How did YOU choose Rolex and how did YOU pick the model(s) you own?

[1William]

An article about Rolex watches used in the Vietnam war by SOG personnel put me on the quest to learn more and I went from there. Rolex Submariner.

[Gearjockey]

My larger than life uncle always regaled me with stories of his time spent in Anguilla in 1967 during the revolution while he was working as an officer for Bank of America (anyone know him?) While residing in Anguilla, he purchased a 1967-5512 m-first submariner ($250 Usd) which had been with him his entire adult life.
I loved my uncle, loved his stories and I always loved that watch. It is a reminder of him and his life and it shaped and framed my idea of what a perfect watch was.

What I didn’t appreciate at the time was that this was a watch which would endure and be passed down generation to generation. Subsequently, I’ve acquired a few different ones which I plan on giving to my two boys as well.

[Yobber76]

Originally Posted by jb335

I picked Rolex so everyone would know I wasn't poor and I chose my model by asking TRF which one to buy. Easy!

Chewey, is that you?????????

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Gearjockey

My larger than life uncle always regaled me with stories of his time spent in Anguilla in 1967 during the revolution while he was working as an officer for Bank of America (anyone know him?) While residing in Anguilla, he purchased a 1967-5512 m-first submariner which had been with him his entire adult life.
I loved my uncle, loved his stories and I always loved that watch. It is a reminder of him and his life and it shaped and framed my idea of what a perfect watch was.

What I didn’t appreciate at the time was that this was a watch which would endure and be passed down generation to generation. Subsequently, I’ve acquired a few different ones which I plan on giving to my two boys as well.

Nice story

I honeymooned in Anguilla back in 1995. I’ll never forget sitting at the bar and hearing the news that Jerry Garcia had past.

[cdmorenot]

I've liked watches since I was a kid! My mother was a single mother at nineteen and she got me my first watch when I was around 6 or 7. It was a cheap Quartz watch that I loved and held all through middle school until I lost it during a field trip.

Over the years, I would save my allowance to buy watches. My most expensive purchase was a Skagen that I bought at the mall for around $100 when I was around 11. Loved that watch!

Had a few Citizen watches and then my "real watch" was a Longines La Grande Classique which held me down throughout college. I wore that thing everywhere!

When I finished school and got my first real job I started looking to see what was next. I saw a giant billboard going into the office and knew I had to have that watch! It was GMT Master II ... Ended up going a Submariner. That was almost 11 years ago.

I'm not sure if I picked Rolex or I just progressed into it... I've always been fascinated and into watches. My collection has evolved a lot over this past decade but the models I own today are likely to stay. I'm only looking forward towards a Day Date in yellow gold which I hope to buy myself for my 40th birthday in 3 years.

Interestingly enough, a Rolex isn't the most special watch in my collection. It is actually a Hublot. It's the only watch that I own today that has sentimental value behind it because my mother is part of that story.

[Yobber76]

Oddly, Rolex was never a watch that I dreamed of buying, even though I admired and was envious of "successful" people I saw wearing Rolexes in business.
I bought inexpensive watches all of my life and threw them away when they broke. They were tools to tell the time quickly.
My first luxury watch was a Tag. It cost me $2500 new. That was about 10X the money I had ever spent on a watch. It ended up being the gateway drug to buying Rolexes, as well as other luxury watches.
My first Rolex was a DJ 41, smooth bezel, silver dial, oyster bracelet. Why? Because I got a 15% discount on it from a TS on this forum at the end of 2017. That model configuration was not popular then. Nice watch. The next Rolex was a 114060. Why? Cause you had to have a Sub if you were a Rolex guy, and Sean Connery wore a Sub ND in his early Bond films.
I have bought other brands since, Tudor, Panerai, Breitling, more Rolexes.
While I have no grail, I do keep gravitating back to Rolex watches. Call it marketing, call it envy, hubris, call it life's journey, there is something about Rolex I can't deny.