Watch recommendation for boyfriend?

[I377611]

I am in Orange County, CA and looking to purchase a Rolex watch for my boyfriend. I went to the Rolex store in the South Coast mall but there wasn’t much available. As a result, I’ve been on these forums to get a better understanding of what Rolex watch I should buy and not get scammed in the process.

My boyfriend is 5ft 10in and weighs approximately 170lbs. He has an average wrist size and is very active. I was wondering if I should get him a Datejust, Explorer, or Submariner? Please let me know what you guys think.

Also, where can I get a Rolex watch at a good price but safe? There is Bob’s Watches in Newport beach which is relatively close to me. Does anyone have experiences with them?

[travisb]

Welcome! Depends on his lifestyle / personal taste. In my opinion you can never go wrong with a Submariner. Wears great from the beach to the boardroom.
Have a look at some of the "trusted sellers" here in the for sale section. Good luck!

[996marty]

If it was for me I’d want the sub but everyone is different

[faust munihausen]

SubDate as a first Rolex.
IMHO you cannot go wrong with that.

[bp1000]

Submariner Date is a very solid first choice. Especially if he's quite an active person.

If he likes to dress smart etc - maybe a datejust 41mm blue dial, oyster bracelet. Very versatile. Given you said he's active, he'd appreciate the tool watch nature of the sub. A real classic.

Explain your situation to the AD, you might be lucky to receive either suggestion within a year.

[messikens]

There's a website called "rolex.com". I suggest you have him log on and show you which watches he's interested in based on looks, then go into several AD stores and try out the (exhibition) models to see if website matches reality.

Asking a bunch of strangers on an internet forum to recommend a random several thousand dollar watch for the person YOU know better than most of us seems a bit off....

[RaZCaL]

First Rolex I would say Sub Date. Try the trusted dealers here on the sales forum if you want to purchase one right away.

[warrior]

Based on your description, I’d say he’s on the active/ sporty side…as such one of the professional models that are favored by most on this forum.

Sporty/ active lifestyle—I’d say Submariner is the safest bet. Explorer if your boyfriend prefers a simpler style and goes against the grain. But as someone said, check out Rolex.com and look at the models.

Good luck!

[tutu2008]

I bought my husband his first Rolex- a submariner- a couple years ago (when the pandemic was at its worse here in the US), from an AD and the wait was 2 months. Not sure if you have more than one local AD, but if you have time (months) left, sometimes all it takes is finding the SA you click with. They love making it happen for special occasions.

Questions to ask yourself- has your boyfriend expressed interest in Rolex before? Does he wear watches? If so, what size, reference? Lifestyle?

[DJ2020]

You could break it down to Sport watches and dress watches just to keep it simple. Submariner and GMT for sport or DJ for more of a dress look.

Maybe spot one in a advertainment or one in public or find a excused to pop in a AD for something else and point one out. Say something like (If I were to pick one, I sorta like this one) and check his response.

You can pick up on what he likes. I'm sure he would be happy no matter what you choose. A watch is personal item. Every one and there brother has a sub or two or Five. Careful not to follow herd enthusiasm unless he truly wants the same thing as millions of other people.

Do your best to find out what HE wants. Again, If it's a gift from you, I'm sure he will cherish it. Also don't forget there are MANY fine brands out there!

[Krash]

Submariner no doubt. Can’t go wrong.

Datejusts are a hit-or-miss. Too many variations. I have one that I love, but there are many configurations I just don’t like at all.


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[77T]

Originally Posted by I377611

Also, where can I get a Rolex watch at a good price but safe? There is Bob’s Watches in Newport beach which is relatively close to me. Does anyone have experiences with them?

Welcome to TRF.

Many members here have experience with Bob’s Watches. The best way to learn of the good an/or poor experiences is to go into the TRF Classified Section and use the search icon the “Who’s Who” section for “Bob’s Watches”.

In SoCal there are also other very trusted sellers that sell here. Some have physical stores and some only do business online. A couple of names who come to mind are Tony and Patrick.

If you do buy a watch from any seller who is not an Rolex Authorized Dealer (aka AD), be sure you know the risks and guarantees that come with the Watch.

As some have mentioned, it is best to go to an AD and meet a Sales Associate (SA) to look at the exhibition watches so you know what it looks like before deciding.

As for popularity among the 3 models you mentioned, an athletic guy who hits the water frequently should be quite satisfied with a Submariner Date.

Good luck on your quests!


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[Locust]

Go to an AD. Try to get him the explorer. There is no better Rolex imo.

[SLWoodster]

Try a different SA. Keep trying diff SAs

Ask a friend for a referral.

At that store, the 2 tone daytona is also seemingly more available.

[Easy E]

Submariner for sure.

Check out OCwatchguy.com, Patrick, good guy to deal with. I believe he is near enough to you. Good luck.

[Nodzex]

You said he was very active, I would go with Explorer

[ExplorerI]

Explorer I perfect for an active lifestyle and not too flashy

[HHIslander]

Another sub date vote here. You can trust Bobs for sure, I’ve done business with them. If it was me, I’d just get a sub date from Bobs and be done with it all, you don’t need to sink a bunch of time and research into this. A model 126610 with all the paperwork is what you need.

[matPORTS]

Any chance you could dump him and become my girlfriend? ��

Best advice - if this is for a special occasion (birthday, anniversary, etc) check with as many ADs as you can, explain the situation, and ask if you can get an Explorer 1 36mm or a DateJust 36mm or Oyster Perpetual 36mm. Get them to show you the exhibition pieces and you may just get lucky.

Agree with those also pointing you to reputable secondary market options as well

[brandrea]

Welcome to the forum, you’ve got all the advice above

[ratty]

I would also vote for a Submariner, but I much prefer the 5 digit models over the later ones!

It may be worth you asking a few subtle questions about does he prefer the small or larger case and date or no date!

[Brny11]

SubC or if he likes to be a bit different, Explorer II. I’d keep checking with AD or download Chrono24 to get idea of gray price. Stick to the heavy hitters on the forum (I.e. DAVIDSW). You will pay more but 0 risk. WatchRecon app gives a good idea of what is on the market as well. Pulls from multiple sources and you will get familiar with the common sellers.

[sj24k]

So funny.

When I see a post like this from someone who just created an account with a bunch of numbers for a name, I immediately think “nice job by Bob’s to get their name buzzing around on a social platform for some free advertising. This oughtta get ‘em a few clicks.”

Admittedly, I’m more cynical than most. And would love to be wrong. But hey, I’ll keep the thread going and toss Bob a few more eyeballs.

(And the romantic in me will keep my fingers crossed that you find the perfect watch for your man and live happily ever after.)



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[I377611]

Thanks for everyone’s responses and I’m genuinely overwhelmed to receive so much feedback in such a short period of time!

My boyfriend has previously expressed interest in Rolex watches but didn’t exactly mention which model he was particularly fond of. Also, I wanted to surprise him for our 3 year anniversary in 2 months.

The responses I see are primarily for the Submariner and Explorer. As several of you have suggested, I will check out the classified sections to find reputable sellers. Although, I may ask for additional input from each seller.

[Ichiran]

Can't go wrong with a Sub or GMT.

[skipstar]

This!

Originally Posted by faust munihausen

SubDate as a first Rolex.
IMHO you cannot go wrong with that.

[SpectralDodo49]

Here is ocRolexguy Patrick. I have bought from him. He is trustworthy. And I agree that Sub date is the best option. https://www.ocwatchguy.com

[winst]

Explorer

[warrior]

The world, especially now, needs LESS, not more conspiracy theories. Just saying

Originally Posted by sj24k

So funny.

When I see a post like this from someone who just created an account with a bunch of numbers for a name, I immediately think “nice job by Bob’s to get their name buzzing around on a social platform for some free advertising. This oughtta get ‘em a few clicks.”

Admittedly, I’m more cynical than most. And would love to be wrong. But hey, I’ll keep the thread going and toss Bob a few more eyeballs.

(And the romantic in me will keep my fingers crossed that you find the perfect watch for your man and live happily ever after.)



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[FloydRedford]

I’d say Explorer or Sub date; or even a pre owned GMT II (16710) as it has an all brushed bracelet, no shiny links unlike the newer models, which look very dressy, less sporty imho.