My Days with Rolex

My First, 2nd and Third Rolex
I am not trying to saying everyone likes Rolex as I know at least I know there is one colleague hates Rolex and even the people who wear Rolex! That is is prejudice only.
Our Chairman Wear Rolex Date Just, at least 10 Sales staff wear Explorer II, one Marketing Director wears Explorer I, and One technical Manager wear Rolex GMT master II.
Plus numerous ladies wearing Rolex 3,6,9 and Date Just for Lady especially Pink Dial… and Of course, only one Sales man wears Day Date to work.
My Rolex stories started in 1981 as I had just able to get the first job to earn my real MONEY… I bought my very first Rolex Lady Date Just with HKD$4,000 and after 6 months I sold it to my 2nd Engineer on board ship at RMB 2,500. After a while when I worked in HK, I bought the first Rolex Date Just Boy stainless steel with Jubilee bracelet at HKD$5,025 in Shop at Jordan Road, Opposite the Liberty Cinema快樂戲院 (This cinema had been torn down some 8 years ago.)

1983, after a while I met the Watch master Kiu Te Yu and Conrad Lau at HK World Wide Watch Company. I bought my first 14K Bubble Back Rolex Perpetual Oyster from him at HKD$5,000.

Another year, I bought another Rolex Date Just Two Tone Yellow Gold Boy with Jubilee bracelet from a good friend at HKD$25,000, who received it as gift from Chinese friend and I still remember that has a very good number 27882888….Something like this, and that was 1992 whereby I sold that Watch to the GM of one of companies under Lau Luen Hung at HKD$28,000.

After that I stopped buying Rolex for a while and then I switched my collection to Swatch…till 1994 all swatch hits was gone.

Until recent years, I had a fever on my forehead with a temperature of 38.8 deg C as I started collection Rolex again…. Over the years I think I have owned about 43 Rolex and some of them I let go for a while and gradually I learn from master that My beloved model switched from Date Just, to Sport series…and then the Day Date.
Until now, my focus is just simple; Day Date and Daytona.

Rolex and Casio
I had an argument with one of the friends I know… why I like so much on Rolex, and When I showed him the watch, he said, he would not buy, and He would prefer o buy car, as he is a car lover. He is driving BMW X5 and 730i, his dream buy is Porsche, he told me a digital watch is good enough for him why have to buy a Rolex? So I had met so many people saying the same to me… and all the result is to use money to buy a Casio watch with US$40. No trouble and no stoppages at all, the Rolex will stop after using for 40 hours for Day Date and 72 hours even Daytona, is this the best Rolex can make. I told him this is something like a Bottle of Petrvs 1989 and a Bottle of red wine at 7-11, they are almost the same in the ingredients, they are almost the same colour (of course to me, their colour can tell a of big difference. They are same, Grape juice!?) But the Petrvs is about HKD$38,000.00 and the cheapo wine at 7-11 is just HKD$130. What is the difference?
So we do not bother to keep on arguing as if one saying this to the about a Casio and a Rolex, I had to stay away form the topics and or keep quiet, there is no way to end this argument, eventually. I win the argument and lose a Friend!

Remarks, I do not have prejudice and bad comment on Casio, they are good, vibrant, accurate watches, they produce millions of watch a  year under the production line. They really serve the purpose of watch, even nowadays GPS was built in it.

Use your Rolex Every Day
I know a lot of friend who wear a Seiko almost every day and they are serious Rolex Collector. Well, I do not understand. I think they are either going extreme mentally, either they are afraid to be recognized as they are wearing Rolex!? Or they are fed up the performance of Rolex, No, I think they are already passed over the joy of wearing Rolex, instead they are waiting for the dream Watch…. As for myself, I use it… I use it everyday.
By good to yourself, you have only 18,000 days on Earth after you have your first Rolex!

Serious Collector
Many Collectors keep buying watch, they keep the original invoice, original Box and packing, and put the watch Like 116610LV Submariner into the shelf, keep for years… and Never Open it , don’t mention of using it…They think that one day the price will be shoot up many times. it will, but that is still some production unit from Rolex. its price will rise with pace of dollar depreciation but not like those Comex, Paul Newman or stainless stell Day Date! Price would rise sky high!

The Rich man
HK Rich man Kwok Ping XXX bought a Grade A fake Rolex when he visited Beijing, I was a bit not understand why he like to use that kind of watch. Yes, he told people that “If I wear a Fake watch on my wrist, who dare to talk to me this is Fake? “ …a bit hilariously. But if I were there, I will talk to him, “ I am fully amazed on what you want to show as you fare Mr. Kwok, everyone one knows you are one of the richest man in HK, but I am feeling shame about what you wear on hand… It may jeopardize your image wearing. HK Celebrity to promote image of HKusing good geunine goods!

Charms of Rolex
Rolex watch, which can not be sold out in some period, can be bought after ten years of waiting on the long queue of purchasing order. It needs 6 months time of waiting to buy Daytona black Dial even in HK. And for Oysterquartz, you have to wait till 2013.
Rolex versus Casio; Toyota versus Aston Martin.

There are many people in the world, they believe it is really waste of money to spend so much on watch; my Casio goes more accurately than your Rolex. It just takes me several ten of dollars, and not need any preventive maintenance. From some point of view, they are right. But when they walk on the road and found someone is driving an Aston Martin, they might say it is super foolish chap to buy such car, it is better to buy a second hand compact Korean Car, it is still a car that bring you from one place to the other.

I can say only people owns the that car and that watch can tell the difference.
In USA, most of the owner of Porsche has debt on his house, but they are living happily!
All it says is, we have only 20,000 day on Earth, if you find out that keeping your money make you happy., go ahead’s, but sometime is think we should treat us better, in a way to feel better. Well, some people like cars, some people like Hi If and some people like wine, women, Smoking, investment, whatever that make you happy, go ahead., I had a friend talks to someone, Hey are you crazy, buy a Gold Finger VC 2 MC Cartridge with USD$7,000, just to play your Vinyl… I can’t tell the difference through listening!
The Man said, you are good lucky man, so long you enjoy you iphone MP3, go ahead you lucky man that you should stay like that… if you feel happy!! That is OK!

Limited Production Strategy
Panerai started it business in 1980 with an Italian Old man working alone in a small shop at Florence on the restoration of Old un-used Movement to make a new watch, the watch was big and was not catching any notice by the watchers, until Richmond bought the company 12 years ago make a series of heavy promotion, people like Silvester Stallone, Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone, Carol Alt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Batistuta, Alessandro Costacurta and Alberto Tomba Leonard put on his wrist and was captured world wide on Movie and TV,,, It did created a hit, it was sold publicly in the past ten years; almost all of its style is called limited edition. Either 100 , 300, 1000 pieces,
The Marketing is good for revenue and sales, but the watch is lacking of mechanical design integrity and style. IWhat do you think an ETA movement would be the tomorrow Classic.

Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet
Never underestimate the amazing charms and surprising feeling that Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vercharon Constantin has ever made on the users. Unless you have chance to put one on your own wrist, even a temporary experience can make you enjoy a lot.
However, base on the calculation of TCO, total cost of ownership, Rolex is at best if you use it daily. Recently I like Roger Debuguis, they are beautiful watch… I am Mouthwatering about the Rich Chinese men bought the RD PT Double Tourbillon with Repeater function… at HKD$4,600,000!

Don’t under estimate the Rolex Fans
I have been start blogging on Watch just by co-incident triggered by friend, and I thought I know about watch the more I write,  the more I learn and the more I know I have nothing about any knowledge about Rolex. I need to meet guru like The Rolex-Chat.com, Time Zone watches bloggers to learn from them. Don’t under estimate the people who you may meet on the road, some of them are really humble and pretends knowing nothing about Rolex, In fact he might be the Rolex guru!
Don’t trust the sales ladies and Sales man in Rolex AD, not all of them, but a large portion of them just don’t know much about Rolex, unless those who has been working for more then 5 years.

Guido Mondani Editore
Don't Under estimate yourself, you may already know a lot of Rolex stuff, I encourage to go buying book likes “ Guido Mondani Editore” for Rolex Collection…They have numerous information and beautifully printed pictures about all Rolex Watches… a Magnificent book supply for Rolex, it is not cheap of course.
http://www.collectingwatches.com/en/

Ask Discount every time
When you are intending buying a Rolex watch, does not be afraid of asking discount from Rolex Authorized Dealer and distributor. You have nothing to lose. I had a friend who made a successful deal with Dickson watch to get a 116610LN at HKD$66,100 less 5% even he could use his AMEX card to pay in June 2011. That was a good deal!

Rolex Window Shoppers
Don't be shy to look at the Watches in the Rolex AD windows. Don't look down upon those people who stick their eyes and noses on the glass at the outside of the Rolex shopping window. The value of his collection might be much more worthy than yours. I used to stop and look at it for hours and my girl keeps on pull my hand to leave for that, and when the does shopping I went into the shop again and start talking to the sales, Most of the People in HK Rolex AD are old, Like Chow Tai Fook, Fung Leung key, Oriental Watch and King Fook, you can talk to them as much as you like.

Rolex for woman
Go buy a Rolex watch for your girl friend, wife, mistress/es…they love wearing it… I love to see them wearing it and I love to prepare one each for all my laughters.
Again, being poor is the biggest hiccups I have.
Never mind, it is already a good sunny day, expect tomorrow would be better!

HK Snob

PS, this is only personal experience and comment about Rolex, do not mean to demolish brand names of the other. in fact, Seiko, Casio, Panerai, PP, VC and AP are all good watces!!

Adorned Tonneau of VDB

Since it was a trend for men to use lady watch or small size invented “Boy Size”  in 80’s

After 10 years till 2000, the smaller size watch still in position, but after 2000, there is a sudden changes, a Big changes. The watch was changed to a Huge size that no one could imagine before, followed by “Big Date”, and then “Power Reserve”, then “Retrograde”

And the latest Hit of “Tourbillon”. Till 2010, more we can see is “Tonneau” A French means Barrel. Looks at Frank Muller's latest offer, mostly are Tonneau Design.

Swiss VDB (Van Der Bauwede) makes the Tonneau to a way of setting standard, The 4^th generation successor Maxence Van Der Bauwede modified the 1990 Tonneau profile to establish the primary Standard of “Legend” and “Magnum” series, Look at the new “ Four Seasons Automatic Cal. 14 has all the essential feature of  the beauty of a Tonneau Watch.

The 4 Seasons Automatic cal. 14 model comes in steel case that features a newly Tonneau with delicate and refined finishing, including a gem-set Louis XV style crown. The new 4 Seasons Automatic is an elegantly masculine model produced in a limited edition. Its flinqué-finish dial with Roman numerals comes in white and black, with a date window at 6 o’clock. Its engine-turned case-back is engraved with the Van Der Bauwede crest, while its crocodile leather strap is fitted with a folding clasp.

We Can visualize the design of such a watch, raised Roman numerals on dial, the Date at 5 and 6 oclock position., Black dial has deep hidden meaning of Deep Thought, The Louis XV crown is matching perfectly with the Tonneau shape with echo effect.

The Large size of the watch with touches of elegant, bold and comes with Alligator strap!

This Tonneau would likely set a New standard in Watch trend 2012 and onwards.

Technical details
Movement
Automatic, VDB Cal. 14
Central hours, minutes and seconds
Date window at 6 o’clock
25 ruby

Case
316L steel
Sapphire crystal
Engraved, limited edition
VDB coin back
Water-resistant to 3 atmospheres

Crown
“Louis XV” with ring
Black gem-set

Dial
-vertical “flinqué” motif: black with raised Roman numerals
-vertical “flinqué” motif: silver-coloured with raised Roman numerals

Hands
Hours and minutes: Breguet-shaped with openwork point
Seconds: serpentine-shaped

Strap
Crocodile leather, 20/18mm
Pin buckle with raised Van Der Bauwede crest

HK Snob

What watch I wear to work?

Someone asks me what kind of “Equipment” I used to wear to work!?

These are my standard equipment when I go to work, a Rolex Date Day 18 KT White Gold with Diamond bezel, A 18KT Piaget Wrist Chain, and a 18KT white gold Chain with a Holy Cross I bought in Regensburg. As I am Roman Catholic and I believe that Holy Cross has been keeping me safe all the time during travelling. A rare 1946 Parker 51 Sterling Silver Cap Fountain pen as it has a superb fine nib that could write beautifully.

I have some kind of passion on White gold as it is white that stand for purity and eternity, it is a precious metal that is strong enough to resist scratches, of course it would be severely damaged if it crashed by a passer by wearing a massive Panerai made of ceramic! White gold to me carries also an image of strength and Power that only demanding watch connoisseur who knows about it. Someone says why not Platinum, yes, but it is more expensive that gold and it has a light grey colour texture. White gold is low profile and matches best with white diamond. It is massive as the watch is about 140gf in weight, the Piaget weight about 40grams and the white gold chain weighs about 30 grams, total of 210 grams. I think that if necessary I Can try my luck at Hotel Lisboa Macao by putting the Rolex on the table for black jack, Rolex's value is like Cash! Like what we have seen about Sean Connery removed his Longines putting it on the casino table to be accepted as betting cash! (1986 Longines TV ads).

HK Snob

More Celebrities go for Rolex

Rolex may not be the best watch in the world, but likely the most commonly known most successful watch from Switzerland.
Daytona, a name of car racing, a name for racing car endurance competition, a result of high tech mechanization, fuel studies, aero-dynamics and the drilling skill that 20ms would make a big difference between life and death! That is alos why car racing is likely top ten men’s best favourite sport. Daytona, the Rolex best design Cosmograph which is used for the precise timing for such kind of races, an icon for energetic, daring, dynamic sportsman’s watch. A watch that many of the known celebrities would wear, Steve Mcqueen, Beckam, Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Jet Li. etc… Other than Daytona; Milgauss, Date Just and Submariner is also watch of the masterpiece from Rolex.
HK Snob

Fly back Second Chronometer

This is a Hong Kong design with ETA quartz movement, installed in a case of 39mm, with an unique fly back second, balanced layout for the timer displays.
HK Snob

Tourbillon Watch

This is a stainless steel skeleton watch with a Tourbillon, likely made in China, Price is affordable for me. The tourbillon is copy exact of Blanpain design. Time taking is quite accurate, size of about 38mm.
HK Snob

Mint Plus Rolex Ref 16018 Oynx Dial Yellow Gold with paper

This is a mint plus condition Rolex Ref 16018, friend of mine is asking for HK$45K! The Warranty paper states the watch comes with leather strap, the Rolex Label is firmed stuck on the bottom of the watch untouched!
What HKD$46 K could buy now is Probably a Stainless steel watch that Contains an ETA movement Packaged with a Swiss Brand name! This is a Solid Gold Rolex with Onyx dial Date Just for men!
HK Snob
PS Sold at 2130 18 Aug 2012

Most Beautiful Patek Philippe Chronometer

I met one gentleman who showed me one of of his collection, this is his watch.... I compare it with book of Patek Philippe and I found out that there are something different. Can you tell what is that!? How Much the one on the left should value!?
HK Snob

Some of the killer Rolex watches

These are rare killer Rolexes I have seen, have worn and always wanted to possess in the past two years.
The Lapis Blue Dial Rolex Yellow Gold Submariner, very rare, someone asked me to buy but I was late to reply and was gone... Recently sold in auction for HKD$700,000.00
Rolex Ref 1803 Stella Red dial, friend of mine always show me but never want to sell.
One Dutch Friend showed me his Red Coral dial Rolex, asking for about USD$25K or more, mint condition!
Light blue Rolex DD Ref 1803.
One Dream Day Date Onyx dial With 24 rectangular Baguettes of almost idential size mounted on the bezel.
Ref 1803 Red dial with a lot of diamond on dial!
DD is my favourite... how can I resist them? 
HK Snob

The Most Successful Sales Slogan for Watch

Patek Philippe has been very successful selling the Watch to the rich and famous celebrities, Politicians, business men with a Sales slogan:

“You never actually own a Patek Philippe; you merely look after it for the next generation”

As a good mechanical watch can last a few centuries with good services and maintenance.

Patek Philippe is still maintaining the watch record back to 1896 years, they are still maintaining spare part back to watch of early1900.  Even the part is used up, the make it.

So when you buy a Patek Philippe, it is a real Investment. It will last forever, value is always there! Of course, it is not cheap to maintain a watch like this!
HK Snob

Tag Heuer Monaco

The original Tag Heuer “Monaco” racing watch worn by Steve McQueen in the 1971 film Le Mans was sold at the Los Angeles “Profiles in History” film memorabilia auction. The timepiece, which is both an iconic piece of film memorabilia, as well as an important part of the Tag Heuer brand history, and watchmaking on the whole, sold for a final hammer price of $799,500. If you think that is a bit too expensive, why not buy a retro Monaco with about USD$5,000.00?
Steve McQueen was also a lover for Rolex Submariner.
HK Snob

Design In HK, Made in Hong Kong, Watch for Export

Designed in HK, Made in China Factory under HK Management, watch for export to Europe: Italy, Germany, France...etc
The Design is unque and fashionable...
HK Snob

Seiko and the Grand Seiko

Will you spend HKD$40,000 to buy an Automatic Stainless steel Seiko!?

Yes, there are people who are truly watch collector as they are not ordinary Seiko, it is grand Seiko Hi beat, the frequency of the watch is 36,000 cycle per minute which will bring a mechanical watch to a higher accuracy than ordinary Watch.

In Order to move at such high frequency, there are a lot of challenges such as lubrication, wear and tear of the jewels and pin-lever-encapement. Seiko has successfully solved this problem by introducing the GS Seiko in 1970’s

This is the beloved item for Japanese and now they are open to Asia and US market.

Go and see, find a plain, stainless steel watch in a form of Pure Mechanical Art.

HK Snob

Collecting Rolex Watch

When we buy Rolex, try to keep all document and invoice as it can tell the history of that watch probably can last for generations.

This is Ref 1601 Date Just two tone Pink Gold bought in 1976, at that time the price was HKD$1,872, now this new watch is about HKD$70,000,  Capitol was a big watch shop that time, now it has been the history, but the watch can be a witness about the time.

Another one was Ref 15000 stainless steel only HKD$9,090 when it was sold in 1989., now it become a collectible watch as it is made of the famous cal. 3035, a superb watch made by Rolex,

Now a new watch of this likely about HKD$50,000.00.

The Precious metal will keep value better as there is less units were made, if there is a White Gold Rolex Day Date 1957 with Blue Dial, by now it can be a big fortune for sure.

Next time when you buy a Rolex, Keep everything, including the warranty card, box, Rolex Chrometer Seal and Invoice. It is about passion of being a Rolex lover and a passion to appreciate one of the Finest Swiss Watch! And a passion to keep the best value of your investment!
Look at that Size comparison with the Daytona!

HK Snob

KL Watch Market

Rolex is still the most popular watch. Other than Rolex Cartier , Rado, Tag Huer is the frequent watch we can see in Malaysia, and as similar as  Thailand Rado had a rather good promotion in the 60’s to 70s;. They are quite popular in the mid range.

Pricewise is complex, many friends told me cheaper, 5 -6% than HK, and Of course that may be the time lag when Rolex Increases price by 4% and KL is slow to respond on the change of price, but this can be significant if we are buying Gold Rolex… 5% is a great Saving! Watch Out!

KL Snob

Breguet Watch at HKIA

Watch has been changing from a time keeper instrument into an accessories, personal identity and status. See these Beautiful Naked Breguet watches and their mechanical movement hand crafted in Switzerland, I took these pictures every time when I passed by HKIA arrival Hall.
HKIA Snob