Hello watch aficionados, today we are happy to launch a new category in the Toolwatch blog where we will be interviewing watch geeks like you and me or people from the watchmaking industry to learn more about a treasured watch of theirs. We hope you will like this first interview and feel free to contact us if you would like to be featured here.
Hello Paul, could you please quickly introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m Paul Altieri, the Founder and CEO of Bob’s Watches. We run the world’s first and only Pre-Owned Rolex Exchange, where customers can buy, sell, and trade vintage and used Rolex watches at their true, fair market value.
How long have you been into watches, can you remember which watch started it all?
I’ve been into watches for the last 40 years. It started when I was a teenager working at a private country club in New England. A lot of the golfers wore cool Rolex watches and I immediately became fascinated with them. The Rolex Submariner was the watch that started it all; the brushed stainless steel with the black lacquer dial immediately drew me to it – plus, it was the perfect size on my wrist.
Can you present the grail watch you have with you? What drew you to this particular watch?
The grail watch that I have with me today is the Rolex Submariner, reference 6204. The Submariner has always been a favorite of mine, and the reference 6204 was the very first Submariner that Rolex ever produced.
This watch checks all the boxes for what I look for in a vintage Rolex. It was one of the very first dive watches in the world, and it represents the start of a true classic. The reference 6204 holds a place of tremendous importance within the entire watch industry, and its design has influenced nearly every single dive watch that is in production today.
The 6204 was the beginning of the Submariner, and the Submariner was the beginning of my interest in watches. It has a certain level of importance to me in that regard, but it’s also a great example of vintage Rolex design and an excellent overall watch to own.
How about its accuracy?
Its accuracy is superb for a timepiece of this age, but timekeeping ability is really only a small part of the reason for why I own a reference 6204 Submariner. The watch industry more-or-less perfected the art of timekeeping with the advent of the quartz movement, but there remains a huge level of interest in mechanical watches due to the art, precision, and collectability that exists within the mechanical approach to timekeeping.
Note : Measure the accuracy of your watch on Toolwatch.io!
Is there a watch you are aiming at?
I’d love to own one of the ultra-rare (and near-legendary) vintage Rolex watches, like a reference 4113 split-seconds chronograph, or the reference 3346 Zerograph. Both of these watches are incredibly old, and both were manufactured in such small numbers that I am not likely to come across either anytime soon; however I can always keep my fingers crossed and keep searching.
Thank you Paul Altieri, is there something else you would like to add?
Thank you for having me. Always do your homework before purchasing a watch, and always make sure that you are buying it from a reputable and reliable source!
Want to be featured here or recommend someone that should be? Feel free to contact us !
See you soon for a next article to share our love for mechanical watches !