The Rolex Oyster Perpetual is, by any measure, a timeless classic. The onepictured on the right was my first Rolex, given to me by my father, and given tohim by his father in 1965 as a high school graduation present. I wore it in highschool myself, unaware at the time of the social connotations associated with replica breitling . I knew Rolexes were considered good watches, and I knew I got a lot ofcomments on it, but to me, it was simply an unobtrusive, simple, accurate, dependable,and very tough watch with a little bit of family history.
I think I can safely attribute my obsession with automatic watches (as opposedto digital quartz watches, which are an entirely different obsession of mine) tothis particular Rolex. It doesn t get a lot of wrist time anymore primarily becauseit s a little on the small side for a men s watch these days, but I still throwit on occasionally, and after a little bit of winding, it keeps time every bitas well as my much newer Rolex GMT Master II. The bracelet could stand to be replaced,and the acrylic crystal is plenty banged up from the all the punishment I threwat it in high school, but mechanically, it s perfectly sound.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual sold for all of $125 in 1965, or at least, that s whatmy grandfather paid for it. That s about $750 in today s dollars. A new comparablemodel (another Oyster Perpetual or a Rolex Air-King) would sell for about $3,000today. Despite steady price increases, Rolex watches are in such demand now thatyou re likely to pay full retail for a new one, and you may even have to orderthe exact watch you want.
So why do I use the cliche timeless classic to describe the Rolex Oyster Perpetual?There are three things about Rolexes that make them timeless.Quality. Rolexes are one of the highest quality watches inthe world. Although there are plenty of comparable and probably even a few superiorbrands out there, in a fair fight, a Rolex can hold its own against just aboutanything.Design. Other than the size of the Oyster Perpetual, I d sayit s just about as fashionable today as it was in 1965. The look of Rolex watchesdoesn t change much over time which means they will not only function for additionalgenerations, but they will still look like relative modern automatic watchesrather than ancient family heirlooms.Brand. Whether you like Rolexes or not, there is no denyingtheir popularity. Rolex is one of the most recognized and sought after brandsin the world. Although their demand is what makes them expensive and often difficultto get, it is also what makes them sound investments.
Although I m an obvious Rolex fan, I always encourage people who are consideringpurchasing one to consider other brands, as well. There are several other comparablebrands out there which are much less expensive and that will serve precisely thesame purpose (unless you re shopping purely for the Rolex brand). In the end, though,if you are sure you want quality, craftsmanship, tradition, beauty, and brand,you can t go wrong with a Rolex.
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