One Man’s Choice Of Rolex

Where to start?

The Rolex catalogue is extensive, options endless, if ever one was to be spoilt for choice, now is the time. Sports watches are obviously the mainstay of the Rolex range, classics such as the Submariner were certainly high up on the list even the Milgauss (have a soft spot for the green glass) was considered. But which was the right choice for this Man? The Sub was the original choice, a real classic especially with the timeless design, the updated Cerachrom bezel and its’ near bulletproof movement and case. Not to mention the fantastic and glorious use of 904L stainless steel to make it even more durable, it will last long after this lifetime.

After much deliberating and procrastinating, visiting every Rolex dealer within a 100 mile radius, which ended up being a complete waste of time as their respective ranges were almost identical, a decision was finally made. It was only upon the realization that the watch had already been spotted earlier on in the year, at a certain watch show, Baselworld. Before you jump to the wrong conclusion, my pocket does not extend to the Platinum Daytona ref 116506, and neither is a light blue really the in colour especially when paired with a brown bezel and highlights. That only leaves one other choice, you guessed it, the new GMT Master II Day and Night ref 116710BLNR, commonly known as the ‘Bruiser’ on some forums, and in the superhero theme that is so prevalent in the cinemas these days, the watch is also known as the ‘Batman’. An everyday watch that goes with almost every outfit, has a useful complication, will be a classic if it isn’t already and is built like the proverbial out-house. What is there not to like? Oh wait, the main feature seems to have been omitted the dual colour Cerachrom bezel which is a work of art in itself, how could one forget?

Finally having decided on which piece, it was time to try and hunt one down and you will be astounded by the sheer ridiculousness of the process. A lovely watch and jewellery boutique was visited and I was subsequently told that the waiting list for the ‘Bruiser’ was approximately 24 months. In no uncertain terms this left me completely shocked, this also happened in other boutiques! Is this particular piece really so rare, so many are made a year, how many are available in the UK in a given timeframe? These are all questions I would love an answer to. Apparently the wait is due to there being a long list of people who want the watch, and the apparent lack of stock at less than 1 piece every 3 months seemed utterly ridiculous, so the search took a bit of a knock. The watch community were fantastic when they saw what I was after, but due to the nature of the purchase being a new piece and not encompassing pre-owned it limited the choice. The fact of the matter is by the time the watch was pre-owned, it had already gone up in value, meaning it was even more expensive and much less affordable!

Luckily, a supplier revealed itself with a much shorter waiting list and regular stock, now the wait is only 3-6 months, which I can handle.

I will be a very happy Man, very soon!