TGIF: Spotting a Rolex Submariner in the Wild

I saw a Rolex out in the wild a couple of weeks ago.  It was a Submariner of some sort with a gold and stainless band.  I didn't see it up close, but you couldn't miss it.  At a glance, the Submariner appeared to be like the one pictured below and for sale here on Amazon.

The original uploader was LuckyLouie at English Wikipedia.,
CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

It was late at night and the man with a Rolex was sitting in a suit and open collared shirt was holding court at a table in one of his four successful restaurants.  He was clearly the King of his domain. He could see and circulate among his customers, keep an eye on his waitstaff, and have visibility to the kitchen and the cash register.

It's not like he had to micromanage every aspect of his business.  The rules, systems, and supervisors have been in place for years.  But, he is a presence.  You can tell he runs a tight ship. His staff, friends, and family treat him with congeniality, but also great deference and respect.  In turn, you can tell he takes great pride in the restaurant and his staff.

So where does the Rolex come in? It was probably never the restaurateur's initial objective. Instead, it was a reward that came with taking on the risk, taking on the responsibility, and investing the time, the money, and the soul into building and maintaining a successful business venture.  Instead of focusing on the timepiece, an aspiring Rolex owner might be better served by focusing on how they spend their time.

A focus on developing entrepreneurial skills, business acumen, persevering, and taking calculated risks might be the key to unlocking the prosperity required for an epic timepiece. 

Dream Watch Profile: The Rolex Air King

One of my friends has a high end stereo. He is willing to delay gratification until he can afford the finest components. Then, he plans to keep those components for the rest of his life. He's a regular middle class guy. He isn't rich. He doesn't buy things often, but when he does, he buys the best that he can. It's an approach that some watch collectors take. Instead of having a hodge-podge of 90 watches, they have a collection of just a few high end timepieces.  From time to time, I think it would be nice just to have a few high end Rolex watches.

Rolex Submariners - Photo by Eternalsleeper at en.wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Sometimes, this approach of saving for a long time and buying carefully can allow middle class people to own some of the finest products. But, when it comes to high end watch brands, many brands have priced their products well beyond the buying capacity of middle class people. I thought that was the case for Rolex. But, I was recently surprised to discover a Rolex model that a middle class person might aspire to own. It's the Rolex Air King.

Rolex Air King - Photo by thnchiba (http://photozou.com/photo/show/74528/1230796) [CC-BY-2.1-jp (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.1/jp/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons

At nearly $5000 [nearly $10,000 in 2024], the Air King isn't cheap. The Rolex Air King also isn't engineered to meet some artificial price point in the marketplace. While the Air King is the entry level Rolex, it's not an afterthought derived in a marketing department. This is a watch that is an integral part of Rolex history. According to an article by Joseph Lavender on the blog Jake's Rolex World called “The Complete History of the RolexAir-King,” the Air King was first made in 1945 to honor the bravery of RAF pilots and airmen. Thus, the timepiece is connected to the long heritage of the Rolex brand.

While these watches aren't in my price range, they are within the range of my dreams.

Rolex Blow Out at T.J. Maxx!

As many of you may know, there are "run way" T.J. Maxx location in selected upscale communities around the country.  Sometimes you can find some great deals.  Tonight I was flabbergasted by this amazing deal:  Rolex Submariners for $250!

Rolex Submariners at T.J. Maxx!!!

Like many watch collectors, I've always wanted a Rolex.  I appreciate the fine craftsmanship and the amazing waterproof qualities of these dive watches.   It's nice to not have to write "diver-style" watch!

Unfortunately, I owe on my taxes and I didn't have $250 to buy one of these babies!  They are still there!

Of course, it is April 1st.  So, you have to act fast because I'm sure they won't last long!

By the way, before you jump in the car, it is April Fool's Day!

APRIL FOOLS!

Photo by:  Eternalsleeper at en.wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

 But, for us mere mortals, there will always be Invicta!

[For the official record, the preceding article was an April Fools Joke and there were never $250 Rolex at TJ Maxx.  But it is fun to dream about Rolex watches.]

Reflections on a Rolex Watch

It's shiny, substantial, and perfectly functional.  It's a Rolex Submariner Date Watch.  Of course, it's not mine.  It belongs to a co-worker.  Ever since he got it, I've been checking the iconic luxury watch out from afar and taking mental notes on my observations.  My co-worker's Rolex looks like the one pictured here.

To read more about it, check out my article:  Dream Watches - The Rolex Submariner Date Watch.

 

Photo: By LuckyLouie at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

If you have the means to buy this legendary watch, then Amazon has your watch and has it for a good price, you can find it here: Amazon Rolex.