Traded my Rolex for a Timex!

C

Covert Mission

New member
Well, not literally.

I did sell my trusty '84 vintage stainless GMT Master today for a grand cash, which I bought in Berlin for $600. Then I went to the department store and "bought me a Timex." ;)

I told my wife I was going to do it, and she said "Honey, we can use that money to go to Hawaii!"

"I DON'T THINK SO!" was my reply. "That's going into the custom 1911 fund." OR the O/U 12ga fund.

Funny how one's priorities change. I had been wanting that watch for years before I bought it, and I've worn it happily almost every day since (they're darn good watches, btw, but I doubt they're worth today's prices...)

One day not long ago I woke up, and thought "I don't need this expensive boat anchor of a watch." Maybe it has something to do with moving from CA to MT, which I'm doing. I realized i didn't care about making a statement with the watch on my wrist, so ADIOS Rolex. I'd rather have more GUNS. I can't complain about wearing it for 16 years, and making $400 bucks on it though.

So, now what'll it be? A Rock River Commando? A Steve Clark Custom 1911? A Browning Citori? Decisions, decisions. Boy would it be fun to win the Lotto!

PS: I love my new Timex :)
 
Well if you bought the watch to make a statement, then I guess you made the right decision to sell it. I bought mine because it was the best non-battery powered watch in the world that I could afford, and as a pilot, liked the zulu two time function and accuracy. I bought mine at about the same time as you and it was a great deal then for a superb time piece. It will eventually end up on the wrist of one of my sons. Be careful that you are not doing with your guns, that which you did with the watch. Why are you not buying a simple pump action shotgun (pick a brand Daly, Mossberg, Winchester, Remington, etc.), or a generic .45 (Norinco, Daly, Hi-standard, used Kimber, etc.) By buying a Citori or a high dollar custom .45, aren't you making a statement to the "simple" folk in MT? Just an observation. No personal criticism intended. I buy many differnt weapons, both expensive and cheap because I like them and like to shoot them. I don't buy them unless they are shootable (a gun in a glass case is like a diamond ring in a vault- what good is it unless it has historic significance). That is why I enjoy my Mak as much as my Kimber ultra elite. I guess one day the boys will get them too.
 
Covert, thats why I have $29 disposable watches, so I can have more Glocks! Why don't you just get another Les Baer? Let me know when I can come up to 'God's country' and go hunting with you.
Fellow Bog Wanderer
 
I have both (a Rolex and a custom .45).

In all the time I have owned my Rolex only a handfull of people have noticed it. And even less know how much it's worth. Which is fine with me.

Only a few people have seen the .45, too bad to, I have some nice firearms that would impress (or scare) most people.

Whether it be a watch, a fine pen or firearm sometimes having a nice one is a reward for all our hard work.

As ak9 pointed out in more words. you get what you pay for.

Buy the best you can afford and buy it for yourself!

Chris
 
Bought my GMT MASTER Rolex in the 1970's for 290 bucks..Also one for my kid at the same time. We both still have them.Sent mine in for a service last year.Cost 350 bucks!! My KELLOGS CORN FLAKE WATCH keeps better time.That I got for box tops.After all the years with the ROLEX you get tired of the same heavy hunk of steel all the time.I'm happy with "KORNY"for a change. :D
 
There are some things that a man just have to have. I have a few prized posessions and my NIB West German PPKs is one of them. It is a work of art in blue steel. My old 1968 triumph TR-6R motorcycle is another thing that I will own forever. My Kimber is also included in these keep forever posessions, along with my first year of production 1911 Colt. A man has got to have his stuff...

7th

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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, KEEP THEM INDEPENDENT.
 
Any $5 quartz watch will keep better time than an automatic.

Minerva ($1200) is an excellent quality watch, but nobody knows about them.

Rolex has durability going for it, not accuracy (gain/lose ~5 min/week).

Omega (Speedmaster) is the only watch that could qualify in both accuracy and durability for the space program.

Strictly an issue of craftsmanship with the Swiss automatic watches when you see the price (add extra for the Rolex cachet).

Patek Phillipe, Vacheron Constantin, and Piaget are tops for quality, but they aren't marketed like the Rolex.

Ebel is the most popular watch in Switzerland and I own two.
 
I have a Del Mar that looks exactly like a Rolex Submariner with date option. Waterproof to 10 AT just like a Submariner. Keeps time just like a Submariner. On sale for $50 -- NOT like the Rolex.
 
I bought my GMT Master for $225 (with student discount!) in 1970. I don't think Rolexes were quite the status symbols back then that they are now. For my part, I simply wanted an accurate watch, and a Rolex chronometer was about the most accurate watch there was at that time. Now, of course, my Timex Indiglo is more accurate: the GMT gains maybe a minute a week, while the Timex is accurate to a second per month.

Several years ago I got my GMT cleaned and bought a new Rolex bracelet for it (interestingly, the new bracelet is much superior to the original). The combined cost was over $500. However, I didn't mind paying it as badly when I saw how much new GMTs were going for: $3,750!

Anyway, I usually wear the Timex, but I still appreciate the GMT and figure to keep it. After all, if I got rid of it and then changed my mind, I could never afford to replace it without time-warping back to 1970! ;)
 
On the subject of watches:
watch.JPG

Does anybody else find the concept of a "Pilot's Watch good to 200ft depth" disturbing?

:)

I mean, if the pilot is a KENNEDY fer pete's sake, maybe :D.

Jim
 
Rolex is a good, solid watch. Bought mine (GMT Master) in PX in Germany in 1984 for $600. I doubt I would have bought one at the normal, retail price. Accurate within reason, no battery to screw with...about $250 every 5 years for factory certified maintenance.

I also have a Casio G-Shock I wear when working out, swimming or out on a boat. A great, accurate watch for about $55. I love both of them.

Take note that in the military, there is much talk about the "...big watch, little d*&k..." theory. Actually, we just want something that gives us good, reliable service. Rolexs and Casios seem to do both.

Mike
 
I have a counterexample to the "big watch" theory. One time an engineer commented on how the helicopter pilots always had big watches. One pilot replied that the vibration was such that reading a normal watch was difficult.

Having recently coughed up some relatively serious money for an Omega (which goes back to the factory tomorrow to clean up a cosmetic flaw), I now understand the appeal of the top-drawer items. I figured I could spend $400 on a Citizen that might last 10 years, or $1200 on an Omega that will last the rest of my life.

If I ever make real money, I'd like to get a mechanical with alarm; there's a couple in the $2k-3k range that look pretty cool. Even better if its got the cutaway face to expose the workings.
 
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