A Guide To Buying Your First Rolex

What's up guys, I'm Brian Sacawa, you're watching He Spoke Style, and today I'm sharing some tips and advice for buying your first Rolex. Today's video is presented in partnership with our good friends at Crown & Caliber. Crown & Caliber is the number one place to buy and sell pre-owned luxury watches online. HSS viewers can save $150 off their first watch purchase at Crown & Caliber just by using code HSS150. You will find more information and a link to Crown & Caliber down below in the description. So, like many people, when I was thinking about buying my first, like, nice, legit watch, Rolex was at the top of the list. This was, you know, a few years ago. My watch knowledge at the time was extremely limited. Rolex is the brand that most of us know and think of as this aspirational thing, you know, it's the picture of luxury, and it's become ingrained in us that it's this arrival of sorts when you reach a certain point in your life. Now, if you're watching this video, you are probably very much in the same boat as I was when I was going through the process, and I will tell you, the watch world can be extremely intimidating, you know, as can menswear, but I think serious watch guys, some of them, can take it to a completely other level. It can come off as a world that is very pretentious, very elitist, very exclusive in a bad way, and, you know, it's enough if you're not well-versed in that world to just be a gigantic turnoff. All I'll say about that is, you know, there are always going to be people like that in everything, and you shouldn't let it affect your decision at all. You just kind of have to roll with it and approach everything with humility and a reverence for people who really do know their stuff because it's all about increasing your knowledge in the long run so that you can make an informed purchase. I definitely learned a lot going through the process about the watches themselves, but also the thinking and the state of mind you go through as you are trying to decide what watch you should buy or even if you should buy a watch at all. It's that insight to the process that I gained going through it myself that I'm going to share with you today. We're going to talk about questions to ask yourself, things to think about, and decisions you have to make when you're buying your first Rolex. All right, so the first question is why buy a Rolex? Why not, you know? Well, typically there are three reasons that people decide to buy a Rolex. First and foremost, to celebrate some sort of milestone either in your professional or personal life. Second is to own a timepiece that will hold its value over time. A Rolex is an investment and it is a very sound investment. And finally, just a desire to wear something of quality from a brand with an extremely storied history. You know, as guys we love the stories behind things that we own and few brands have the kind of history that Rolex does. Okay, next. So when should you buy your first Rolex? And the answer to that is when you are ready. It's a big deal and you need to be prepared both from a financial standpoint as well as emotionally. All right, so let's say you're at the point where you've made the decision. You are 100% positive that you want to do this. Now you need to spend some time researching. You should never rush into a big purchase like this. Rushing into spending this much money will only lead to regret and wondering, you know, what if I did this or what if I did that. You just want to stay completely away from that. Learn as much as you can. Soak up all the information that you can find. Read and reread and reread articles from publications like Podinky, A Blog to Watch, Time and Tide, Watchanista. There are a lot of great information out there and a lot of people with a lot of opinions, which leads me to the multitude of Rolex forums out there. You should read them. Not everyone that writes there is an expert, but everyone has an opinion and whichever way you're leaning or thinking, you will definitely find someone who shares that opinion, will help validate what you're thinking, which, you know, is often what we're looking for when we're trying to enable ourselves. All right, next question is a huge one. Should you buy new or should you buy vintage? There's absolutely no wrong answer here. You can honestly go either way. I think there are pros and cons for each. If budget is a concern, vintage Rolex is a great value. You can also do really neat things like you can get a watch that was manufactured in your birth year. Vintage watches tend to have a more worn in look, which is very desirable these days. Now, I decided to go with a new watch and I did it for a couple of reasons. First, you know exactly what you are getting. It's brand new. It's not going to have any problems. Second, I really like the idea that you are buying this watch and it is truly yours. You know, with a vintage watch, it's part of someone else's story as well, but with a new piece, you are writing the complete history of that watch. To me, I think that's really cool and one of the main reasons that I decided to buy new. Next question, which model Rolex should you buy? Now, this is completely and absolutely a matter of personal preference and personal style, but here are three questions that I think you should ask yourself. Number one, do you want something that's sporty or are you looking for something that's dressy or are you looking for something that is extremely versatile, you know, that you could wear whether you're dressed up or more casually? Number two, is this an everyday watch or are you only planning to wear it for special occasions? And finally, what do you want the watch to communicate about you? I think the way you answer these questions will ultimately lead like back to this underlying sense of your personal style. You know, are you a classic guy? Are you a sporty guy? Are you a flashy guy? You want something that is you, basically. My personal opinion is that your first Rolex should be something that's classic and timeless. Something that, you know, 30 years down the road, you put it on your wrist and you look at it and you think, yeah, you know, I made a great choice. So, you know, avoid buying a Rolex as a fashion statement. I would say for your first Rolex, stay away from color dials, oversized cases, anything that's overtly flashy. And I will say that you should go to a boutique and try a few different models on. This is actually the best thing that you can do because you might think you like something, but when you actually have it on your wrist, it just might not feel right or look right. And this is something you can't really know until you experience it. All right. Having said all that, here are a few very specific options to consider. For something classic and dressy, I recommend two models. First, the Oyster Perpetual. It is simple. It's understated. It's classic. It's elegant. This is a no-nonsense watch. Second, the Datejust. This is one of the most classic and recognizable Rolex dress watches. With an Oyster bracelet, it's more casual. And with a Jubilee bracelet, it's dressier. If you're looking for something on the sportier side, two choices here. First, the Submariner. I mean, what can you say about the Sub? It's perfect. It's a classic. It always looks good. It is possible to wear it with a suit. Hands down, a solid choice. But you may want to consider that it is pretty ubiquitous and there are a lot of guys wearing Subs on their wrist out there. Next, the GMT-Master. For me, the GMT is the thinking man sporty Rolex. I have a GMT-Master from my birth year. It's an awesome watch. Now, if you're looking for something versatile, the watch you want is the Rolex Explorer. This is such a cool watch with an amazing history and pedigree. This is the model that Sir Edmund Hillary wore when he became the first man to summit Mount Everest. I mean, it really doesn't get any cooler than that. And if you're on the fence between something sporty and something dressy, the Explorer is the watch for you. All right, so I've been giving you all this advice based on the experience I had, so let me show you the watch that I ended up with as my first Rolex. Here it is. It is a Datejust and possibly the most classic and potentially boring configuration. 36 millimeters. I considered the 41 millimeter size, but for me, it was just a little too big. Gray dial, stick pin hour markers, and a Jubilee bracelet. You know, this was a very special watch for me. I bought it because I had reached a point milestone with He Spoke Style, and things were good, and you know, I thought it was time. Like I said, this was very special to me. I think it is a very good representation of my personal style. It's versatile, but I went with a Jubilee bracelet because when I dress, I tend to err on the more business casual or dressy side of the spectrum. I just love this watch. It will always be a part of my collection, and you know, since I bought it new, it is my watch and only my watch, and to me, it is absolutely perfect. All right, so I did my best to cover the entire process and give you some specific recommendations, but I know there are going to be tons of questions, all of which I am extremely happy to answer. Again, this is an absolute no-judgment zone, so do not be afraid to jump in with any question you might have. I want to mention also that all the watches featured in this video, aside from my personal Datejust, were provided courtesy of Crown & Caliber, and also want to remind you that Crown & Caliber is offering HSS viewers $150 off their first watch purchase. Again, all you have to do is use code HSS150. All right, so that's it. Light up the comments, give this video a thumbs up, and be sure to subscribe to the channel. Thanks for watching, and stay tailored.