Whats the story behind your first Rolex?

[wrx04]

When did you get your first Rolex? How old were you? Were you into watches before then, or was it your first one?

I'm 36 and recently put a deposit down on my first Rolex (214270)...excited to get it. Ive always thought watches were cool, but was never into it as a hobby. I knew very little about brands/references/history until a few months ago.

My first watch was a Citizen Ecodrive in high school. I wore that for a few years and then went without a watch for 6-7 years. After grad school, my parents gifted me a Tag Link Calibre S.....Ive worn that for the past decade and haven't really put in much thought about how it worked, the build quality, style, etc.... Its been a daily wear, beat the crap out of it, and I must say its held up damn well.

The Explorer will be my first automatic, and im already looking into other options for future purchases, haha. Im looking to build a minimalist, high quality collection.....Grand Seiko Snowflake or Omega Speedmaster Pro (hesalite/leather strap) are high on the list for the next one. Probably looking to max out at 3-4 watches total.

How did your watch hobby evolve?