Rolex

Vintage Rolex collecting as with Modern Rolex starts with an innocent first watch. It is often the first watch that you consider a milestone. The watch you bought yourself with you own salary or the watch that was gifted to you at gradation or marriage. O...  

I can't consider a vintage Rolex collection without a Sub, a GMT, an Explorer, a Milgauss, and a Daytona. Having several of them, I mean several GMTs, Subs Explorers and so on, well, is just unavoidable. How can we resist to the pleasure of owning several... 

Even better. This is a complete set. And more. It has a a military heritage as there is a serial and rank/name engraved. This is by no means a "military" watch but owned by one - UK. The ghost is from real live action. Bill

Interesting topic, Bill! Maybe not within Rolex (yet? ;) ) but in some other brands... My problem is that I would love to be both Vertical AND Horizontal ! ;) Hard to choose... Best Blomman

With Rolex you have a huge platform to stay horizontal for a long time with a collection of 10 watches. But I think if you take a refining approach as we all do at some point the vertical solution can give you a collection of five watches and you feel com... 

They do lay horizontal on the the table - but in my book this is a great example of a vertical collection! :) Best Blomman

There is more!! HAGWE Bill

... the hints on your opening post Bill. Very interesting indeed! I´m a relatively new collector, as all started for me about 5 or 6 years ago when I bought an old little bubbleback, after reading about them in a book about Rolex history my family had pre...  

Thank you for your thoughts. I am also like you relatively new as a collector but I wore on Rolex from 1978 - 2000. Lever took it off. Collecting came in the last five or six years and my focus became more sharp. A pleasure to be in your company Abel and ... 

... and it is really a pleasure for me to share a friendship and passion for timepices (and Rolex in particular) with you! Very cordially, Abel.

A 16600 and a 1665. If you throw in my father's Red Sub, it would still keep my "collection" in the Diver family. I am not sure how my collection will progress, if it will go more vertical (a CR 5512) or go horizontal (a 6239 or a 6265)? Both catch my eye... 

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... and with a branch coming off the tree into the Tudor realm! I hope you are enjoying your beautiful 7924, my friend! Have a great weekend. V/R Mike

You can go as deep as you like with two or three watches you can be there. I hope it is not raining to hard where you are. HAGWE Bill

If you pick wisely and do your research, 2 or 3 in a vertical collection can make a collection complete and you can have some unique and beautiful watches. All these great decisions we get to make in this great hobby! Unfortunately, we are getting some ra... 

I presume we all are both, vertical and horizontal, but I would add circular too. I will try to explain myself. I am inclined to say that aI often could be considered Vertical as I have my times for each model, so, I have my times for Subs, and when this ... 

The never ending collector. As you go in and out Vertical or horizontal you can always jump in at any point. I must confess I an twice a vertical collector going Vintage Rolex GMT mostly gilt and Vintage Rolex Submariner mostly gilt era. But I like your i... 

circle... that is a nice definition! where collectors spend their lives in eternum. It sounds like fantastic literature. I like the idea. Thank you Bill, very interesting thread! Kind regards

... life is a big circle which we need to complete. Not a bad idea to think about our long collecting trip like a circular experience where we repeat our tastes and come back to enjoy past favorites. Interesting to think about an alternative to horizontal... 

collect watches with a solid theme. It reflects distinctive taste and discipline. Very impressive.

Doxa is brand that I have a great admiration because of the dicing heritage. Bill

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I must say I am a little ignorant when it comes to this model except for the modern interpretation. You have to be an Rolex archeologist to make sure not to fall down any traps. Lovely collection. Bill

Yes, same like everything you need to know your stuff. I am very selective in what I buy but still make mistakes- note the rams horn prince- dial is way too clean and I suspect is a reprint . Now I have to examine in person before buying Thanks for the co... 

Bill, Great post! The Rolex bug bit me hard about a year ago. In 15 years collecting watches, ( poo-poo'ed Rolex as nothing of interest to me. I poured myself into Lange, IWC, Panerai, Parmigiani, UN, some independents and the like. Oh my gawd!! I've been... 

The first is the OCD nature of a Rolex collector. If that dial on a watch was replaced with a brand new dial most watch buyers of other brands would be elated. If that was a Rolex you just knocked 20% off the value and this is for every part from the inse... 

Rolex doesn't have too many different watches in the catalog. Most of them have Evolved with time passing, since their birth... For the Professional line, since the Fifties. And year after year, due to the reglementation ( luminous material ) or to aesthe... 

.. I would rather call myself a relative Newbie in the Rolex terrain, especially in the Vintage domain, - yes, Rolex has always been there, for a pretty long time. - Actually since aroung 1974, when I bought a simple, humble Rolex Oyster Date, black dial ... 

I consider myself as a horizontal collector Guillaume [URL=] [/URL] ...  

very nice collection !

You must tell us about the journey. To arrive a such a collection you really need a lot of experience. Just the Blueberry alone is a journey by it self. And I must say only another refined collector will recognize the blueberry. A magnificent selection to... 

I'm not really a Rolex guy and had drifted in and out of ownership over the years. What finally made me commit to keeping one was the realisation that I had one of the last "essential" Rolexes: the 14060. One that looked like it was made just for diving w... 

It stands the test of time and in future years if you pass it on that person will have then same pleasure for generation to come. But between the lines you mentioned the Purity of the 14060 that is key. That is the essense of Vintage Rolex. Clean lines wi... 

Bill- you raise a great question and it is not easy to answer. I often wonder which are the best collections: I often think it is those that are horizontal as it shows the more sophisticated collectors, that really have to do their homework and go 'deep' ...  

Please substitute with each other and my post makes more sense ;)

It is the journey and the discovery that tends to send us in different directions at different time. There is such a wealth of option for the Rolex Collector. Bill

And might become a vertical one once the horizon is covered... It's a very long journey this vintage Rolex collecting.. For what I can cope, I'm pretty much sure I'm a horizontal type and have to be picky to pick one example I like the most Best, Sam

Keeps things interesting. Until..... You fall in the vertical trap. Stay strong stay horizontal. LOL Bill

At one point , I'm sure one would eventually fall in the vertical trap... But they're too pricey for me :)) So I'm pretty much sure I will stay horizontal Hope to talk to you again soon Sam

You are the envy of both horizontal and vertical collectors. Best Bill

I think far from being an envy Bill... I mean just look at your array of GMTs! I envy you! Hehe Cheers Sam

Interesting post.. A very logical and simple way to look at the behavior of a collector well done Bill...

Then we can establish what are the predisposition of the vertical vs the horizontal. The risk taker and the adventurer. Would be fun. Where do you find yourself as a collector. Bill

differently! Any Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Deep-Sea, Sky-Dweller, GMT are in my opinion and by definition, in the VERTICAL category;) All the others then, must be in the HORIZONTAL category;) The GMT can be put in both the VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL position,... 

After all it more art than science. Thanks for your thoughts. Bill

......my way was definitely an evolution....starting horizontally and then finding "pockets" of vertical. Its a lovely way of thinking about it, but I am guessing the profile of the collector here will mirror personality traits elsewhere in their life.