Quote:
Originally Posted by mountainjogger
Milo, my friend, last time I checked this was not a political party or a sports team so the pride analogy is not really getting it for me.
But if you are truly concerned about the health of this form, you might try:
- Contributing membership dues.
- Writing a watch review.
- Or, maybe answering even a tiny percentage of the questions about the history and workings of Rolex watches that Padi has for many, many years and continues to do so.
As far as adding "colour" to the forum, I have reviewed Padi's post which you ask us to believe offends you so much you feel compelled to pontificate so passionately as to how it will be the downfall of this forum. Seriously? I must ask you, if Padi's post is is not the very definition of "colour" then what is? And if anyone is so offended by the post as to swear off the forum, well they must have led a pretty sheltered and pampered life. But I digress.
Again, if you are serious about the health of the forum there are more constructive things you can do than throw stones at those who continue to add to its value.
If not, then by all means feel free to keep quasi-lurking and bless us with your wisdom. But you might be more persuasive if you had a tad thicker skin and a just a wee bit more perspective. And were a might bit more respectful to the people who add so much to this forum.  |
It’s not a watch review, quite, but it’s about Rolex watches and the way Rolex cares, rather than what they’re worth. You’re right about the need to talk about Rolex without money in mind, most of the time. (And you’re right about the need for all of us to pay our membership fees. I’ve done so.)
About two years’ ago, a friend gave me a 24mm or 28mm Oyster Perpetual which had been stuck in her mother’s bedside drawer for years, ignored, asking if it was worth refurbishing. I took it to London’s WoS and asked them their opinion. They embraced the idea of making it good when I explained that the daughter wanted her mother’s watch in her life, and three months later it was returned to us and her in pristine condition, with a beautiful slate grey dial.
That was two years ago. This evening, the same daughter turned up for curry and wine, this time, by chance, with her father’s watch, with the same refurbishment request. Her Mum is still with us, but her Dad passed about 25 years ago. Because the jubilee bracelet is the old tuna fish tinny one, she thought it was a fake, but I think it’s legitimate. I will be taking it to WoS tomorrow, in the hope that they can send it to Rolex for the same exemplary refurbishment treatment. It’s a beautiful watch.
Rolex can breath new life into old friends.
Three weeks ago I saw a beautiful rose gold Moser Mayu. I tested out after sales by going to the only H. Moser retailer in London, H-Rods. I went to their empty desk, waited for someone to attend to me, but every sales assistant nearby ignored me. I did not buy the watch, because I worried about the watchmaker’s regard for its future.
At another prestige maker, who are wonderful when they greet you, but mostly don’t bother replying to requests for a meeting, I’m still waiting for an appointment. This is the second most prestigious watch maker in the world, with many houses.
My point is this. My experience of Rolex is that it regards its watches as children, who must be attended to for their entire life, regardless of ownership and age. I have many Rolex watches and many children. After my experience with my friend and her parents’ watches, I now feel confident that my watches will live longer lives than me and always be taken care of. That makes Rolex virtually unique.
And valuable (couldn’t resist that!) in so many ways. So if anyone reading this is on the fence, rest assured that any buying decision you make today will echo through the decades. MSRP plus or minus conversations cease to matter if your time horizon is long enough. As Baz Luhrmann said: “throw away your old bank statements; keep your love letters.” Rolex takes care of its love letters in a way that almost no watchmaker I’ve experienced does.