. In early 2018 I finally felt like I was in a place to purchase a nice watch. My wife agreed that it was a good time and I began the hunt with a ~$3500 budget. I narrowed my choices down to an Omega Speedmaster Pro or a Tudor Pelagos. In July of 2018 I ended up purchasing a blue Pelagos BNIB from a gray market dealer. 

I absolutely love my Pelagos and it has been on my wrist literally everyday since I took delivery. But in the back of my mind I knew the watch that defines me is the BLNR. My wife always told me that we would get to a point where we could make it happen. I believed her, I just didn’t know it would be so soon. 

In June of this year I received a promotion at work and then in July our first child was born. These two events led me to start looking. Even though this is something my wife gave me her blessing on, buying a nearly 10k watch is a huge purchase for us and is something that we have been setting money aside for for quite sometime. 

Through an absolute stroke of luck I was able to be put in touch with an AD that was willing to sell me a watch (I got to chose between BLRO and BLNR, easy choice). The catch was that I had to come to their store in person and pay for the watch up front. I got on a plane on September 10th and did just that. I was told to expect my watch by March of 2020. 

Now here I am less than a month after I purchased the watch with it in my hands! I love my little collection and am very proud of it. Both pieces represent hard work and sacrifice that my wife and I have gone through to be where we are at today. Down the road, maybe for the birth of our next child I want to add a Speedy to the collection and that will round out my stable of watches for quite some time (until I can justify a Sky Dweller and maybe a Polar ExpII). I am still unsure how to tell my father. He will be happy that I have the watch of my dreams, but he will be destroyed by the fact that he wasn't able to gift it to me. 

Thank you to those who powered through my post. Please enjoy the photos of my new pride and joy (aside from my daughter). It’s a small watch for my 8+ inch wrist, but I am over the moon.  

Also I am thinking about sourcing a 97200 Oyster Bracelet from a ceramic sub. If anyone has one laying around, I’m your guy.








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sensui]

Sweet first.

[Jets_fan44]

Bravo

[blankapdx]

Awesome story! Your Dad should be proud for raising responsible good kids and not think about the watch that he couldn't get u.

[hongkongrr]

congrats man

[Albatross]

Congrats! Love your story. You have arrived at a long awaited destination. Wear it in good health!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[locutus49]

Congrats. And the oyster will look better on that watch. Ask one of our Trusted Sellers if he can source one.

[kuuttingg]

Congrats! Thank you for sharing your watch journey. Enjoy it and wear it in good health. Cheers!

[mand2240]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the love. You have no idea how long I have sat in the shadows and read everyone else’s incoming posts. I’m in awe right now.

[037]

Congrats!

[Vipes]

Nice story and a well deserved Rolex. Big congrats and wear it in good health

[mat_787]

Congrats, great story! Thanks for sharing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[little tomato]

Nice story. Congrats. But wonder what your wife got as a push gift?

[LuminousMaximus]

Hey Mike nice entry into the world of ROLEX! Love the story and all the effort...

[vanhwrd4]

Congrats! Thank you for sharing your journey.

[4 Aussies]

Great story, so happy for you!! May your new watch bring you much pleasure!!

[Notsoprobro]

Awesome write up! I always enjoy these kinds of posts. Wear your new watch in good health!

[Phrank]

Great story, read the whole thing, this for me is what owning a nice watch is all about.

Not just a watch, something that is in it's own right a work of art, not purchased lightly, patiently waited for, and finally arriving.

Congratulations, beautiful watch, my story is much the same, except I waited 30 years.....

[djgallo]

Great story...well deserved!!!

[jgmvm2087]

Congratulations! What a great first Rolex that is! Right on!

[nworbled]

Great story! Congratulations!

[gleiden]

Very nice

[kieselguhr]

Congratulations on your success in life first and foremost. Enjoy your watches in good health friend

[Odie-r]

Nice point of entry! Congrats on your BLNR!

[Bladeshot]

Congrats! And congrats to your Dad for raising you to not be in debt, and to you and your Wife for carrying that principle along. You planned and saved for a luxury purchase. I do, too.

Your daughter and family are your true gift! The Rolex is something that you can also enjoy .

Cheers! Well done.

[abozz]

Wonderful!!

Enviado desde mi SM-G975F mediante Tapatalk

[KaVo8]

Congrats on your addition. I love your story, of hard work, dedication and being financially responsible. Treasure your baby girl, soon she will be in college.

Oh, and enjoy your watch, that’s an awesome first Rolex. As far as the oyster bracelet, not sure which one will fit the new BLNR Jubilee. I’ve tried the bracelets from Ceramic Subs, they do not match due to the size and position of spring bar.

Wear it in good health!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TimeRookie]

Well done. Awesome story and watch!

[csaltphoto]

Congratulations on all the success in your life! And I agree on the oyster bracelet.

[SpunkyQ8]

Congrats man!

Great pick up