The Adventures of MDawg II

In Fear and Loathing in LV, HST's attorney mentioned that he had a powerful lust for red salmon. Lately I have a powerful lust for new timepieces.


I already have a Cosmograph 6239, 6263 and 6265, but I acquired a second 6265 just today, and here it is side by side next to my Paul Newman 116528 (it is called a Paul Newman because of the red sweep second hand and the red markings around the edge of the dial). This 6265 is the most valuable of 6265s because it is a Big Red Daytona, so named because the words Daytona are inscribed on the dial in big red letters.

What's interesting, is that the stainless steel 6265 is worth much more than the 18K solid gold 116528. This particular Big Red 6265 is in mint condition and came with the original Rolex box and papers, which makes it worth even more, about double what the 18K 116528 is worth. If the 6265 had a Paul Newman dial, something like this:

or this

it would be worth anywhere from a quarter million to over a half million, or even more (Paul Newman's own Paul Newman Cosmographs sold for up to five million dollars). I have two of those old Cosmograph Daytonas with the Paul Newman dials but I usually don't travel with them. You practically don't want to wear a timepiece worth a half million for fear of getting a scratch on it.

The other cool thing about the old stainless steel Cosmographs is that - wear one, and almost nobody knows what it is. Discreet. One guy is wearing a silly looking aftermarket diamond encrusted Rolex that he ruined with gaudiness and doesn't even know that an old plain stainless Cosmograph is worth more, and will continue to go up in value while he just ruined the value of his Rolex by adding aftermarket jewels to it.

The point of all this, is that some Rolexes, especially Daytonas, are not just hunks of jewelry, but investments. These 6265 Cosmographs for example - I'm told that Rolex couldn't give them away in the 1980s when the new automatic Daytonas came out. And back then I understand that used ones were worth maybe a thousand dollars tops, if that. Even as recently as fifteen years ago a 6265 (non-Paul Newman) cost maybe $20K. Today, five or six times that for one in mint condition with box and papers.

Anyway, I figured I'd put some of these casino winnings into something tangible. Yes, the wife got some things too, not a watch but something along the lines of what SooPoo is getting for his wife.

I wouldn’t call them an investment.

But a decent store of value for a discretionary purchase

They pretty much hold their real monetary value

It depends on the watch.

For example, if you bought any of these Rolex older Cosmograph Daytonas: 6239, 6263, 6265 etc. (manufactured in the 1960s - 1980s) cosmographs in the past, as I have, they would be worth more today. Comparing their value increase over the past forty years - an increase on an exponential order of 100X or more.

Same with certain old Submariners, especially the red submariners. I have a 1680 red Submariner I picked up for about 10K about fifteen years ago, it is worth 4-5X that now.

As far as more contemporary Rolex models, the Daytonas and Submariners especially, most of them, are worth more today than years ago.

The 6265 I bought today: will it be worth $200K in ten or so years? Probably.

As far as current contemporary models, currently Rolex no longer special orders their top models, such as any watch in platinum, or any Daytona in stainless steel. There is no waiting list either. Just, you have to give your name to your local authorized Rolex dealer and hope that you'll get a call, if you're considered a loyal customer - in about four years. Similar to the sort of situation if you're looking for a brand new Ferrari: good luck. But if you do land that brand new specialty Rolex, you could literally turn around and sell it for more than you paid right on the spot. Here's a number you could relate to: if you had put your name down a few years ago, and the authorized Rolex dealer deemed you worthy, you could pick up that Rolex Platina (Daytona in platinum) for only $75,000. today, and as you know, it's selling used today for as much as double that.

Among other watches that seem to increase in value are platinum Pateks, and any Patek Nautilus.

For the most part, the best way to buy any watch is in the pre-owned department, with notable exceptions, such as watches that are currently selling used for more than brand new full retail - due to almost complete unavailability new.

I watched an old Columbo episode the other day with Roddy McDowall. I like some of those old '70s series. McDowall was driving a Ferrari 365 Daytona (coupe). I looked - they seem to be worth around 200K nowadays. I'm pretty sure they were selling for a fraction of that in the '80s and '90s. In my family we have a few older Ferraris and Lamborghinis and all are worth a lot more today than thirty years ago. I myself collect vintage classic cars, European, and while they may be very expensive to restore (if they get to that point or need it), they are worth a lot if kept up.

Old American cars, some of them, are worth a lot more today than years ago too, of course.

Plus you may enjoy a watch and wear it, look at a painting on the wall, drive a car, all the while as they appreciate in value. Anyway these are options besides socking money into the stock market.

Here's an old Peugeot 403 like Columbo drove, currently for auction at around $11K
https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car/peugeot/403/1958/872647
it's in terrible condition though and will probably cost you at least 80K to restore....

Day 169 play.

DD Blackjack. 500 - 20000.

I roared ahead to +20k early on, kept playing and was actually -5K at one point but pretty quickly rallied back to +15K. Peaked at about +23K, started to slide back some, stopped.

+20000

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.



I'm willing to present a side Challenge. If anyone doubts that any one, just any one of the Session reports I present during this trip is not entirely accurate, throw down a red flag! Put up a mere ten grand in cash, let's work out how to verify the Session to your satisfaction using the Wizard as the judge, and winner takes the twenty thousand.

I'll contribute five hundred from my end for the Wizard's time if the Challenger will do the same, so that's $19,000. to the winner of this side Challenge.

This Side Challenge remains good for the duration of this particular Vegas trip.

As far as leftover slot machine tickets, I have noticed them left on machines, on the ground, in the tarry black sand of trash receptacles by the elevators, and, in particular, at least at this one resort, littering this Buddhist sort of well wishing shrine.


I've noticed tickets in that shrine for up to a few dollars actually, not just pennies.

And then if you drop by the shrine at another time,


the tickets are gone - so someone is picking them up. The amount of change doesn't seem to overflow either, so perhaps people are scooping some of that up too?

It's the cleaners MDawg, taking the tickets home, and then scooping some change up.
Get the family to go in and cash in the tickets for cold, hard, cash.

Day 170 play.

DD Blackjack. 500 - 10000.

There were some big bets that I won, but it was mostly (though not entirely) the grind that took me ahead.

+10500

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.



I'm willing to present a side Challenge. If anyone doubts that any one, just any one of the Session reports I present during this trip is not entirely accurate, throw down a red flag! Put up a mere ten grand in cash, let's work out how to verify the Session to your satisfaction using the Wizard as the judge, and winner takes the twenty thousand.

I'll contribute five hundred from my end for the Wizard's time if the Challenger will do the same, so that's $19,000. to the winner of this side Challenge.

This Side Challenge remains good for the duration of this particular Vegas trip.

Day 171 play.

DD Blackjack. 500 - 6000.

Pretty smooth sailing. On a good roll lately a good clip.

+11800

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.



I'm willing to present a side Challenge. If anyone doubts that any one, just any one of the Session reports I present during this trip is not entirely accurate, throw down a red flag! Put up a mere ten grand in cash, let's work out how to verify the Session to your satisfaction using the Wizard as the judge, and winner takes the twenty thousand.

I'll contribute five hundred from my end for the Wizard's time if the Challenger will do the same, so that's $19,000. to the winner of this side Challenge.

This Side Challenge remains good for the duration of this particular Vegas trip.

The Perpetual Comp Machine from all this play is roaring.