My First Rolex Was a Little Too Much, and I Still Love It

 My first real watch was a Rolex.

And honestly, I probably started a little too big. 😂

It's a Rolex Datejust 31: steel and yellow gold, Jubilee bracelet, white mother-of-pearl dial, diamond bezel, and diamond hour markers.

But here's the thing. I didn't actually choose that combination.

The white mother-of-pearl dial is still my favorite part.

"Buy a Rolex first. Then buy whatever you want."

When I started shopping for my first real watch, I asked around. And almost everyone gave me the same advice: if you're buying a watch, buy it from a watch brand.

Cartier? Chanel? "Those are jewelry and fashion brands," my friends said. "Get a Rolex first. Then buy whatever else you like."

So Rolex it was.

Back then, you waited at the door

These days, from what I hear, many Rolex boutiques in Korea ask you to book a visit in advance. When I bought mine, it worked differently.

You lined up in front of the store, waited your turn, and only then could you walk in and see what they had. I waited a long time before I got inside.

And this is the important part: I didn't pick a configuration and order it. I looked at what happened to be in the case that day and decided yes or no. The only real choice was whether to take it home. 😂

So my first Rolex wasn't a carefully planned dream spec. It was simply the one that was there.

Not a dream spec I ordered. Just the one that happened to be in the case that day.

I wasn't sure about the diamonds

Honestly, I never set out to buy a diamond bezel. At first, it felt like too much. I don't usually go for flashy styles.

But then a thought crossed my mind: "When I'm older, won't a watch with diamonds suit me even better?"

If this was going to be my first proper watch, I wanted something I could wear for decades. In Korea, we have a cute slang word for this: halmi-tem (할미템), a "grandma item." It's the kind of piece you buy now and imagine still wearing as a stylish grandmother. 👵💎

So in a way, I bought my grandma watch early.

The mother-of-pearl dial is what won me over

If there's one thing I truly love about this watch, it's the mother-of-pearl dial.

Mine is a white mother-of-pearl. It has a clean, gentle glow that's completely my taste, and it shifts a little as the light changes. Even with all the diamonds, the pearly dial keeps the whole watch from looking stiff or over the top.

I've always loved a clean, elegant look, so I think that's why the dial still feels so pretty to me. To be honest, I'm more attached to the dial than to the diamond bezel.

It's easier to wear than you'd think

Objectively, yes, it's a flashy watch. Diamond bezel and diamond markers. But once it's on my wrist, it doesn't feel like much at all.

That's probably because I dress simply. Since the watch is already the statement, I never stack bracelets or bangles with it. One watch, nothing else. That looks cleanest to me.

It works with a white shirt, a simple knit, and casual outfits too. So I've never thought of it as a "special occasions only" watch.

An everyday drive. The diamonds are louder in theory than in real life.

Confession: it's not my most-worn watch

I have to be honest here. 😅

I rotate between a few watches, and this Rolex isn't the one I reach for most. That would be my Cartier Baignoire bangle watch, a little oval watch on a gold bangle. Yes, Cartier, the brand everyone told me to skip for my first watch. Funny how that worked out.

That doesn't mean the Rolex sits in a drawer. Every time I take it out, I still think it's beautiful, just like the day I bought it. And the mother-of-pearl dial? Years later, I'm still not tired of it.

A lot for a first watch, but no regrets

Looking back, I started my watch journey at a pretty high level. 😂

The diamond bezel wasn't my first choice, and it even felt a bit much at first. But now I'm glad I bought it. I think diamonds will look even more natural on me as I get older, and I know I'll still love that pearly dial.

So yes, it's a little bit of a halmi-tem. I didn't buy it just for who I was then. I bought it for who I'll be later, too.

It's not my everyday watch, and it's not my most-worn one. But whenever I put it on, I still love it.

Rolex prices have gone up quite a bit since then, which makes me smile a little. Maybe I really did make a good choice. 😂

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What was your first "real" watch? Did you plan it carefully, or did it just happen, like mine? Tell me in the comments! 💬