For the last Horological Minute of the year, we sit down and chat with our friend Alessandro Ciani. Formerly based in Rome, Alex has been calling Southern California his home for the past several years. With an amazing vintage sensibility second to none, Alex is a true passionisti when it comes to vintage design. Living and breathing watches for over 25 years, Mr. Ciani has bought, sold and owned nearly every type of Rolex imaginable. Not just interested in watches, Alex dabbles with all things gorgeous- Cars, objects, trunks, guitars, you name it, he does it.

What was your first watch?

A steel Rolex Daytona, ref 6241. Black dial with silver subdials and original oyster bracelet with its 71N end pieces. But all this information wasn't that important back in the day: to me, it was just my first Rolex and first watch I had ever bought with my own money; to the market, it was one of the cheapest Rolex you could buy, probably because you had to wind it manually. I bought it from a pawn shop for $390.00: they had a newer one too, a 6265, but the price was out of my college student's range, $490.00. I didn't even try to bargain and sold it a year later for $300.00, way more than the $150.00 I was offered to trade on a new watch. Definitely not the best start for a career in the watch industry, but it sort of worked out, in the long run...

What was the last watch you bought?

Rolex pre-Daytona ref 6238, with silver MKI underline dial. One this year's best watches. I mean for the condition, the all together balance between rarity, quality and looks. I can fall in love with a watch no matter whether it's a $1M museum piece or $500 flea market find all the same.

Do you prefer vintage or modern?

Ahahahahah! Seriously, it's probably a limit of mine rather than anything else. I can't think of anything more modern then a timepiece manufactured at the end of the seventies. Maybe I should catch up, but I'm really not that curious. Only exception, a handful of independent contemporary watchmakers.

Can you remember your last great meal? Where was it and what did you eat?

Settimio all’Arancio, in Rome Italy. Just the other night. Grilled season artichokes with fresh olive oil and peperoncino, buffalo mozzarella with hand cut prosciutto, foie gras torch with shallot and walnuts chutney and hand made egg noodles with white truffle. Rosso del Bepi 1997 in the glass: hard to find in the US, one of my all time fav table wines ever. Going to do it all over again on the 28th!

Do you remember what watch you were wearing?

Yes, absolutely. A Rolex chronograph ref 4537 from 1947, with the most amazing dial I’ve ever seen on one of those so far: details are too confidential, at this stage. One thing I love about my job, I get to enjoy the same emotions my clients eventually do. It's basically what triggered my life to head this direction: The need to enjoy great timepieces lead me to selling: sounds like drugs dealing!

What do you love about vintage Rolex?

They are masculine, cool, real. There is something about the brand itself that permeates it with an aura of coolness. It's sort of magic. Of all the great watches made in the past and today, Rolex has this power of giving an emotional experience. If opening an old drawer or safe you were to unexpectedly find an old forgotten steel Datejust - let go a Daytona, or a Sub - or instead two or three grand in cash, the first would be way more of an unforgettable experience. Sean Connery, Steve MqQueen, Paul Newman were spontaneous ambassadors for this unique brand...what else can I say?

Strap or bracelet?

It really depends on the watch. I kind of like bracelets though, especially on Rolex or where you were wouldn't expect to find one Pateks.

GMT/EXPLORER/SUB/DAYTONA or........?

I like almost all the different kind of styles explored by Rolex, but would say the sports collection represents an unmatchable icon... Daytonas, Submariners, Explorers, GMTs: I truly love all of these.

What do you want to see come out from Rolex at the next Basel Fair?

Of the several fantasies, it would be cool to see a “padellone” reinterpreted, with a snap back case and cool enough to stand against its predecessor. Tough deal, because a modern watch, as far as my taste is concerned, can hardly but resemble the charm, the style, the looks of a vintage piece. It would really be an interesting challenge. On top of that, with a non-Oyster case made to beat the looks of an Oyster one...

What's on your wrist today?

Rolex Daytona ref 6264, black Paul Newman dial. I just snapped a pic on the background of our Christmas fireplace: original 71 end link oyster bracelet, immaculate MKI bezel, all so mint. And above all, the intense, deep black of the MKII Paul Newman, non-Oyster dial - you only get this one on the 6264, you know that - in contrast with the white and the yellow-white of the lumes: I really love this one, such a niche piece for a Daytona lover.