Subtle Elegance, Symbolic of Accomplishment

I’ve always wanted a nice timepiece to wear on my wrist and it just seemed that everyone around me wore a Rolex. A couple of my uncles and family friends had the solid gold Datejust President model watches, which I’ve always thought were pretty ostentatious to a point of being a bit “Gaudi”. Albeit these were the simple all gold models sans gem stones. I was out of school now and making a real living so, I thought I need something to mark that achievement.

I took my first look at the line of Rolex watches at the local dealer almost 20 years ago and tried each model on and decided that their Professional line best fit my active lifestyle and was told too by many, that the professional watches held their value the best. Rolex’s “Professional” line includes their Sub-Mariner, Explorer, Sea-Dweller, Yachtmaster, GMT-Master, and Cosmograph Daytona. Each of these professional watches were much heavier in weight and in construction than the standard Datejust line in order for the timepiece to withstand the rigors of their intended use. So if you select any one of the professional line, be prepared to wear something relatively heavy and bulky on your wrist.

Since this was my first Rolex, my budget was set rather low. It helped that I personally didn’t care for the all gold models nor did I care much even for the two-tone models. You have to realize that Rolex uses solid metals to cut, mill and polish into each of their watch components. So what is gold is actually a hunk of their solid gold alloy and what is stainless is a solid hunk of stainless and the price of each watch reflects this.

I selected the all stainless steel Explorer II model with the white face and purchased it when our local dealer was hosting Rolex’s semi-annual tour of factory refurbished time pieces. It worked to my benefit with this program as they had the watch that I wanted and were offering a 6 month same as cash deal. The sales person found out that there was an Explorer II in the shipment, which because of the desirability of the professional line, was quite rare and alerted me. This watch was pristine, I was told it was a display model at a dealer and could not be sold as new so they discounted the watch about 25% off of retail which in the Rolex world is almost unheard of. So the watch was packed up with its certificate of authenticity and in its padded suede lined box and I was out the door with my first Rolex, and that was almost 20 years ago.

I write this Epinion review to comment on the watch and how it has endured the test of time. I am twenty years older and so is my Explorer II watch. In comparison to today’s Explorer II, this watch is obviously an earlier version of the same watch that is still being produced in Geneva. My white dial or watch face has turned a warm ivory color, which from all accounts comes from the paint formula that Rolex used on their early series of white face Explorer II’s and perhaps a reaction with the tritium glow in the dark markers, hour and minute hands which incidentally also have lost their ability to glow. I’ve been approached by several watch collectors offering to buy or trade my watch for a new one of the same model because of this change in the face color.

The watch has withstood countless hikes in the mountains and many times submersed snorkeling at tropical beach locations in Hawaii and Mexico.

Also over time, the watch seems to gain about five minutes every three months. This was a little irritating but not as bad as being slow or losing time. A certified Rolex shop can recalibrate the watch, which will cure the problem for awhile until it is sent in for a thorough cleaning.

Most owners; myself included didn’t know that when you take off your Rolex at night, the watch should be set down on its crystal down on a soft surface, so that the lubricants can work themselves back through the movement as it works in the opposite direction while it is on your wrist.
Even though the watch has an “Automatic” movement with a self-winding perpetual rotor, Rolex actually recommends manual winding through the watches crown 40 twists each way every month of so to maintain the condition of the main spring. I’ve forgotten to do this and have not suffered any ill effects.

Rolex also recommends that their timepieces be cleaned and lubricated every 7 years where the piece will receive any necessary adjustments and or recalibration.

I’ve had the watch cleaned once since I’ve owned it, so I am preparing it to be sent in for a full overhaul as somehow I chipped the crystal, the 24-hour bezel replaced where many of the black numerals have been worn off and the case and the oyster bracelet refinished to their original factory brushed finishes.

A preliminary estimate has all of this to cost around $700.00, which will provide me with a new looking Rolex Explorer II that I can proudly wear and enjoy of another 20 years and No, I’m not going to have the much desired off-white face replaced.

You might think why not just get a new watch? Well,aside from normal periodic price increases, the entire Rolex line will increase in price this fall 2006 as a result of the lastest increases in the price of gold and other precious metals so the longer one waits the more these watches will cost.