Coolest watch buying experience yet

Hi WC society. I’m new to this watch game and this app, so forgive this beach bum as he navigates through this new found disorder.

My wife bought me my first luxury watch a Raymond Weil Freelancer about 10 months ago. A very nice watch. I love it. Now I’m on watch 6 contemplating buying watch number 7. Yes, I know it’s become an addiction. However my wife also bought me a watch box that holds 10 watches for Christmas so I guess I feel a burden to fill it up for her. I’m just saying.

So here’s what I’ve figured out so far. Value doesn’t matter. I buy what I like, what I can afford and I don’t plan on buying above retail. It’s also a bonus to have meaning or purpose behind the watch. Although I have bought them just because. I can justify anything. I’ve purchased new watches at ADs. I like it the interaction and the ability to touch, see and talk about the watch before buying it. This is my preferred method. I’ve ventured into buying preowned on-line from large and small e-commerce. Which doesn’t have the hands on feel good quality as the ADs but you can find watches not available or discontinued. However it does feel a little sketchy e-mailing a dealer you haven’t met trusting them with condition, authenticity or even wire transfers.

So as I wonder around this path looking for the next watch. I understand there are watches that probably aren’t available to me. That’s just fine. What fun would an addiction really be if you could just get anything you wanted. I think it would be unsatisfying not having anything to look forward to, save for or lust after. Besides in my eyes the best watch you have is the one your wrist. I remember the early 90’s rocking Rasta colored braided string bracelets and a sun and salt stained G Shock on the same wrist. In that time nothing could be better.

The coolest experience yet was the last watch I bought. It was more good fortune or timing because what was happing couldn’t be true. I was visiting my son in Portland Oregon. We were killing some time doing some shopping downtown. I thought I’d walk over to the Rolex AD to look at and try on some watches. This AD also carries other brands. I honestly didn’t expect to get to far. The closest Rolex AD to my house in central California is an hour way and they didn’t give me the time of day. I guess shorts and flip flops don’t meet their Rolex customer criteria. So when I got to talk to the sales associate in Portland I asked if they had an Explorer II Polar dial I could look at. My dream Rolex by the way. He looked at me in my shorts and sandals didn’t react and said “We just might have one”. I didn’t know how to respond other than let my jaw drop. He then walked into the back of the store and came back with a white box. I was starting to think this guy was messing with me. I was confused I thought Rolexes are supposed to come in green boxes. The green box appeared when the white sleeve cover came off. I laughed, smiled and tried it on. He sized it and I walked out of the store with that Explorer II Polar on my wrist.

To be honest I got it on a discount. Oregon doesn’t have sales tax. At home we pay close to 10%. See I’m stay with my limits. There is a personal significance with this watch and my Dad I might share in another post.

I thought walking into a Rolex AD and buying a watch was a myth legend even from what I’ve read and heard. Making friends with the AD guy, wait lists, credit checks or buying unwanted jewelry to earn the right to buy something you want was never going to happen for me. That’s way to much work. Buying watches is supposed to be fun not a chore. I guess serendipity happens to watch obsessed beach bums though. I walked in an AD and a bought a dream watch.

I wear the crap out of this watch. It brings joy and a big smile to my face. It transports me back to the beach with my sun baked G shock. What could be better. I wonder what watch 7 will be? I can’t have just one.