16613

[CMT]

Hello all! I was going to put up some pics of my LNIB 16613 in this preexisting thread but by the time I was finished the post had grown large enough to warrant its own space.

I picked my M serial up from a good friend's father who bought it in 2008, put it on once and then put it back in the box. It came to me with the protective wrap still on the clasp and one very small bracelet pockmark that easily polished out.












I couldn't be happier. I have wanted this watch since 1988 when I chose a 2-tone 16234 with champagne Tapestry Dial over the 2-tone blue dial Submariner. I traded my first Rolex, a Submariner 16800, for the 16234 and I always second guessed the choice, however I currently have a SS DJ to complement the TT Sub so my Rolex needs (but hardly desires) are filled for now.

In the days leading up to my wedding, my Best Man (a friend close enough to truly be considered family) allowed me to enjoy two of his modern Rolexes, a new Daytona and also a GMT II-C. I fell back in love with the Oyster bracelet, especially that awesome new clasp, and was on the hunt for a II-C for myself before the 16613 presented itself as an option.

Aside: I introduced my Best Man to this forum a few years ago, and he's since become a regular poster with a watch collection that dwarfs mine in number and substance.

Its magnificent price and perfect condition made this 16613 a no-brainer, but again I found myself second guessing the choice. I have always loved the blue hue they chose for this piece, enough so that I would always stalk people out in the wild to get a better look at their 16613s in varying light conditions, and I also figured that if I decided that I needed the GMT II-C I could always flip the 16613 for substantially more than I paid and get the watch I "wanted."

This will never, ever happen. I have now worn the 16613 for the last 3 weeks during my Italian honeymoon and there's just no describing my affinity for this watch. Finally owning one is akin to placing the last piece into the jigsaw puzzle of my personal horological history, and while I still appreciate the same modern Rolexes that I have always admired, the 16613 and I will be inseparable for a very long time. I wore my PAM 112 exclusively for a full two years before reaching for something else when I dressed in the morning and I suspect that the same will be true for the beautiful blue-dialed masterpiece that's on my wrist right now.

Pics from Italy:

Driving our rented Fiat Panda, a novelty I thoroughly enjoyed.


At Viareggio Beach, about a half hour from our Tuscan hotel:








In Rome overlooking the ruins of the Roman Forum:


And, finally, pictures from the car ride home to Connecticut from the airport. A friend showed up with a gigantic 67 Caddillac convertible that he finally got running. It had been bequeathed to him by his Grandmother, and finally basking in its behemoth magnificence after two years of sporadic repair was the perfect end to a perfect honeymoon.












If you've read this far, thank you for your patience. I know it's a lot of reading just to show pictures of a watch, but I know I'm not alone when I honestly say that the 16613 is more than a watch to me. It's a milestone achievement to finally have a 16613 of my own, and in case I haven't been clear, I love it. I absolutely love it. I find it to be one of, if not the most beautiful piece Rolex has ever put out and I still get hit with a shot of glowing warmth when I look down to check the time. Or look down just to see it. And stare at it. It is....precious to me. [/tolkien]

Final shots:


















Thanks for checking out the thread!

[RedwinGV]

Nice way to see your grail. Thanks for the pics!

[CMT]

Thanks RedwinGV, I appreciate it. And very nice IIc you have there. The 16613 really was my attainable grail, at least when it came to Rolex. I am constantly impressed with the strong/masculine/handsome GMT IIc and will continue to admire them from afar, but in the end it was the 16613 for me due to the circumstances and longevity of the desire for the watch. I wore my friend's IIc to my rehearsal dinner and its maxi everything pretty much caught the eye of everyone in the room when they weren't staring at the Daytona he was wearing.

I find myself marveling at the 16613 in varying light. A simple change from being outside to the walk into the shadow as the lume alights is going to be enough to thrill me for a while. I don't know why I'm surprised at the strength of the lume, but I am. It's very nice.

I would, however, kill to have that new Oyster clasp. It's so clearly superior to the outgoing version. That and the new substance/presence of the maxi case really present the modern Rolexes so well. I haven't been able to warm to the DJ II case and overall look yet, at least not the models with fluted bezels which used to be my favorite, but the smooth bezel versions I have seen along with the highly stylized dials have admittedly been very nice.

[TSW]

Congrats Chris

[ptugolf]

Thanks for sharing. I like it a lot.

[brkanand]

Brilliant. Congratulations!

[Andad]

Thanks for this thread Chris.

Excellent pix.

[EE33]

Congrats Chris, enjoyed your write up and pics, fantastic.
My M series 16613 remains as my favourite Rolex.

[zidaneong]

Congrats. :) The classic blue sub is indeed a beauty. :)

[CMT]

Thanks guys. I hope the weekend found you all well.

[dddrees]

Great PICs of a really fantastic watch. I really like the color of the the older one like you have much better than the newer one.

Congrats and thanks for sharing.

[George Ab]

There is something incredibly special about the blue dial of a 16613. It truly is special and like nothing else.

Congratulations.

[never2late]

This watch is my grail also and I was fortunate enough to acquire one new about six weeks ago. I couldn't be happier for you, wear it in good health and enjoy.

[NSM]

I just wanted to chime in on this thread. I am the seller of the 16613 and I could not be happier that it went to someone so passionate about the watch as Chris. This watch sat in a safe after being worn on the initial purchase date. It was a shame as the watch is such a good looking piece. I wish Chris a long memory filled time with this piece and I hope he enjoys it as much as possible. And as always, superb pictures C!

[drockadam]

Gorgeous pictures of a gorgeous watch!

[Oldwilsonian]

Great write-up. I also love my 16613.

[CMT]

Thanks so much guys. There is no end to my enjoyment of this thing. I don't know how long the honeymoon period is going to last but again I suspect it's going to be a long one. I've actually become self-conscious about checking the time too much in order to watch the blue hue change in different light conditions, and it cracks me up because I've never been quite this narcissistic about anything in my life.

The 16613 gets a lot of attention. Both welcome and unwelcome. On one hand where I sit on the board of directors for a local symphony orchestra, the fine gentleman next to me stared at the watch for almost the entirety of last night's two hour meeting. I've seen both a Yachtmaster and 2-tone Breitling Crosswind with a blue dial on his wrist before, so he's no stranger to the affliction, and I liked that he appreciated the Rolex.

On the other hand I had lunch with an old friend who is now associated with the Advancement department of an alma mater, and he wasn't buying the "I'm broke" shtick. He kept looking at the Rolex, and then looking at me with the same jocular half-cocked sneer/smile that I hated in prep school. So I told him I spent all my money on a wedding present to myself and to try me next year.

So thanks again for the understanding and good press! I have to finish this post up quick because it's detracting from my private 16613 stare time now that I'm home.

Originally Posted by NSM

I just wanted to chime in on this thread. I am the seller of the 16613 and I could not be happier that it went to someone so passionate about the watch as Chris. This watch sat in a safe after being worn on the initial purchase date. It was a shame as the watch is such a good looking piece. I wish Chris a long memory filled time with this piece and I hope he enjoys it as much as possible. And as always, superb pictures C!

What's up man! It's good to see you posting, Nic. I cannot thank you enough for offering me the 16613 in its ridiculously preserved condition, and I have a story for you. I made it almost 3/4 of the way home before opening the box. Can you believe that? It was a true exercise in self-control, but sadly the last quarter of the drive had me weaving magnificently all over the highway as the road was the last thing that had my attention.

Nic, I have a few more pictures but they're pretty redundant. I tried a few with a macro lens adapter but there's not really that much "macro" about it. I might be able to creatively crop and post process some of these, though, when I have a spare moment.






























Thanks again my main man, and another thanks to everyone for the warm reception.

[EE33]

Great pics again Chris and you must be one of the lucky few Rolex owners who's Rolex logo lines up vertically perfect on the crown.

[CMT]

Originally Posted by EE33

Great pics again Chris and you must be one of the lucky few Rolex owners who's Rolex logo lines up vertically perfect on the crown.

Thanks EE33, I appreciate it but sadly my crown points towards 2:00 when fully tightened - I repositioned it for the shots along with setting the date and time to what I remembered from every Rolex catalogue I grew up with. :)

[EE33]

So that's how Rolex do their photo shoots!

Enjoy Mate.

[snowbird]

Very nice. I think the blue 16613 is the prettiest Rolex ever. The new ceramic is nice but the color's just not the same.

[Zed Homme]

Congrats Chris, watch looks great on you. Much better than on me during that weekend at Lime Rock...

[CMT]

Thanks guys!

Originally Posted by Zed Homme

Congrats Chris, watch looks great on you. Much better than on me during that weekend at Lime Rock...

I disagree my man, I thought it looked smashing.





You know I was super sad to see it go but the Daytona that replaced it is no slouch.

oh don't sell yourself short, Judge, you're a tremendous slouch.

[Zed Homme]

Of course you have a picture....

[CMT]

Originally Posted by Zed Homme

Of course you have a picture....

[Zed Homme]

Gmt is the best....

[CMT]

The 116710 is my favorite GMT ever, but it's always been about the Submariner for me.

[bvm183]

simply awesome!!!!

[Ultraman]

Thanks for sharing the pics!

[sea-dweller]

Nice 16613!!!