Dive watches are built for the very condition that ruins leather straps: existing underwater. By this logic, a dive watch on leather is a lot like ranch dressing on pancakes: strange, unappealing, and borderline blasphemous. Plenty of watch forum dwellers will tell you just that. However, the pairing lives on as a popular one, and there are plenty of reasons as to why. Because dive watches have evolved a great deal over their near century of existence, I’m splitting this discussion into two parts: vintage and modern. Leather Straps on Vintage Dive Watches While leather straps certainly have t ..read more

With few exceptions, Rolex watches feature solid metal casebacks. Besides saving a bit of thickness and sometimes increasing water resistance, solid casebacks are great as canvases for engraving. After all, Rolex watches are commonly celebratory purchases: physical representations of sentimental things. Engravings are no different. By engraving your Rolex’s caseback with a name, date, location, or message, you’re immortalizing a special person, moment, etc. All that said, it’s natural to wonder how an engraving might affect your Rolex’s value. These are expensive objects we’re talking abo ..read more

The DeepSea 136668LB — Rolex's new 322g, full-gold, 44m-wide, and 17.7mm-thick watch — commands attention as soon as you enter the room. Its size and beauty are unmistakable. The bezel, ring lock, and dial all feature the same mesmerizing blue lacquer, creating a cohesive and captivating look. Before you even put it on, you'll feel an urge to go for a swim. On the wrist, the solid gold watch is undeniably large. While wearing it all day, you'll definitely notice its weight and presence, but for many, that's part of the appeal—to feel the luxury and substance of s ..read more

So, you want a deal on a Rolex. We get it, so does everyone else – but what is the lowest-priced Rolex in today’s market? We did a bit of internet sleuthing, scouring online marketplaces to find the craziest deal on a Rolex watch. Instead of finding just one, we found three Rolex watches, breaking up the search across three categories. I’ll admit I was a bit shocked about how little one has to pay to get a Rolex in today’s market. Our criteria for finding the lowest-priced (cheapest) Rolexes on the market are as follows: The watch has to be a Rolex – no Tudor technicalities.  The Rolex h ..read more

You may have heard rumblings of reduced wait times for hard-to-obtain Rolex models. While there’s no concrete data with which to substantiate these rumblings, there is concrete data that’s relevant to the discussion. The watch market is softening before our eyes (from astronomical highs), and while Rolex is far from being reactive/bound to market trends, supply and demand is referred to as a “law” for a reason. With lower overall demand (again, compared to astronomical highs), we may be perceiving higher supply for a number of reasons that we're about to discuss. Before get ..read more

I absolutely love to attend watch trade shows. They provide a unique opportunity to nerd out with like-minded people, swap stories, and of course, try on countless watches in the metal. Windup Watch Fair, a triannual event held in Chicago, San Francisco, and New York is an event where watch people like myself get to meet up, talk watches, and buy them directly from a roster of 30-60 watch brands. The next Chicago Windup Watch Fair is in just a few days! Let’s dig into the details of the show… First, here are specifics: Location:  Venue West, 221 N Pauli ..read more

This article could simply read, “do whatever you want with your watch,” but where’s the value in that? Today we’re talking about Rolex stickers: when and where you’ll find them, whether or not you should remove them (if presented the opportunity), and their impact on your watch’s value. Disclaimer: this article mostly touches on Rolex’s modern clear protective stickers; if you’re here for those circular green caseback stickers (no longer in production), skip to the final section. Rolex’s Current Sticker Protocol (2024) Rolex authorized dealers (ADs) receive watches covered with clear protecti ..read more

Reports indicate that Rolex may end its 11-year global sponsorship of Formula 1 next season, with LVMH poised to step in. This information was first reported by Coronet magazine, citing sources in Geneva.  Rolex has been the official timekeeper for Formula 1 since 2013, consistently promoting its brand at all racetracks while allowing other brands to be associated with teams and drivers. According to Forbes, Rolex invests approximately $50 million annually in this partnership. Image Source: Rolex The sport has experienced a substantial increase in popularity, attracting an average of 70 ..read more

Insurance isn’t the sexiest topic in watch collecting, and as such, it doesn’t get much attention. The truth of the matter is: watches are some of the easiest valuables to be stolen, lost, and/or damaged. If you own a nice watch, let alone a collection of them, you may consider insuring them. If you already insure your watches, don’t click away, there might be an alternative method that’s a better fit for you. Should You Insure Your Watches? At the end of the day, this is a personal question based on a number of factors. What’s the monetary value of your collection? How comfortable would ..read more

Since 2021, I have done quite a bit of traveling. Even though most of the travel has been work-related, I always bring at least two watches with me. Most of the time, one or both of these watches is a Rolex. Considering the sharp rise in worldwide watch theft, I am beginning to think twice about traveling with my Rolexes. Is it a bad idea? Before getting into the risks associated with traveling with a Rolex, let me give you a bit of background on myself and my passion for Rolex.  My Experience Traveling With Rolex Watches I am lucky enough to be the owner of Everest Bands and a part ..read more