10 Years Old Today
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 3:11 pm
I've always been a watch guy. When I was a kid in the '80s, it was digital sports watches, and then Swatches. Didn't wear a watch in college, but then the bug hit me in a big way. Bought a quartz Citizen chronograph, followed by a quartz Titanium Swiss Army. One call night in the ICU as a resident, the battery in the Swiss Army died. I wore that watch for the better part of a decade, but that experience convinced me that I needed to own a mechanical.
I'd always been generally fascinated by the Rolex ads in the National Geographic magazines I read as a kid. At some point along the way, I decided I would buy a Rolex sports watch. There was this absolutely epic post on an old Land Rover forum (believe it was Expedition Exchange; sadly it doesn't appear the post is online any longer) in which the poster argued why the Rolex Submariner was absolutely the best, and only, watch anyone would ever need. That post really stuck with me. Truth be told, the ubiquitous Submariner didn't really interest me, but man, the Sea-Dweller sure did.
In the summer of 2007, I completed training, and got my first big boy job. I spent the better part of that year paying off debts from the previous decade of school and training. I stopped by the now-closed Carlyle Jewelers in Durham, NC a couple of times that year, checking out the Rolex inventory, but really didn't know if I could bring myself to spend that kind of money on a watch. I tried on a number of Rolex sport watches during these visits, but the 16600 was always the standout. At the end of that first year, I decided I would take the plunge. I walked into Carlyle on July 31, 2008, and bought the 16600. I even got 10% off without having to ask for it (times certainly have changed). I remember that they had the Deep Sea and the new ceramic GMT on hand as well; I almost bought the GMT as I thought it was beautiful, but the 16600 is the one I always wanted, and the one I put on my wrist.
So here we are 10 years later. The 16600 really led me down a fairly ridiculous path of watch obsession. I've had an incredible amount of fun in this hobby, and have met a lot of great people along the way (many of whom are here at DWC). And I've spent a lot of money, too. I've had loads of watches since buying the 16600. Some of these were incredible, and many were objectively better watches in some ways. But the 16600 is still my favorite watch of them all, and my favorite watch period. It is beautiful, capable, versatile, bulletproof, and an absolute classic. It truly is the only watch I would ever need. It is an absolute joy to wear, and is the only forever keeper watch that will ever grace this watch nerd's collection. It probably could use a service, but I'd miss it while it was away, you know?
I'd always been generally fascinated by the Rolex ads in the National Geographic magazines I read as a kid. At some point along the way, I decided I would buy a Rolex sports watch. There was this absolutely epic post on an old Land Rover forum (believe it was Expedition Exchange; sadly it doesn't appear the post is online any longer) in which the poster argued why the Rolex Submariner was absolutely the best, and only, watch anyone would ever need. That post really stuck with me. Truth be told, the ubiquitous Submariner didn't really interest me, but man, the Sea-Dweller sure did.
In the summer of 2007, I completed training, and got my first big boy job. I spent the better part of that year paying off debts from the previous decade of school and training. I stopped by the now-closed Carlyle Jewelers in Durham, NC a couple of times that year, checking out the Rolex inventory, but really didn't know if I could bring myself to spend that kind of money on a watch. I tried on a number of Rolex sport watches during these visits, but the 16600 was always the standout. At the end of that first year, I decided I would take the plunge. I walked into Carlyle on July 31, 2008, and bought the 16600. I even got 10% off without having to ask for it (times certainly have changed). I remember that they had the Deep Sea and the new ceramic GMT on hand as well; I almost bought the GMT as I thought it was beautiful, but the 16600 is the one I always wanted, and the one I put on my wrist.
So here we are 10 years later. The 16600 really led me down a fairly ridiculous path of watch obsession. I've had an incredible amount of fun in this hobby, and have met a lot of great people along the way (many of whom are here at DWC). And I've spent a lot of money, too. I've had loads of watches since buying the 16600. Some of these were incredible, and many were objectively better watches in some ways. But the 16600 is still my favorite watch of them all, and my favorite watch period. It is beautiful, capable, versatile, bulletproof, and an absolute classic. It truly is the only watch I would ever need. It is an absolute joy to wear, and is the only forever keeper watch that will ever grace this watch nerd's collection. It probably could use a service, but I'd miss it while it was away, you know?
Anniversary!