I was wondering when I would get to shoehorn some watch talk into this blog:
Two customized Rolex Submariner’s by a company called Project X. They say their influence for these STEALTH models are the British Military SBS and James Bond.
You can check out the Project X site – HERE
Price for the top one is 9950 GBP (~$16,000 USD), and the bottom one will be 8750 GBP (~$14,000 USD). Quite a premium you’re paying for the customization, and not even getting the nice Rolex link bracelet. The brand new Stainless Steel Submariner Date (116610) models straight from Rolex are listed for $7375.
I’ve had my Rolex Submariner (16610) since 2004, and it’s one of the few purchases I don’t think i’ll ever regret (besides most of my Glocks). It’s one of the only things I own that I use every day and it still looks like it did the day I bought it. Worth every penny almost 1/2 million pennies I paid for it back then.
My suggestion to you guys that have been humming and hawing about buying a Rolex. DO IT NOW. Rolex increases their prices every year about 3%, so the sooner you get it the sooner you can start enjoying it, and knowing that if you want to sell it in a bunch of years you’ll get what you paid for it.
I used to throw a NATO strap on mine (like in the above pictures) every now and then just to switch things up. I misplaced my mini screwdriver set somewhere though, forgot about it, and haven’t got around to buying a new one.
When I originally decided I wanted a Rolex, I noticed EVERYONE else’s. And once I got one I still notice everyone else’s. I thought maybe everyone was like this, but I learned that in general, basically no one gives a shit what kind of watch you wear. On average once every few months I get a “Nice Watch!” from someone, usually a girl… but those conversations usually turn into awkward questions or comments about price when they ask what kind it is. After the first couple of times I got that question I know just skirt the cost by saying “I got it 6 years ago, I don’t even remember”.
It’s nice owning something that you plan on wearing for the rest of your life. I’ll NEVER sell this watch. I would like to augment my collection with a gold Yachmaster, a platinum Day-date, and a white gold Daytona though. :P I’ve got a hunger for a Panerai base model too which will probably come before those others.
Anyone else into watches? I’d love to hear what you’ve got (or want to get) in the comments.
Comments
50 responses to “Custom Military Rolex Submariners”
I’ve never had a Rolex, but I’ve had my Omega Seamaster for about three year now and have never regretted that it cost what it did. The way I see it, a watch is one of the few ways a man can express himself with a professional wardrobe.
You can’t go wrong with a Seamaster. That’s what I had before the Submariner. It was a great watch!
That’s a good way to put it!
Not gonna lie, I dig watches. I also happen to rock a Rolex GMT that just happened to belong to a SF Dive Master. It’s far to nice for me to wear but on special occasions, so I prefer to rock my Seiko 5 Automatic, Casio F91W or Marathon Navigator on a daily basis.
http://misostudios.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/watchandwait-037.jpg
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I love your GMT. That Seiko 5 is nice too! Looks great on the NATO strap in your pic.
I’ve have a $100 G-Shock for eight years that is solar powered and gets satellite time corrections. I does more and keeps better time. Even if I were wealthy, I would hope to buy greater utility, not empty branding. I just don’t get the Rolex appeal; it seems all vanity and madness.
I wear a Casio G-Shock DW-5600E. It’s pretty much your classic rubber-looking digital watch. I did quite a bit of research before I decided on it, however. This watch is essentially the Glock of wristwatches: Inexpensive, reliable, nigh indestructible. It does what it is supposed to, and it’s really hard to make it stop. There are videos on Youtube of people torture-testing them. Pretty convincing.
If you’re just looking to have something to tell the time on I agree with you. Most of my friends don’t even wear a watch anymore, they just use their cellphone. I just love the look, and feel, and I appreciate the intricacies of the automatic movement. I am drawn to the mechanical primitive aspect of them the same way I am drawn to guns.
I’m new to handgunning (I live in a marginally permissive state). My most recent acquisition is a Gen 4 Glock 17. So far (300 or so rounds) I like it a lot… just curious – what don’t you like about them?
You can’t go wrong with a Glock Aaron! I think you misunderstood what I was saying.
Indeed, Mike. Sorry about that. Let’s call it a “non-controlled study of the effects of sleep deprivation on reading comprehension skills.” :)
First, Aaron, go back and re-read what he said about Glocks. I think he likes them.
Second, maybe it won’t be your thing, but I really like Soviet era Russian watches. Cheap, tough and very interesting. Most are military or military derived designs. Go here:
http://www.russianwatchguide.com/
Sweet. They’ve got some really nice designs there. Love the ones with Russian lettering on the face; very unique.
Thanks for the link!
Some unique designs on there! I wonder how reliable those brands are?
From what I read Volmax and Poljot seem to be the standout brands. Both have a pretty long history of quality manufacturing. Plus they are fairly cheap, most between $200-$1000.
I am in love with this one, and must have it immediately!
http://www.russia2all.com/aviator-poljot-volmax-pilot-watch-swifts/aviator-45mm-russian-pilots-watch/aviator-45mm-red-mechanical-russian-watch-6975580.html
Rolex Sea Dweller here, had it about 11 years or so now (before the latest redesign) Time to send it back to Rolex for a tuning as it loses time if you don’t wear it all day every day now.
The Sea Dweller is awesome. It was a tossup between that and the sub for me, but I decided to go with the sub because I really liked the look of the cyclops magnifier on the crystal.
Ive had my Submariner for 3 years. Got a used one at a great deal. It is the one Item I own that I would never sell. To the previous poster that doesn’t get the appeal and would buy an item with more “utility”, I say to each his own. I think the same thing when I go to the range and see guys with thousands in weapons and optics knowing full well that they will never do anything more with them than shoot water bottles at 100 yards. However, if it makes them happy to own these things then good for them. America, Fuck Yea!
I agree! What’s the point of working if you don’t treat yourself?
I have had my Explorer I for 18 years now. I have never regretted the simple look. As soon as I saw the two watches above I liked them. Don’t need one, though, and would rather buy a gun or three with the money.
The Explorer I is timeless… that’s a good choice! I forgot to add that to my list in the post, but I want one of those too.
Over the years, I’ve owned several Rolexs, my favorite was a steel/gold Submariner (I know, the gold was excessive, but so is owning a Rolex). My wife wears a steel GMT Master II, and she DOES get comments. Guys seem to like seeing a woman wearing a Rolex men’s model the same way they like seeing women shooters (which my wife also does). I’ve moved on to Breitlings, which I prefer; I wear a steel Breitling Chronomat Longitude most days– a much better watch than a Daytona, IMO. My wife wants the Panerai.
So true.
I like Breitling’s when I see other people wearing them, or when I see them in the display case. For some reason when I put them on I feel the dial is just too busy though. Maybe it’s because I have no idea what half the numbers and dials are even for :P
I have to admit that I use the chronograph function only a couple of times a week, and then only because it’s there. The Daytona of course is the same. My “Longitude” also has the second time zone hand, so it basically combines the functions of the Rolex Daytona and the GMT Master II.
You mentioned being drawn to the mechanical aspect of automatic watches, and it’s the same for me; complications like the chrono/time zone functions add to that. These are amazing little machines. Once you get used to looking at the chrono face on a Daytona or a Breitling, it becomes second nature.
Many take the utilitarian view, and that’s fine for them. I like having a nice anachronistic timepiece on my wrist; come to think of it, I’m an anachronism myself! To each his own.
For got to add that were that Stealth model just a little bit more reasonably priced, I’d be getting in line for one. They could price them at half what they’re asking and almost certainly make a nice profit. It seems that they are mostly selling exclusivity rather than the watch itself, which is unfortunate because that watch is very nice.
Hmmm, a full auto NFA item or a watch??? I’ll go with the gun…
+1
However anyone who can sport a $16k watch probably already has more than a couple of those already.
In the meantime, I’ll just shake my fist at the air in a fit of jealousy. :P
I wear a NATO band on my current Citizen since that’s what I can afford. I really want to get a birth-year Omega Speedmaster Pro, quite possibly my all time favorite watch for timeless style and class. Diving and submariner watches always have such wide bezels that take away from the size and focus of the face, but it’s probably the best looking Rolex.
That stealth Rolex is a beauty though. I think the only way to improve on the looks would be to have a more military-inspired face with numbers everywhere but 12 and 3, with a little less clutter of writing on the face.
Good call on the Speedmaster. That’s one of my favorite Omega’s. The space history of it is awesome too!
I would love a Rolex, but I need a new tractor first…
I’ve got a couple of Luminox watches, and I don’t care what you may say, they live up to the marketing hype. At least the ones I have do. Also own a cheapo Swiss Army. I have a Nite MX-10 which is pretty sweet for a utility watch with tritium (and an ACTUAL military watch with NATO# stamped on the back). But my favorite by far is the G-shock. Hands down the most comfortable and useful watch I own and I don’t constantly worry about scratching it up.
I’ve heard good things about Luminox. I’m thinking of picking up a G-Shock for when I go mountain biking and hiking. I find when I wore my Rolex, the weight of it sometimes hurt my wrist after shaking around for hours on end.
Yeah, I’m not a rich man so I have a G-Shock G9000MS… it just works =P
That watch looks bulletproof! I’m considering getting a “MudMan” for biking/hiking and other rough use.
I’ll stick with my Suunto. If I ever get lost in the woods I’ll know what direction I’m heading, and I can monitor changes in barometric pressure to be aware of possible storms coming! While I do have a great affinity for Bond’s Seamaster Planet Ocean, I like the functionality of the digital watches made for sports and outdoor use.
I know what you’re saying Josh. I should probably pick one of those up too for outdoor use. I still prefer the way a non plastic watch looks with my usual attire of a poloshirts and jeans though.
Casio makes a rather nice watch for outdoor use and activity without the plastic look and feel, this one is titanium: http://pathfinder.casio.com/search/?searchme=PAG240T-7
I hate those Pathfinder watches; there’s just way too much going on there. Suunto has some metal watches too, and they’re far classier looking – not so much ridiculous looking stuff going on on the face.
http://www.suunto.com/en-US/Products/premium-sports-watches/suunto-elementum-aqua/suunto-elementum-aqua-steel/
http://www.suunto.com/en-US/Products/premium-sports-watches/suunto-elementum-terra/suunto-elementum-terra-steel/
http://www.suunto.com/en-US/Products/Outdoor/Suunto-Observer/Suunto-Observer-Tt/
The first one’s a dive watch, and doesn’t have the altimeter and compass, but the other two do.
I just don’t think knowing what time it is is really that important. I don’t see it as an investment, or as a necessity. I could buy a motorcycle for as much, and while it might be more practical, it’s only marginally more useful. A watch doesn’t even measure time, it measures itself. That being said, my former boss had a Rolex he bought in the 1960’s which he wore every day since then around the world. Still ran flawlessly.
Don’t forget that if you get the customized rolex, and you break it and end it back to rolex, they will repair the shit out of it and make it look just like a brand new whatever it was when it started, and then charge you for their (dis)service
not sure if i’d be willing to stomach 14 / 16 thousand bucks for one of those though
I rock a 6541 milgauss every day.
I would love to have a rolex at the moment all I have is my (expensive to me) Tissot I paid $600 for :)
Cool, do you have a Touch model? I played around with those for a bit, they’re pretty neat.
I’m not much of a watch guy, but I have a Breitling Colt that I like a lot.
I like the simple dial on the Colt. A lot less busy than the other Breitling models I’ve seen.
http://store.debaufre.com/Aircraft-8-s/1.htm
and
http://www.tokyoflash.com/en/watches/1/
First link = Classy
Second link = Whoa!
I’ve read people have been robbed by gang members who wanted their Rolex watches as a gang symbol and by drug addicts who need quick cash.
I’ll just keep a Walmart special.
I wouldn’t doubt that, that’s why I keep insurance on it. For their family’s sake I hope these gang members have life insurance though (if you catch my drift).
Love the flat black stealth, but way out of my price range..
Don’t normally wear a watch, but I been checking out the following:
http://bit.ly/ieTwko – M42 phantom
http://bit.ly/icCrFQ – M42 phantom
http://bit.ly/hlRKRd – Combat B13
And this one is pretty sweet too:
http://bit.ly/e3YMdt – Luminox SR-71 Blackbird 9052
I normally wear my titanium Citizen, but my favorite I own is probably my Jorg Gray 6500-11. One of these days I’ll be able to afford an Omega Speedmaster though.
Mine looks like that Rolex but its an UZI Defender with tritium illumination. It has a very accurate Swiss movement and glows all night long!
http://www.uzi.campco-support.com/Product.asp?productid=32
I actually JUST ordered one of those, and have to stop by the UPS center to pick it up at lunch tomorrow! Found it on sale, and bought the last one from LA Police Gear.