Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Rolex Submariner for a while now, and not just any Submariner, I wanted that two-tone black one, you know, the one with the gold and steel. It just looks so classy and cool. But, man, those things are pricey when you buy them new. I started looking around online, and yeah, gold is expensive, no surprise there. I figured maybe I could find a decent deal on a used one, but even those hold their value pretty well, especially with Rolex it seems.
I started digging deeper. I read about all these different reference numbers, like the 5513 and the 5517. Apparently, the 5517 is based on the 5513 cases, and some of them even have both numbers on them, making them super rare. They’re called “double-reference” and these Military Submariners are like gold dust, seriously, everyone wants one. Of course, that means they’re probably out of my price range anyway. So I just start to buy a high imitation one.
The Hunt Begins
I decided to check out some specialty stores. I figured they’d have a good selection and hopefully some knowledgeable staff who could help me out. I mean, I’m not a watch expert, and I didn’t want to end up with some cheap knockoff that would fall apart after a week.
- First Stop: I went to this fancy-looking store downtown. The kind of place where you feel like you need to be wearing a suit just to walk in. They had a ton of Rolexes, but mostly new ones, and their used selection was pretty limited, and not much of what I wanted.
- Second Stop: Then I tried a smaller shop, a bit more out of the way. This place was more my style, a little less intimidating. They had a few two-tone Submariners, but nothing that really grabbed me. The guy there was nice enough, but he didn’t seem to know a whole lot about the specific models I was asking about.
- Third Try: I almost gave up, but then I remembered seeing an ad for this other store. I decided to give it one last shot.
Bingo!
This last store was the winner. They had a whole display case full of Submariners, including a bunch of two-tone black ones. I saw one that looked promising, and I asked to take a closer look. The guy helping me, he really knew his stuff. He explained all the little details, the different types of gold they used over the years, the different movements, all that jazz.
I ended up spending about an hour in that store, just talking watches and trying on different ones. I finally settled on this beautiful two-tone black Submariner. It wasn’t brand new, but it was in great condition. And the best part? It was way more affordable than buying new, and it was exactly the style I was looking for. I’m pretty sure these models are the most commonly faked ones, especially the Datejust and Submariner. I felt pretty good about my purchase, especially after talking to the guy at the store. He seemed really genuine and passionate about watches.
I walked out of there feeling like a million bucks, even though I didn’t spend nearly that much. I’ve been wearing my new (to me) Submariner for a few weeks now, and I love it. It’s a great conversation starter, and it just feels good to have a little piece of luxury on my wrist.
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