My Rolex journey

[jcd]

I just thought I'd share this with you guys since many of you get where I'm coming from. A lot of my friends don't get the whole watch thing, let alone this little story here.

Anyway, in 1986 when I was 11 I was at the EAA air show in Oshkosh, with a pilot friend of my dad's, and a GMT just happened to catch my eye. It had the iconic (to me anyway) pepsi bezel insert. I remember asking him what it was. "That's just a Rolex." Well, for some reason it stuck with me and I wanted one. It didn't take me long to realize I wasn't going to have one as an 11 year old and I best be happy with my swatch.

Fast forward many years and that GMT has always stuck with me. I've wanted one since I first saw it. So when I got to that place in life where I could finally afford a Rolex I bought this!



I know, it's wasn't a pepsi GMT. But when searching for watches at the time (it was all new to me) I was impressed that I could get a little gold for the same or less money than a steel version. I was sold! I have learned a lot since buying that watch (like about TRF, I learned about it while researching that watch). I learned I like blue. So that lead to.....



I fell in love with the blue Sub almost immediately after joining TRF. I had to have one. I traded the GMT for the Sub and never looked back. Well......ok I looked back to the GMT with the pepsi bezel that brought me to the brand to begin with. Since I can't afford (at the moment anyway) to have more than one Rolex I decided to part ways with my Sub.

I listed it on a Sunday and it was sold by Monday, shipped on Tuesday and to the pleased new owner on Wednesday. By Thursday I was emailing DavidSW and by Friday he had a wire and on Saturday I had my new to me GMT!



Ok, so it's not a pepsi. I can take care of that though. This forum has the resources to remedy that for me, right? Right! Thanks to ommsen a bezel insert showed up in the mail last week. I waited a few days and did some research and asked members here for some support as I worked up the courage to swap out inserts. I can't remember who, but thanks to the guy who said to remove the bezel with the watch in a bag. When the click spring took flight as I removed the bezel that trick saved me.

So, to sum up my long story, here I am now.....finally with a pepsi GMT. I can't stop staring at it!



I know I rambled on a little bit there, but really I want to say thanks to TRF. Lots of people here helped me finally get my GMT. I know never say never, but I really don't see selling this one. Thanks to the members here who I've traded with and sold to and bought from and most of all to those who gave me pointers and encouragement to mess with my watch and get it to where I want it to be. I can't believe how scary that bezel swap was to me. I can't believe how simple it actually was to do!

So, thanks TRF! I look forward to hanging out with you guys for years to come!

[tkerrmd]

nice story and great watch, congrats!

if you are a pilot even better!!

[jcd]

Originally Posted by tkerrmd

nice story and great watch, congrats!

if you are a pilot even better!!

Thanks!

That friend of my dad's did get me into aviation. I am a rated pilot, but I'm an ATC now. It's been cool over the years vectoring his Bonanza around :)

I do keep the GMT set to zulu. Even though there are a ton of clocks in the quarters, I still think it's fun.

[DKRanger22]

Very cool story! Love the Pepsi, and you can't beat the fact that you can switch back to black if your heart desires. Enjoy the GMT!

[jcd]

Originally Posted by DKRanger22

Very cool story! Love the Pepsi, and you can't beat the fact that you can switch back to black if your heart desires. Enjoy the GMT!

That's very true! I was surprised how easy the swap was. I may add a coke, but for now I can't stop staring at it as is.

[cop414]

Great story and great watch. Isn't it amazing how these timepieces make such a huge impression on young minds? My first exposure to the brand was as a 10 or 11 year old reading Nat Geo and just staring at those Submariner and Explorer advertisements!

[rollee1]

Sweetness!

[rolexnub]

Nice story and collection of watches. Thanks for sharing

[Floorguy]

Great story Jack, love thet pepsi! There is one in the near future for me also

[jcd]

Originally Posted by Floorguy

Great story Jack, love thet pepsi! There is one in the near future for me also

Thanks! I look forward to the pics!

[AK797]

Cool story, Jack!

[707soldier]

Awesome great story of your Rolex journey. Thanks for sharing.
Congratulations!

[watchwatcher]

Great post, thanks for sharing...man, that blue sub would sure make a nice pair with that Pepsi... (Shameless enabling being conducted).

[jcd]

Originally Posted by watchwatcher

Great post, thanks for sharing...man, that blue sub would sure make a nice pair with that Pepsi... (Shameless enabling being conducted).

Yeah, you're definitely right. I wish I could have kept it and this one. I'm saving toward the next Rolex. It'll probably be an ExpII but another blue 613 is definitely something to consider. I already miss it. Good thing I have a pepsi GMT to stare at.

[SWISSAHOLICS]

Congrats....good story....Pepsi is a keeper!!

[Nothingfancy01]

Cool story and great outcome:) congrats

[pickerdd]

Congratulations on your GMT!

[darwin95]

great story. I'm glad that you settled down with what you loved the most !

[maxbaris]

You told that story really well! Wear it in good health!


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[Hairdude1]

Great story!

[Racerdj]

Great story and congratulations!

[SemperFi]

Great story Jack. Congrats to you.

[M.45]

That is a great pepsi GMT, I have the same one. Thanks for posting.

[scott k]

I started with a Pepsi....had a bunch of other models i...will end with a Pepsi. To me it is the classic rolex

[Chris1974]

Nice story, I have always been a watch fanatic. I have a box full of watches that I have collected throughout my life. (I'm 40) In the box is everything from a black plastic digital Casio to the Seiko's I used to wear before I could finally afford to buy a Rolex. (I have never sold one of my watches)

My favorite watch has always been and still is the iconic blue 2-tone Rolex sub. I have two subs and of course one is the blue TT sub like the one pictured above.

[randomguy]

Great story. It's why we do what we do.

[Sub14060m]

That is one fine looking watch!

[Afghanvet]

Great story! Thanks for sharing, and congrats on the watch!

[Slim_Pickin]

Great story. Thank you for sharing!

[sea-dweller]

Great story!