Double Incoming!

[golfski]

To date, I have been mostly a 1-watch guy. I got my first nice watch (Tag 1887) from my wife 8 years ago for our engagement and wore it religiously for 5+ years until I got an Apple Watch. After a few years of the Apple Watch, I put my Tag back on and remembered how much I loved wearing a mechanical watch and not being tethered to the phone on my wrist. After a few months of wearing my 1887 41mm, I decided it was time to buy another watch, but wanted to go bigger. I picked up a blacked out Heuer 01 45mm on a leather strap for a comfortable price, where going grey you stand to save 40-50% over MSRP, compared to the current Rolex madness. Along the way, I looked into some Rolex SS sports watches and came across this forum. As I wore my new Tag, but spent my free time on TRF, I was quickly set on scoring a Rolex, even if it meant I had to part with my recent Tag acquisition (not a question of $ but keeping wife happy).

Not being able to see any of the watches I was interested in in-person was very frustrating to say the least. I personally don’t like buying anything over the internet, I like doing my research online and then walking in a store and buying it. I am one of the few Best Buy shoppers left on earth. I also knew I wanted a BNIB/unworn as I wanted to make my own history with the watch, which was going to come at a premium on the grey market. Coming from a Tag Carrera Heuer 01 my search started with the DSSD where I quickly learned of the JC dial and became obsessed with finding a NIB Deep Blue. I wasn’t really drawn to the history of what the dial stood for, but its unique look. As I searched for a JC, I came across all the discussions about the case size compared to the SD43, which is where my attention took me next. Diving into all the threads about the Mark 1 vs Mark 2 dials, I was now focused on scoring the JC or a BNIB Mark 1, the hunt was on!

As I became consumed with trying to find one of the two watches, I went to every AD within a 100 miles and left my name on list after list, not having much faith based on what I have read on this forum alone. I was faced with the fact that I was going to be spending a ton over MSRP to get either of these watches anytime soon. Living where there is no sales tax, this meant the premium was even larger on the grey market compared to what I’d be paying in a local AD. After missing out on sale after sale, where I couldn’t get anyone to take my money at $2000-3000 over MSRP, I came across the Explorer II. Having never been diving, let alone in a Rolex, I liked the more useful GMT complication and sleeker look of the Explorer II. I still couldn’t walk in and buy one at an AD, but the prices on the grey market were certainly more reasonable.

So I pulled the trigger on the Explorer II and received it from a reputable grey market dealer on here/Chrono24. Having it in hand, I can say pictures on the forums don’t do this watch justice. It is as every bit luxury as any other Rolex SS sports model, but with a more humble wrist presence, IMO. I say this having never seen a DSSD or other diver watch in person at the time I got it. On top of that, I only had to pay a few hundred over MSRP to get a BNIB complete set, which felt like a win itself. Albeit with some other random dudes name on the warranty card ;)

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The very next day, I kid you not, I got the call from one of the AD’s I left my info with about a DSSD Deep Blue that just came in! I didn’t even think about it before I was at the store, feeling like I was somehow privileged enough to buy this desirable watch at MSRP! The watch is just as stunning as my Explorer II in a completely different way.

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So, I quickly went from 1 to 4 watches and don’t know what I will do if I get the call anytime soon for the SD43! That’s not true, I will know I will buy it ;)

Should I keep them all? Keep the JC and sell the Explorer? Sell the new Tag and go all in on Rolex? I will obviously never sell the 1887 my wife bought me, but it seems like a lot of work to make sure I wear all these watches. On the other hand, I love them all in different ways (reminds me of my kids). I can afford to keep them all, but did I get too many too quickly? I know this is obviously a biased group, but I think of myself more of an accumulator over time type of a collector than a flipper of new models every 6 months.

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