What/Who got you interested in watches?

[Jeissen]

I'd love to know how people got bit.

My father, grandfather, and uncles don't and have never worn watches. For some reason it never appealed to them that they might actually have use for em. I remember on my 8th birthday that I went with my mother to get my dad a DJ that I chose, for his birthday, and although he graciously accepted, I'm pretty sure that he returned it. That being said, my mother has always been a huge watch collector and she gave me my first watch (that was also her first watch) - a Swiss Army Victorinox. Ever since, I have been obsessed and last month I got my hands on the modern version of the first Rolex that I chose for my father.

[ronburgundy]

Very cool. My grandfather and father both wore gold day dates when I was growing up. Grandfather had YG, father had WG. I remember always being drawn to them, but it never really became a hobby until a year or so ago when I decided it was my turn to own a Rolex. Did a little research, bought the one I wanted, and now it has turned into a borderline obsession.

[brandrea]

Bond, James Bond

[sctp39]

A friend who bought a Seadweller in 2006. Bought a GMT IIc and may more after, lol

[Brushpup]

My Dad did. Always had a watch. Not expensive ones, but always a cool one. Usually with some kind of rotating bezel. He got me a Hamilton Diver one year at Christmas and that was it for me. I've wanted a "good" watch ever since. Little does he know it, but I'm about to give him his first ROLEX a week from today on his Birthday. Now it's my turn to give him a Dive watch.

[Buttercup]

Originally Posted by Brushpup

My Dad did. Always had a watch. Not expensive ones, but always a cool one. Usually with some kind of rotating bezel. He got me a Hamilton Diver one year at Christmas and that was it for me. I've wanted a "good" watch ever since. Little does he know it, but I'm about to give him his first ROLEX a week from today on his Birthday. Now it's my turn to give him a Dive watch.

Now this is awesome

[Solo118]

I always had something on my wrist froma young age even if it was a Swatch/Casio etc. I am not sure what got me into higher end watches, but my Mother had multiple watches which I thought was fascinating and when I was at a proper age my parents got me a Breitling Colt Chrono (quartz) which started me off. I did not do much over the next 8 years or so. I had a couple of lower end watches like Oris and Tags/Breitlings which I bought and flipped as I was not able to afford a Rolex and my parents believed if I wanted a Rolex I would need to pay for it on my own.

Around 2005/6 I finally got my first Sub, followed by a TT Daytona in around 2007. I then bought and flipped many watches always having at least 1 Daytona in my possession at all times (which is my favorite model, followed by the Sub)

At the moment while I have had many different watches, I am proud to have a SS Daytona and TT Sub-C. In the future I may switch it up again, but I am loyal to the Rolex brand forever :)

[fania123]

A used to be close friend, wish I never met him.

[toneafficianado]

Great idea for a thread! First WATCH though, not necessarily first Rolex , though in the case of some lucky folks their first watch was a Rolex!
My dad got me mine when I was 9 in 1962. Felca, manual wind with date. It was the same brand as his which is what I wanted of course. Where is it now?
My mum and sister had tiny Omegas so we were a "watch aware" family. When I was a teenager Dad was going to get me a Rolex but I did some rebellious things [as teens do] and he pulled the plug on that idea so when I was 17 I bought a Sub copy Seiko diver. Huge and heavy but I swapped the rubber bracelet for a "sports steering wheel" metal style one with holes. Last year , at 60, I finally bought a 14060M. It was worth the wait! A few months later I got a 216570. Rolex, Rolex, Rolex from now on!!

[Headshrinker]

My father's Date-Just and his best friend's Day-Date did it for me. I have always thought they were the best looking watches I'd ever seen; now I own my Grail, the Day-Date.

[Brushpup]

Originally Posted by Jeissen

I'd love to know how people got bit.
My father, grandfather, and uncles don't and have never worn watches. For some reason it never appealed to them that they might actually have use for em. I remember on my 8th birthday that I went with my mother to get my dad a DJ that I chose, for his birthday, and although he graciously accepted, I'm pretty sure that he returned it. That being said, my mother has always been a huge watch collector and she gave me my first watch (that was also her first watch) - a Swiss Army Victorinox. Ever since, I have been obsessed and last month I got my hands on the modern version of the first Rolex that I chose for my father.

Great story! Any chance we can see a pic of those?

Originally Posted by Buttercup

Now this is awesome

Thanks, it's all I can do to wait another week, but my wife insists!

[Eric Chan]

No one really, maybe my Dad, as he always wore a watch and I remember I was always interested in what he wore. His brand of choice was Seiko. I also remember at a young age (6) I wore a watch and just loved wearing watches since. Nothing fancy, Casio's and Seiko's. Even went through a phase when I wore a leather strap Batman watch for some time and then wore a leather strap Guess watch through highschool.

I must admit that I stopped wearing watches after high school graduation, but then came back to the fold in 2002. Started with Tissot, Gucci, Omega and then Rolex. I have purchased several Omega's and one JLC over the years, but sold/gave them away as they were not doing anything for me. Rolex for me, now and forever.

[GB-man]

My mother also gave me a Swiss army at a young age. Been hooked these past 2 decades since lol

[FTX I]

I can only blame myself. It was 1992 when I just thought I would look cool with a vintage watch - at that time I just called it old -, then I found a gentleman who was selling a large part of his collection and got a Longines cal 12ZN that I still own and can be seen here. Glad I did it and from that day I have a great hobby.

[rickyslam]

I'd have to thank my Pops for doing so. He always was into watches. Though they were never any watches that were more than $60 he made it known it was something that was a must. No matter how many times I lost my watch he would always put another Casio on my wrist.

He would always window shop at Seiko, Citizen, Bulova, Movado, and Omega waches. He was never able to afford it so when I was finally able to pay him back for drilling that into me I got him a GMT IIC.

[RLROCK]

My father took me to the jewelry store on my 5th birthday to buy me my first watch, a Swiss made Mickey Mouse watch on a powder blue strap.
IMG_0742.jpg

A few years later, my great grandfather gave me his gold Wittnauer circa 1950 for my communion.
IMG_0741.jpg

[bombardior]

oh if only i could turn back time and never meet him....... my wallet would be so much thicker and i'd probably be driving a range rover in this unbearable snow....

i'd always been a car guy before meeting him. he's a year behind me in my graduate program. we live in the same apartment complex and were just casually talking one day when he mentioned his hobby in watches. he was dropping names that i had never heard of, and making comparisons to cars so i could understand. i told him, well, i thought tags were cool and i wanted one but thought it was too expensive at 700$ for the entry level quartz. he told me in car terms a tag is probably equal to a honda accord. i was like WHAT, i would've thought at least a BMW.....
i freaked out when i heard he worn a 2500$ omega seamaster and thought he was CRAZY out of his mind for spending that much money on a watch..... i worn nothing back then and only dreamed about getting that luxurious 700$ quartz tag since graduating undergrad... (shameful i know).
well that was two years ago.
fast forward to today.... i own a patek 5711, nomos ludwig 38 datum, and just processed payment information for a 116610 LV at my AD.........
FML for meeting him?

[motoikkyu]

My father was a good man. I miss him every day. Not my first paycheck, but maybe my sixth in my chosen pursuit was used as a down-payment for a chronometer-grade vintage Rolex. He'd always spoken of wanting one but circumstances had never permitted. A gold-filled Canadian model, 34mm case, but he wore it every day with such pride. It took me four months to pay off that first used Rolex. I was 27, he was 66. The feeling of taking that Rolex home, knowing I'd be able to present it to him, that was an amazing feeling. Three months later, I made a down-payment on a 1601 for myself. The rest, as we say, is history.

I was able to present him with an 18038 on Father's day when he was 84. He wore that one when he walked into the hospice on his own two feet, two years later. 24 hours later, he was gone. My mother wears that 18038 now. She misses him, too.

[Jason71]

Watching re-runs of Jacques Cousteau of "The Undersea World" and being entranced by SCUBA. When I started to get into diving as an adult, I realized the connection between Jacques Cousteau and Rolex. The rest is history

borrowed pics (from Rolexmagazine.com)

[Suboc]

I've shown this before, but it was my Dad and his 5512 that he dove with for years. This is the two of us in 1964. He was a veteran of the Korean War piloting landing craft. He flew aircraft and enjoyed scuba using his watch as it was intended.

[RazorD]

My Dad got a datejust when I was 7 and always thought it was cool. I remember looking through his rolex catalog a loving the submariner. It was a grail watch for me until recently.

[Nobody.Move]

I started teaching tennis lessons at a very young age, so always needed to know the time (related to working on a specific stroke, then switching to something else within a one hour time-frame, as well as knowing when my next lesson would arrive on the court). Thus, I got comfortable with having something on my wrist and felt "naked" without it. Through the years I've just moved up the quality ladder as I've become more and more interested in fine (usually vintage) timepieces.

[FTX I]

Originally Posted by Suboc

I've shown this before, but it was my Dad and his 5512 that he dove with for years. This is the two of us in 1964. He was a veteran of the Korean war piloting landing craft. He flew aircraft and enjoyed scuba using his watch as it was intended.

Awesome pic. Thanks for sharing.

[returntorolex]

Originally Posted by Jeissen

I'd love to know how people got bit.

My father, grandfather, and uncles don't and have never worn watches. For some reason it never appealed to them that they might actually have use for em. I remember on my 8th birthday that I went with my mother to get my dad a DJ that I chose, for his birthday, and although he graciously accepted, I'm pretty sure that he returned it. That being said, my mother has always been a huge watch collector and she gave me my first watch (that was also her first watch) - a Swiss Army Victorinox. Ever since, I have been obsessed and last month I got my hands on the modern version of the first Rolex that I chose for my father.

J.R. Ewing

[domrusso10]

This was all on my own. No one in my family is interested or understands my obsession with watches. They actually think it's a huge waste, but hey to each their own. I've always been interested with watches. When I was 16 I began researching them, I put on a friends rolex shortly after and that was it I knew I had to have one. Now I have two LOL


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[Jeissen]

Originally Posted by RLROCK

My father took me to the jewelry store on my 5th birthday to buy me my first watch, a Swiss made Mickey Mouse watch on a powder blue strap.
Attachment 582086

So cool.

[thomaspp]

Trf

[elkaholic]

My dad-

His DJ that mom bought him when I was young always stood out to me. I wear it today in rotation with my other Rolex watches. To say it has special meaning for a lot of reasons would be an understatement.

Dad came from humble beginnings and was very successful and affluent through hard work and impeccable integrity and honesty. Never showy or arrogant, you could not tell by talking to him that he had a lot of money. A fine example of something to strive for. To me, a Rolex has always signified those things and that man I admired.

[phils]

I have been watch crazy since I was seven and I'm over 70 now.

[AF_Rob]

I got my first watch when I was prob 8-9 ish. I remember taking real good care of it and freaked out when I got its first scratch! I was a WIS and didn't even know it.


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