My first Rolex was purchased today...

[MickCollins1916]

Congrats, and great story. Glad you came around to the Explorer. Such a fantastic watch!

[And1dre]

Congrats!

[Old Geezer]

Congrats, wear it in good health.

[Daryl]

congrats!

[SodiumMonkey]

Thanks so much for the kind words and welcome!

And to answer the question that I'm sure some have had in mind (it was questioned in my similar thread on another forum I frequent) regarding my comment about being 34, starting to collect in high school, and that being 20-25 years ago...

The less abridged story is that I have always loved watches. As far back as I can remember. I remember the watches I owned even as a child in elementary school. I said that I started collecting them in high school because that's when I remember getting my first watch case. It was called the Boyett Watch Case and was sold by Bombay Company. It was a solid mahogany box that held six watches and had a glass display top. I actually sourced another one exactly like it many years later, and still have both in the closet! So while I have always loved watches, I thought that the idea of collecting watches might fall in line with owning a box to hold and display multiple watches. I guess you could say then, in that regard, that I have been "collecting" watches for 20 years but loving them for 25+!

[Golfster]

I Like!!

[HACKNSACK44]

Congrats!!

[Lew Archer]

Great watch journey, great watch. Welcome to the exploration...

[GFONG]

Well done. Congrats!

[jdpny]

Well done and welcome!

[Joe1010]

I am in the process of selling a few pieces in order to buy the Explorer 1 as well. For exactly the same reasons you state in the original post.

[sea-dweller]

Looks great!

[RichM]

Excellent reference as a first choice. Congrats Jim.

[SemperFi]

Congratulations Jim! The Explorer is perfect in every way.

[rmlovett1]

Great choice, congrats!

[Ad11wrd]

[august1410]

I have had my first for about a month. I decided one day to wear another watch and felt separation anxiety from the Rolex. Hasn't left my wrist since.

Sent from my XT1064 using Tapatalk

[the_natural]

Congratulations! I too made my first foray with the gen 2 214270. I'm equally as smitten.

[Steph-paul]

Congrats, 214270 is a great choice.

[JElvis]

lovely piece. congrats

[rolliesub]

Hi there, thanks for bringing me to your post as this gives me a fabulous insight. Same predicament as you, I really wonder what watch will I choose when the time is ripe. Appreciate your write-up as I think potential buyers like me can relate to it easily.

[Porter]

Great choice!!! Enjoy your first for many years!

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana". Groucho Marx.

[HogwldFLTR]

That's a great looking explorer!!! Congratulations. Regarding the process of turning to Rolex as a collectable watch, I guess I was too easily influenced by the status quo and after my first Omega, it became the brand to have. Again, congratulations!!!

[NLYogi]

Read your post and fully agree your choice. Congratulations. Now expose it in the Explorer thread!

[BUFFALOBOB]

Congratulations!

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[Racerdj]

Congratulations on your first and hopefully not your last Rolex!

[boxito]

Congrats Great Choice
i have the same problem can't decide between the Submariner or the Explorer.

[DaveLemi]

Originally Posted by SodiumMonkey

When I got into mechanical watches several years back, I was actually anti-Rolex. I viewed the brand as nothing more than an unnecessary show of wealth and something worn by people interested in that kind of display and not much else. The more my passion for fine timepieces grew, the more my opinion began to change. I started reading forums, articles, and reviews. I watched video after video. I learned about the history of the brand and the manufacturing standards and processes. Eventually I just knew that I had to have one, but which one?

The Submariner is a classic. I've owned so many watches over the years that were modeled after or blatantly copied from the Submariner. I think it has to be among the most recognizable and iconic watches of all time. Yes, a Submariner it must be. The 114060 to be exact. I'm 34 years old. I don't need that silly cyclops! And the symmetry of the no date with that ceramic bezel, just gorgeous.

I'm sure these thoughts are quite common, but this is something I'd say to the word (except for the 34yo part).

I ended up with the 114060 and couldn't be happier. The next Rolex hunt has already begun.

[Duke84]

Classic choice for your first Rolex. Congrats!

[polaris72]

Great watch, I have got the previous model.