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. 

Watch Sighting: Rolex Submariner worn by Gus Malzahn

What Kind of Wristwatch Does Coach Gus Malzahn Wear?

If you are interested in watches, then you can't help but notice them when you watch television or just walk around town.  Now that college football season has started, it's interesting to see what kind of watches prominent college football coaches are wearing.  As a Gator, it would be natural for me to start with my own coach.  But, since our first game was a disaster this year, we'll be moving right along.  The first wrist watch that I noticed in this 2017 College Football season was a Rolex Submariner worn by Auburn University head coach Gus Malzahn.  It's a Rolex Submariner!

Auburn University Head Football Coach Gus Malzahn's Rolex Submariner (Photo of Auburn University Football Game)

At this point, it would be customary for me to insert a cheap shot against Auburn University.  However, we'll keep it all on the up-and-up to start out the football season.  There's just no need to fuel the Gator Haters this year.  Instead, you note the clean, rugged, lines of the no date version of the Rolex Submariner.  It's an awesome watch and a great foundation for any man's watch collection.

Amazingly, I'm not the first watch blogger to ever notice Gus Malzahn's wrist watch.  Apparently, Gus Malzahn was spotted wearing inexpensive watches from Michael Kors.  These have been noted by On The Dash - A Vintage Tag Heuer Watch blog.

Happy New Year! - Reflecting on the Road to a Rolex

Happy New Year!  It's a time of celebration and reflection.  As the New Year kicks off, it's time to reflect on what we are going to make of our time in the coming year.  How will we survive?  How will we succeed?  What can we do to be more successful?  How can we change our image to project more of an air of success and professional competence. One night earlier this week, I saw this billboard for a local jewelry chain advertising a beautiful Rolex.  It got me thinking about the iconic watch brand.

A Rolex Billboard

Later that same night, I came across and read an interesting review of a Rolex ( A Week on the Wrist: The Rolex Datejust ) on Hodinkee by Stephen Pulvirent.  It was a bit strange to have the Rolex brand coming at me from multiple directions on the same evening. 

The article described the development and history of the classic Rolex Datejust very well.  It's amazing to think that even a pure dress watch from Rolex has an oyster case and 100 meters of water resistance.  More importantly, I gained some insight about what it would be like to wear such a beautiful Rolex for a week.  These Rolex encounters made me think about the road in life that leads to a Rolex.  

Rolex Datejust Oysterquartz - photo by Esperto Orologi at it.wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

One of the commenters on the hodinkee article noted that a Rolex was an achievement watch that people bought upon attaining a major career milestone.  Once bought, a Rolex would be worn for life.  The 36 millimeter diameter case is much, much, bigger in the heart of the wearer.  As we start the New Year, I think we all want to be successful and we all want to get that Rolex one day.

But, where does that road to a Rolex watch start?  Where does your road start?  For some it starts with hard work, getting to work early, staying late, and applying prodigious energy to career matters.  For others, it may be a matter of saving up money, assessing a market, taking a risk, creating a product, and filling a need.  Still others, may analyze, research, and invest in opportunities that pay off.  There is no one proper road.  I think everyone must choose their own path.

In the meantime, if there is a watch for the end of a journey, then there must be a watch for the beginning of a journey.  

Have a happy and prosperous New Year!  May you find your road!