a crown for every achievement: what's your rolex story?

[116520]

Actually the moral of the story is: when you in finanical crisis, it is always good to have a few Rolex in your safe....

[Starlight]

I dont know about watch n always just wear normal till one day I saw Omega adverisement, walk to retail n appreciated but wow for the retail price. Walk in to other shop, get a Titoni brand new. Trying to understand what is cosmo movement but found this forum, from that day onwards, posion starts.......finally collect my TT Daytona today I happy liao

[Starlight]

Btw, one of the best enjoyment here, I get to knew few kakis start from strangers, this is priceless

[jazz_samz]

Wow. You guys have very touching experiences to share. I m moved by all of them and am happy that you brothers learn the most important thing in our life. That is to live it with courage.
I dun have any reason in owning my first Rolex. But rather found this forum, then learned more abt IWC and yearn for it the most as it was a watch I set my eyes on when I was in my teens. Went shopping with my parents at Centerpoint and while walking towards the escalator, the IWC piece at the display caught my eyes. I told myself then if I were to buy my first watch, it had to be that.
I did so in 2008 and that also started my journey in watch collection. My 2nd watch then was my 1st Rolex, a 16610. Then 16710. And a 6694 which I recently sold to a good bro here.
I do hope my dad gives me his TT DJ with diamond markers one day though. Then with that, I do hope to start a family tradition as passing a watch of mine to each if my kid. A family heirloom. For now, I have a IWC and a 16710. So I am covered. Kekkek
sorry that my version isn't really Rolex but rather the faintest link to the TS thread and those who shared is that a treasured watch that represents our life's goal.

[BRABUS]

Hi bro

I dont know about watch n always just wear normal till one day I saw Omega adverisement, walk to retail n appreciated but wow for the retail price. Walk in to other shop, get a Titoni brand new. Trying to understand what is cosmo movement but found this forum, from that day onwards, posion starts.......finally collect my TT Daytona today I happy liao

Hi bro, congrats on your TT daytona , wear it in good health , the daytona is a real beauty among other sports model , its sporty yet refine enough for formal occasion .

[augpat]

Nice Topic!
I am average earning person holding a middle class job.I am very sure that everyone of us have a story behind our Rolex watches.I strongly agree that it's not easy to get one.The most important point here is,How much did we sacrifices to get one of this timepiece although we have much commitment to contribute.The hardship!

But our heartfelt happiness start when someone approach us and say
"wow you are wearing Rolex" "must be rich" meaning we have archived something great in lifetime.I did wear many other brand but never receive any comment of a such.It must always Rolex...... a brand that even small kids also know.

Rolex is the brand that hold our status!

[iMac08]

Me also came from a not so well to do family. But since young i have always love to look at watches. Cause family not rich so usually take pass it on watches from my rich cousins...but of course nothing to fanciful except some japan edition casio etc.. when i started working i told myself i must get hold of an automatic watch. Told myself i will buy my first automatic with my pay...then realise it is not decent enough...Saw a U boat and i love it.I told my wife i must buy a watch before i empty my saving for our wedding.i ended up buying it before my wedding only to realise i can't wear it cause the sleeves can't button. i only got my rollie when i switch job to mark the jump.... Then decide to buy 1 for every child we get when i first heard she was preg..sadly it was ended as a early miscarriage. decided to add 1 more automatic for her just to encourage her...that's my story.

and yes,other than PP seems like not many ppl in sgp truly appreciate watches and most only know rolex...

[Darkangel]

I believe I told of my story before? Quite some time back...here goes again..

I chanced upon a lonely SS Datejust that was hiding in a drawing for many years...back when I was 14. I took it out once in awhile...put it on the wrist...admired..and put it back. Few months later..I slowly gained control of the watch...and my mum knew i liked the watch very much,so i wore it at home, and to some occasions.

Over time...I finally took over the watch, but by then I was deeply poisoned after I decided to find out more about the watch. It belonged to my grandfather btw...he had a SS DJ and YG DD when he was alive, YG DD was taken by my uncle and SS DJ was taken by my dad. But my dad didn't like watches so he just left it in the drawer.

So you can probably say...First Rolex at 14.

Then when I was 16 that year...I told myself...I will buy my own. Not impossible...save aside some money everyday, why not? On 1st Jan, wrote it as my New Year's Resolution...Rolex Submariner. Then somewhere in Aug...I did very well in one of my competitions, and had pretty sufficient $ for my watch and next day I went to pick up a Rolex Explorer II. Loved that...my first Rolex Purchase.

Within 6 months, sold off to fund a share purchase, which I lost I believe close to 60-70%? Sad I was...but too bad man bo pian have to move on.

But I still had my SS DJ which I kept dearly and will keep in the future, I spent close to $1k on servicing and a new bracelet for this baby of mine...which is a small amount to the priceless watch I own.

An inspiration to me...because I believed that what my grandfather built, I can too...and even though almost everything was lost after he left, I will pick up from whatever I have,with all my resources,experience from my parents,relatives and grandmother. Something which I almost sold off...but good thing there was something inside me that told me to keep it. I will definitely treasure this piece.

Age 16 was a very exciting 1, bought my first Rolex, set up SGROC with our founding batch here. The people I got to know from SGROC, the knowledge...priceless to me. You can say SGROC is my blood and sweat?

Though i m not the owner in name...but I was the founding batch...I would surf SGROC religiously without fail everyday. After school,after class, anytime! I would be doing my usual,moving of threads, replying to threads, replying to questions from strangers whom I never knew face to face. But it's the passion and wonderful people that kept me here and will keep me here.

I must say I am very thankful to many of the SGROC people I knew who helped me in many ways...directly or indirectly...I really appreciate from the bottom of my heart.

Fast forward the not so good year after that. Lost money here and there so no purchases when I was 17.

It was only until recently which I managed to acquire enough funds and bought my Submariner in Oct. I knew I had to start from a Submariner because that was my very first aim. My initial aim to own a Rolex by 18...achieved.

What's next for me...well...I more or less know what I want and will definitely work towards it. I anticipate another piece coming my way soon...

Only thing on my Rolex list would be a solid gold piece before I complete my collection. Likely to be White gold and 2nd choice rose gold. Most likely WG. But it's a very tough decision, because WG means that not for everyday where and not for certain places.

I may get a panerai? which I thought I would never to get..lol But..MAYBE ONLY!

Then next step would be going into Patek. Route planned quite far, I m sure there will be changes along the way. But hopefully not much.

[minimerc]

i was from a very poor family, the idea of owning a normal watch (let alone a rolex) never ever crossed my mind. Sine graduation, i wore a swatch with leather straps bot by my gf (now my CO) until i bot my 1st rolex dj 16220 white face with roman dial when i was 29. Despite owning several branded rojaks which i never wore them, the DJ was my daily beater for the past 9 yrs and it has witnessed both the toughest and sweetest periods in my 38 yrs of life until 2 month ago when i got deeply posioned by the vintages GMTs. then the family just multiplied! nevertheless, the dearest watch among all the blings blings and vintages is still the Swatch watch bot by CO with her meager pay post graduation.

[hmsg]

wow, great memory for the watch - bought it to celebate your birthday!

[redneckk]

mine too! 21st birthday. present from my gf. next one will be for my graduation. heh heh.

[lefty]

First Rolex was a GMT back in 2003 which i traded off just after 1 year for a Graham Chronofighter (sheeshh... ). The significance of the Rolex really didnt mean much to me then as I was shuttling between a Panerai, Brietling, GP and an Oris - all of which i eventually offloaded as well.

It took me a good 7 years later - 2010 - before i laid hands on my 2nd ever Rolex - the Sub C LV. This time with much greater significance as i bought it to mark the birth of my second child. And yes, this one is for keeps.

[Archie42]

Hello,
I have read many posts on this board in the last few days & I thought I would like to tell my story. I have read postings of 16 year old kids getting a Rolex from Dad and I wanted to post this story so other people do not think this is the norm. I think if you have had to struggle - it makes you appreciate the rewards more. Getting a gift from daddy or mommy does not cut it for me.

Then the 16 year old kid wants to talk about investment. I give you investment after working 2 years in taxi after normal job. Investment is something the theives in banking stole from most of us in superannuation funds.

I have owned a Rolex since I was 18. I bought a Rolex Explorer and gifted my quartz Omega to my father - so much for daddy buying me a watch! I then did not think much about it until I started to love watch in about 1997. I remember I bought (of all things!) a Cartier Octagonal Santos in Steel. I loved that watch so much but parted with it as I wanted another watch. I am not rich enough to keep everything! In 2001 I purchased my first Patek - ref 3919 but had it sell it as money was tight - this was after the dot com bust! (do a google search about that disaster if you are under 20!).

In 2007 I fell in love with a couple of holygrail watches. I wanted 1 but did not know which watch to choose. I started driving taxi to help me save for the watch. I remember doing my income tax return and seeing the evil government take most of my meager takings. I tried and tried. I slowly saved my money - not eating lunch from shop - taking brown paper bag to work each day.

Then I got my dream Patek - White gold Calatrava. I had to sell most of my watch collection to pay for this watch. I remember feeling sad after selling most of my watches to afford the Patek. It was a struggle. Driving taxi and having rude obnoxious customer. Customer who laugh at me for being middle age and drive taxi. I remember a staff from work took my taxi and laugh at me at work for my low job.

After I got my Patek I really have bad feeling about only having 1 other watch. I kept my explorer 1 watch with lug hole. I yearn for my other rolexes. I was madly in love with white dial explorer II. I buy this beauty 2nd hand. I save save money. It hard struggle - no easy money or daddy for me. I can not afford AD to buy from - I get from used dealer / pawnshop (I think you call loanshark shop) and I pay cash and use my credit card. I love Rolex but I not pay 20% a month loanshark charge. My Explorer II not new - it from ealy 90s - no box no papers. I still love my Explorer II like my wife.

I then buy Omega Speedmaster from used dealer. I love the classic chrono. I save slowly. No easy money from daddy.

My Vacheron was very hard to pay for. She cost big money and need service and polish. I think I never sell her. She is from 1960 and is the first thin movement from Vacheron in the 1950s. Vacheron is good name with Geneva seal K1001 movement.

I love my 2 x rolex equally. I can not ever not have Rolex. I wear Rolex the most. Patek is on leather and a scarced to damage white gold. Vacheron is for special occassions only - not waterproof. Omega is cool and I love but not same as Rolex. I buy my wife Rolex 69174 - Steel DateJust with white gold bezel. I think she understand my love for rolex now!

I hope you can see the struggle I have to endure for my watches. No easy daddy or mommy to pay for it. If you are a sugarlady - I happy to befriend you! Stuggle make you strong. Strong is like my Rolex.....

Please tell me your struggle to get a rolex!

[biboy]

hmmm. about 3 years ago, i said that i will never,never buy a rolex watch! too expensive. but i do spurge for my brother, my sister and my mom. tried to be a good son, a good brother and a responsible provider.
through savings, i was able to built a modest sized abode- everyones dream... am sure! then for no reason at all.....
we were strolling in a shopping center and found myself inside a ROLEX store. one thing led to another . read infos about rolex... from this forum and other forums . then made a decision what i will buy..... in the near future!
however, my mom and sibling actually encouraged me to buy. their reason.... I am working, earning, a good provider to them. so i must also be able to enjoy the fruit of my labor! so goes the story..... i have 2 rolex watches now. both simple i believe. 369 blk arab with w/g bezel. perpetual and 14060m, cosc- sub no date.
happy??? yes!!!! plan to buy again??? YES!!!!! but not for me!!! for my mom and my sister!! ( they will be happy with a second hand but they insist that it is not necessary)
does anybody noticed my rolex? not really! except for those with rolex or other expensive watches too.

[Chunster69]

All very touching stories...shows that the "5 match stick" is indeed some sort of yardstick for success...

For me, I got my 1st Rolex when I was 26, to mark the year I got married (and my better half is wearing that one now). Have since been buying/eyeing other brands as well...but my rolexes remain my fav watches.