The Charm of Stories Makes It Even Better _ Rolex 17000 Mark1 Oysterquartz

Rolex 17000 Mark1 Oysterquartz

The reason I'm a fan of 'vintage/old' is because there's a story behind it. I'm not a collector, and I haven't collected undervalued stocks expecting to make a big profit later... I just love things with stories. So, which Rolex watch has the most stories? Undoubtedly, it's the Oysterquartz.

A quartz watch made by Rolex... but it was worn by the legendary explorer Reinhold Messner who reached the summit of Everest without oxygen. So... it's a true tool watch and rightfully considered one of the best quartz watches.

But in reality, the Oysterquartz is Rolex's abandoned child. Introduced in 1977 and discontinued in 2001, the father (Rolex) doesn't even remember the child (Oysterquartz). No, it's more like they disowned it from the family registry. It's such a functionally and aesthetically superior product... is Rolex ashamed of it being quartz?

When I said I was going to my second master's at 'Seonggong University Graduate School of Culture,' my alma mater's professor said to me, "Kim, are you not going to be a pastor?" It seemed like he was worried that if I went to a leftist school and couldn't get ordained later, what would happen. Naively, I replied, "I just won't put it on my resume~^^" Who knows if Rolex felt the same way as me.

The Oysterquartz sold about 250,000 units over 24 years (which is relatively small), and this Mark1 was only sold for three years from '77 to '79, making it a truly rare item worthy of collecting.

If someone told me to choose only three Rolexes...

1. Vintage Explorer 1 14270 (Tritium)

2. Vintage Submariner 14060 (Two-line Submariner)

3. Oysterquartz Mark1

• And if I had to add one more, it would be a gold Daytona or a Comex.

Anyway, the 17000 has no chamfering on the case, a one-piece bracelet that continues the vibe, and a slightly thicker body due to the quartz movement! It's such a unique Rolex. A Rolex that's not flashy, indifferent, not a flex, not well-known, but incomparable to the Air-King. I like those kinds of Rolexes.