I’ve always appreciated Rolex and what they stand for, but couldn’t seem to find a style that fit me. We stayed there longer than Ann had planned. By then, we had five girls and had managed to save some money for college – and let me tell you, the cost of living in a city without an international airport is pretty staggering. What’s the point of leaving New York and getting up at 4:30 every morning to work if I can’t indulge myself and buy the things I’ve admired my whole life. 
With a purchase like this, how much you spend can directly affect its value in your mind. One of the regrets of my life is that I waited too long to propose to Ann. I had a silly formula in my head that her engagement ring should be some percentage of my annual salary – which was silly because she probably would have accepted a bubblegum cigar ring if I had asked her – but a nice ring symbolizes the importance of sacrifice. A lot of things are valuable. And this replica Rolex was significant.
In 2001, it seemed strange to buy a watch over the Internet. Yes, people were shopping online, but they definitely weren’t spending money online like this. We discussed this in our “computer room”. Does anyone even call it that anymore? It’s a dedicated place for my daughters to play the Sims, we do our banking and occasionally send emails.
Anyway, you can guess how the story ends – we have a long history of Ann shrugging and just following along when I go down a rabbit hole of something I really, really want. For me, hunting is as good as finding. Sometimes even better.
Sure, it has the status of a brand, but then the minimalism of the bezel, Arabic numerals, and black dial …… It looks totally Spartan. Simple, understated, beautifully designed, and proportionally balanced. It was, and still is, a practical watch at heart. It makes you look at it more than at the first glance. You never need to take it off, and I hardly ever need to.
And what do you get when you find your one watch to rule them all? The most precious thing of all. I got that time back. Although if I hadn’t waited until I was 40, would it have been any less awesome? Who knows. This watch is so perfect for me, I’ll take it as soon as my wrist is big enough.
