Why Im Putting A Pin On The Explorer II 16570

June 25, 2016

At the end of 2021, I was faced with a challenge. That challenge - which a number of our editors also took? - was to write an article about my grail watch. Call me a pessimist, or a realist, but I would never call a watch my grail if I didnt think it was something that I could genuinely get my hands on someday. To me, theres a certain level of obtainability implied by the term grail. After all, Indy did get his hands on the grail at the end of The Last Crusade- I would refer to anything more than that as a dream watch, something which I can admire and appreciate, without feeling like I need to own it someday. This is why I picked the Explorer II 16570 as my grail watch.But little did I know that the article in question would get the response it did and that I would essentially be painting (or writing) myself into a corner.If you havent read the article in question, you can find it here. Id recommend you read that first before carrying on with the rest of this one. But Ill do my best to keep the callbacks to a minimum (TL;DR my grail watchs price is rising quicker than my ability to save up money to buy it). Now that youre familiar with the dilemma, I should explain the consequences of the write-up and its response, which was overwhelmingly sympathetic, kind, encouraging, and inspiring. Many of you, our readers, were extremely supportive and encouraging, sharing with me your stories about your own 16570s and how much you appreciate them. Some of you have even bought the watch after reading the article. And this built up a sort of expectation in my mind that I must now keep in check.Image courtesy of @wrists.and.wallsChecking my expectationsThe incredible response to this article made me think that I was definitely onto something. And though my choice of the Explorer II 16570 was genuine, the feelings I expressed for it were just the first green shoots emerging from where a seed had been planted. This is due to the nature of how I usually look at watches that are beyond my immediate purchasing power. The truth is, I dont tend to think about them all that much. Writing about a solid gold AP, a Vacheron Constantin Metiers dArt, or a Louis Moinet masterpiece is part of my job. And though I deeply appreciate and admire those watches, they aren t ones that I think about on a daily basis. I can t even say that I long to own them someday.Image courtesy of @m.adcock81But thats fine, and I think most seasoned watch journalists will agree with this sentiment to some degree. Theres no need to aspire to own a watch to truly appreciate what its all about and what it means. I quote James Stacey on an episode of The Grey NATO podcast, who in turn quotes Steven Pulvirent (formerly of Hodinkee), saying that ownership is overrated. These are words that perfectly express what I feel is a healthy approach to these luxury creations. That said, we all like owning watches. But it all must remain within what is realistic and attainable without putting one s self in a financially unsound situation. I did that once before when I bought my Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch. And as much as I dont regret that decision, its not something Im in a rush to repeat.Image courtesy of @morgansaignesPutting the Explorer II 16570 on iceIts all part of the collecting journey, something which is unique to each of us. Its the winding path that we follow through our passion (hobby always feels like an understatement) for watches, the ones we buy, sell, and lust after. As much as I would have loved to follow up that article with another piece called My 16570 - What Its Like To Finally Own My Grail Watch (or something like that), it will have to wait. You might be thinking, Well, of course, you were always going to have to wait. That was the whole point you made in the article. And thats fair enough, except for the fact that I set up an expectation for myself, which was to buy Explorer II before the end of this year, and before my 30th birthday in January of the following year.Image courtesy of @wrists.and.wallsThe story would have been a good one, but life doesnt always go the way we want it to. Sometimes it simply cant, for purely practical reasons. Im not here to bore you with the details, but not long ago, I had the realization that there were other things more important in my life than making this story a reality. And at first, it was quite frustrating, but the frustration quickly gave way to peaceful acceptance. The 16570 will always exist. Yes, its price may continue to climb, but there will be a moment, at some point in the (hopefully) not too distant future where it will make sense to finally call one my own. But theres no need to rush into it, sacrificing all good sense simply to acquire a watch that will be there waiting for me when Im ready.Courtesy of Chrono24One door closes and another one opensHey, cmon! Dont look so sad. This isnt supposed to be a total downer (though I admit it might have started off that way). Thats the last thing any of us need on a Monday! So let me say that though my realization that Id have to put a pin on my plans was indeed followed by a period of slight frustration, those dark clouds quickly parted, and the suns rays started to shine through. The pressure I was putting on myself to somehow make it happen was gone. And now I feel light as a feather, with the whole world of watches (under $5,000) open before me. Sure, Ill still save up for a 16570. But its not going to be an ascetic or spartan journey to getting there. In fact, making this a long-term goal instead of a rush job opens plenty of interesting doors.And behind those doors lie some pretty fantastic watches. Watches that I can afford and that Ill enjoy just as much. Perhaps not forever, but thats not what its all about. Sure, it would be nice to have my grail watch this coming year, but we all know the ephemeral nature of grails. Once one has been acquired, the target slowly shifts to another. Perhaps aiming too high, too soon would only be a source of frustration and dissatisfaction. On the other hand, working my way up the winding road and enjoying the journey is where the real enjoyment of this passion of ours lies. So roll down the window, and play your favorite record - theres still plenty of road ahead. And though I don t know where that road will take me, I certainly am excited to find out!Image courtesy of @morgansaignesFinal thoughtsOh boy. Another rather long-winded philosophical rant, triggered by the Explorer II 16570. Maybe this just proves that it really is my grail watch. And though there are many people out there lucky enough to own it already, the journey that leads me to own mine someday is just as exciting as the prospect of actually owning it. And who knows? Maybe Lex is right, and Ill just get bored of it after having it for long enough, and sell it on as he did with his. Either way, Im ready to continue on the road to finding out whether or not that will be the case. In the meantime, Ill keep you all posted about where that journey takes me. The first couple of stops are visible on the horizon already, and I cant wait to get there to share them with you.#gallery-1 {margin: auto;}#gallery-1 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 33%;}#gallery-1 img {border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;}#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */Again, a massive thanks to my dear friends and incredibly talented photographers, @m.adcock81 @morgansaignes and @wrists.and.walls, whose work makes it possible for me to illustrate these sporadic existentialist delvings into my thoughts on watch collecting and the 16570. Go check out their amazing work on their respective Instagram pages. I know… I know… Im always asking you this! But please also share your thoughts in the comments down below. Ill do my best to get back to all of you kind enough to take part in the conversation.Last, and certainly least, follow me on Instagram @ncgwatches