Bulletin Board 17

Starter Rolexes, a Caribbean rum Negroni, and the piece of luggage I think every man should own

As 2023 comes to an end, I really want to thank you for coming along for the ride–we appreciate you. This will be our last post until January 6, when I’ll be back with a whole lotta winter food, drink, gear, and style–but also, plenty of wellness content to balance all that out! Happy holidays and here’s to a great New Year! 

THE CLASSIFIEDS

Probably one of the most DM’d question I get is what should be my first Rolex, and where should I get it. Usually the scenario is they’ve saved up a chunk of change, and they want to invest it wisely. There is a lot of noise out there on the secondary market – and I’m asked a lot about who are trusted sources. I’ve always loved the idea of the old-school Penny Saver–so I decided to start this new section, where I’ll introduce you to some friends and businesses who are selling good secondary market stuff responsibly. The goal here is to help you, and to get these questions out of my DMs! 

We’ll kick this off with your this question–what is a great entry level Rolex? I always recommend a stainless 34mm or 36mm model, Date or Datejust, from some point between the 50s and the 80s. I can’t think of a better starting point than recommending Washington Square, started and operated by John Munson, a dealer friend of mine who has a great collection of well-priced entry-level Rolexes.  Even better, John's idea is to keep them sub $5000, and he’s even guaranteeing them for a year. This is what he currently has (but it’s constantly updated obviously because he’s selling and buying). You can reach him at: jwmunson@gmail.com.

Ref. 6426 circa 1961, $3,000

One of the most straightforward Rolex models ever produced. With a manually wound movement inside of its 34mm case, this reference is even thinner than the automatic models and wears beautifully on the wrist. While most 6426 models featured "Oyster Precision" on the dial, a small batch specifically intended for the UK and Canadian markets featured an "Oyster Royal" designation, just like the one we have here. 

Ref. 6284 circa 1954, $4,800

What makes some vintage Rolexes more desirable than others comes down to details and condition, and this example knocks it out of the park in both respects. The white "honeycomb" dial with sword hands and arrow hour markers is one of the cleanest we've ever seen, and the bracelet is the rare and coveted expandable "stretch" rivet version in wonderful condition, making for highly collectable version of a classic 34mm Oyster Perpetual that is sure to appreciate. 

Ref. 1603 circa 1960, $4,000

In 36mm, we have the classic Datejust combination of silver dial, jubilee bracelet, and fluted bezel. Fresh from a recent service, this is a true "T-Shirt to Tuxedo" watch that can be worn anywhere, and comes on its original "Big Logo" US market bracelet.

Ref. 1601 circa 1977, $4,500

Finally, also in 36mm, we have this two-tone stainless steel and 18k gold 1601. The bracelet offers a sportier alternative to the Jubilee, and also features a rare and sought after "Gold Ghost" dial, as the text on the champagne dial was printed in a gilded white rather than the more common black, causing the text to "disappear" into the dial at certain angles. 

HAPPY HOUR

Yolanda and I have been to Antigua many times. It’s a direct, easy four-hour flight from New York, and seldom has rainfall, so you're normally guaranteed sunshine. But this month was our first trip to Jumby Bay, a lovely hotel on a private island, just an eight-minute ferry from the mainland.

At the property’s 1830 Bar, we discovered a really fantastic cocktail called the Count Caribe–basically a riff on the Negroni. They use dark rum, in this case it was English Harbour 5 Year Old Antiguan rum, Campari, and sweet vermouth. The sweetness from the rum reminds me of what I like about a Manhattan, but it is unmistakably a Negroni. They serve it shaken and served up, but you could also make it on the rocks. Thanks to our bartender Roan, who introduced it to me. I owe you one. Watch me make it here.

The Count Caribe

1 part English Harbor Five-Year-Old Antiguan Rum

1 part Campari

1 part sweet vermouth

1 strip of orange peel, for garnish

Combine the rum, vermouth and campari in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain directly into a cold coupe. Garnish with orange peel.

THE ESSENTIALS

On our flight to Antigua, this very handsome young couple got on the plane. They were obviously going for a wedding, and over his shoulder, this guy had one of those see-through plastic dry-cleaning bags. It seemed so out of place, and it got me thinking about how great and underused a proper garment bag is: It can carry multiple suits and shirts, protects them from creasing, and also means you don’t have to wear your suit on the flight, which I’d rather not do. And while yes, some airlines do count it as your allocated-carry on, most have pockets these days – so you can slip your laptop and books in there just like you would a tote.

Ghurka makes my absolute favorite. If you’ve been following this newsletter for a while, that should come as no surprise—I wrote about my love for the brand here. My favorite Ghurka garment bag is the Packet No. 83, which also comes in full leather. What I love about both of them is that they are incredibly good looking, they have an exterior pocket where you can put a ni shirt, a neck tie, possibly a pair of loafers. And it's still a thin profile, and easily carried onto a plane. I also want to shout out Bennett Winch, who make a garment bag that rolls up around an included holdall, which is extra sneaky for getting around airplane baggage limits. Tom Beckbe also has a canvas one that is handsome and a great deal. And of course, if you fancy vintage Louis Vuitton or Gucci, you can always scour eBay for those– keep your eyes peeled for one that is a single suit carrier with a shoulder strap that can be folded easily.

SHOUT OUT

This week my friend Davide Baroncini is celebrating the opening of his new flagship location for GHIAIA Cashmere. After getting his training at SuitSupply and Brunello Cucinelli (which is where we first met), he started producing his own line of beautiful knitwear in 2019, and a small shop in Pasadena soon followed. (We actually did a story on him and the store, in our California issue, just as his first store was about to open.) Clearly we’re not the only ones who think Davide is such a great guy with an equally great vision– GQ recently credited him with convincing “a growing number of men, young and old, of the virtues of dressing and living like an Italian grandfather.” When you can, get yourself down to Pasadena’s San Marino neighborhood for coffee and a cigar with the man himself—and to see the cashmere overcoats and sport coats that, for now, are in-store only. In the meantime, we called up Davide to check in:

 “I was running everything from a room in my house, but then my wife got pregnant, and my office needed to become the baby’s room. So I was looking for a little space, and Pasadena has a replica of London’s Burlington Arcade. The space in there was like a shoebox — Matt was one of the very first to come — but we stayed for three years. At a certain point, like a teenager outgrowing his bedroom, we’d outgrown it. After finding this new spot, we really had to massage the owner into letting us have the space, even promising to keep her original sign up as an homage. It feels like this should have been our home from the beginning, but I know I had to go from our dining table to the arcade to get here. It had to happen that way.”

Bravo Davide! You’re an inspiration to us all.