The Breitling Watch Source Forums

So I'm pretty new to this luxury watch hobby and sadly (or maybe not) can see this becoming a serious problem to my wallet as I'm sure most of you folks can attest to. I'm pretty new on this forum too. Lately it seems a lot of discussion keep coming back to pricing and how it's getting harder and harder to afford these watches for some people (myself included). So on that note I thought instead of talking about how much we're having to pay for this hobby and passion I'd like to hear about your guys' first 'luxury' watch. I'm not trying to be overly optimistic but I can say one of the best feelings I've had in a while was finally getting to pick up a watch that I've wanted for the last 16 years.

I can remember coming into the city for a shopping trip with my Mom when I was 8 and being a typical kid wandering off in West Edmonton Mall without her. Go figure, I wound up in a jewelry store (a sign of things to come?). Despite hating the color yellow as a kid for some reason I was drawn to the Breitling display. I can remember seeing the Emergency in its "high tech suitcase" that reminded me of something an astronaut would carry. Incidentally, there was also an Omega display with a James Bond Aston Martin die-cast car in the case next to the Breitlings. I digress, Mom finally tracked me down and I was wheeling and dealing my 8 year old mouth trying to convince the lady at the store my 3$ a week allowance would pay off one of these nice 'astronaut' watches. She entertained me as lots of adults would have and told me to come back when I was a bit older and the watch would fit. Since then any time I've walked passed that store I would look from the threshold at the display and think about buying one of those Breitlings for myself. It took a while but I'm damned happy I bought the watch I wanted (not the Emergency but close enough).

So what was your first luxury watch? Why'd you buy it? Momentous occasion or just something you wanted?