My very first Rolex bought in Rome during my honeymoon, and I would like to share my humble story here!
At the very beginning, I had the intentions to buy a simple Tag Hauer Carrera or a Longines Master Collection, but friends, Sg-Roc, and Google convinced me otherwise.. The value, prestige and quality of a Rolex is simply unparalleled, and I slowly explored more and more about the brand and collection.. 1st Explorer, then Date-Just, then Submariner, and finally, falling in love with the GMT Master II
I originally wanted to buy the watch in Bucherer in Swiss (3 times in fact- Bern, Lucern and Interlaken), but found the price and crowd there unappealing.. Almost wanted to purchase a GMT Master II SS in Venice, but found the shop there too shabby for comfort .
In the end, with some directions from the local tour guide in Rome near the Trevis Fountain, I'm very fortunate to have walked into one of the most reputable watch store in Rome, Gioielleria Bedetti! Sales staff was polite and professional, and was most patient even when I spent nearly 1 hour just to consider between the SS and the TT
Ended up, I thought the gold and steel complimented each other perfectly, and I absolutely loved the contrast between the 2... and decided to buy my very first Rolex, the 116713LN, at a very reasonable price!
To be honest, the SS version looks younger and "safer" in colour for a person my age (late 20s), but I can't resist the almost magical charm created by the 18k with the 904L and the black ceramic bezel. I also thought the watch can still match me well even as I seep into my 30s or 40s (never selling it off as it is my honeymoon watch!)
I also love the way the 40mm bezel seem to fit on my relatively small wrist! Unfortunately, the Explorer II was too big for my wrist, and the design not as slick
I have a small obsession with timezones, e.g. When travelling, I would constantly want to know what the time in Singapore was and from there, infer what my family is doing.. It's kind of a weird fetish I have, and the GMT function serves me well!
I have a bigger obsession with precision, perhaps due to my love for mathematics and science. So, I cannot tolerate a minute hand that does not point exactly at the minute it is supposed to point when the second hand touches 12 o'clock. I'm surprised how many watches are imprecise in this sense, and I am even more surprised to discover that the Rolex is not just precise with the seconds and minutes, but also for the GMT hand, which is supposed to be a 'side-kick'!
After many more hours spent in Google on differentiating genuine and fake Rolex watches, my admiration for the brand simply sky-rocketed.. the intricacy of the watch, the obsession Rolex SA has with creating the perfect watch... Yes, it is no doubt an expensive watch for a young chap like me... yes, another watch in the 2k-3k region serves exactly the same purpose, but a Rolex certainly is a watch that not only tells time and make me look good, but one that inspires me to work even harder in life every time I look at it.
So, thumbs up for Rolex, and to the fantastic people here who shares my passion!
At the very beginning, I had the intentions to buy a simple Tag Hauer Carrera or a Longines Master Collection, but friends, Sg-Roc, and Google convinced me otherwise.. The value, prestige and quality of a Rolex is simply unparalleled, and I slowly explored more and more about the brand and collection.. 1st Explorer, then Date-Just, then Submariner, and finally, falling in love with the GMT Master II
I originally wanted to buy the watch in Bucherer in Swiss (3 times in fact- Bern, Lucern and Interlaken), but found the price and crowd there unappealing.. Almost wanted to purchase a GMT Master II SS in Venice, but found the shop there too shabby for comfort .
In the end, with some directions from the local tour guide in Rome near the Trevis Fountain, I'm very fortunate to have walked into one of the most reputable watch store in Rome, Gioielleria Bedetti! Sales staff was polite and professional, and was most patient even when I spent nearly 1 hour just to consider between the SS and the TT
Ended up, I thought the gold and steel complimented each other perfectly, and I absolutely loved the contrast between the 2... and decided to buy my very first Rolex, the 116713LN, at a very reasonable price!
To be honest, the SS version looks younger and "safer" in colour for a person my age (late 20s), but I can't resist the almost magical charm created by the 18k with the 904L and the black ceramic bezel. I also thought the watch can still match me well even as I seep into my 30s or 40s (never selling it off as it is my honeymoon watch!)
I also love the way the 40mm bezel seem to fit on my relatively small wrist! Unfortunately, the Explorer II was too big for my wrist, and the design not as slick
I have a small obsession with timezones, e.g. When travelling, I would constantly want to know what the time in Singapore was and from there, infer what my family is doing.. It's kind of a weird fetish I have, and the GMT function serves me well!
I have a bigger obsession with precision, perhaps due to my love for mathematics and science. So, I cannot tolerate a minute hand that does not point exactly at the minute it is supposed to point when the second hand touches 12 o'clock. I'm surprised how many watches are imprecise in this sense, and I am even more surprised to discover that the Rolex is not just precise with the seconds and minutes, but also for the GMT hand, which is supposed to be a 'side-kick'!
After many more hours spent in Google on differentiating genuine and fake Rolex watches, my admiration for the brand simply sky-rocketed.. the intricacy of the watch, the obsession Rolex SA has with creating the perfect watch... Yes, it is no doubt an expensive watch for a young chap like me... yes, another watch in the 2k-3k region serves exactly the same purpose, but a Rolex certainly is a watch that not only tells time and make me look good, but one that inspires me to work even harder in life every time I look at it.
So, thumbs up for Rolex, and to the fantastic people here who shares my passion!
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