A Life Built, Not Bought:
Robert “Robbie” Berman on Craft, Character, and the Drive to Build.
By Alexander Cartigan – Editor at Large
“Slow is fast. The guy who takes a car apart the slowest always puts it back together the best.” — Robbie Berman
There’s quiet discipline in people who build their own path. For Robbie Berman, that path started with grease under his nails and a relentless curiosity about how things work. At thirteen, he was fixing minibikes and soda machines. By his twenties, he was the youngest technician at a Volkswagen dealership, introducing repair methods that seasoned mechanics soon copied. In 1983, he opened his own collision-and-mechanical repair shop — one that grew into a nationally recognized business before he sold it to a larger chain.
“I took my passion for working with my hands and ran it like a business. Most people don’t.”
Flying Under the Radar
For most of his career, Robbie preferred to stay low-key.
“People didn’t expect a mechanic to drive a Porsche or wear a Rolex,” he laughs. “But after fifty years of grinding, I stopped caring — I’ve earned it.”
His garage today reflects understated excellence: a Porsche 911 4 GTS with a seven-speed manual and all-wheel drive, a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, a Ford Raptor, and soon, a China Blue Mercedes G-Wagon.
Watches as Milestones
Robbie’s appreciation for craftsmanship extends from the garage to the wrist.
“To me, a fine timepiece is the ultimate symbol of success — humble, mechanical, timeless.”
He started collecting fifteen years ago, only after financial independence was absolute.
Each December he buys himself a new watch — “an end-of-year bonus,” he says. “I treat myself like an employee.” His first Rolex was a Yacht-Master, chosen over a Daytona “because it was prettier.” But his most treasured piece is his father’s gold Rolex Presidential, received upon retirement — a symbol of accomplishment and continuity. “That one’s going to my son,” he says. “He already knows more about watches than I do.”
“When everything’s paid for — that’s when I treat myself.”
Life Built on Memories
Beyond machines, Robbie’s greatest investment is time — with his triplets.
“I’m not a present guy,” he says. “I’m a memory maker.”
He’s filming the delivery of the new G-Wagon so his kids can relive it someday.
“My parents didn’t make memories like that. So, I decided I would.”
His idea of wealth isn’t accumulation — it’s shared experience. Whether it’s weekend drives, building projects, or an upcoming cruise to St. Thomas aboard Icon of the Seas, Robbie measures success in stories, not possessions. “I just love seeing what life has to offer out there — new places, new memories.”
Expression Over Investment
Ask Robbie what defines a true collector and he’ll tell you: authenticity.
“I don’t see most cars as investments,” he says. “They’re personal expressions.” That sentiment extends to his favorites: if he had to choose one car and one watch for life, he wouldn’t hesitate.
Car: Porsche Cayenne GT Turbo — “It’s the perfect everyday driver.”
Watch: Rolex Daytona (Stainless Steel, Black Bezel & Dial) — “Beautiful, timeless, and built to be worn.”
Lessons from the Workshop
Even in retirement, Robbie’s mind never stops engineering. “I always ask, how could this be better?” he says. “If they’d just add a shield here or change a bracket there, the problem disappears.” It’s the same mentality that carried him from apprentice to entrepreneur.
When asked what advice he’d give to young people dreaming of building their own business, Robbie doesn’t hesitate.
“Follow your dreams and keep your eye on the target. When people tell you it can’t be done, don’t doubt yourself. Passion drives everything.”
And, with characteristic bluntness, he adds: “Stay focused. Don’t get distracted. The harder you work, the luckier you get.”
The Final Drive
Robbie Berman represents a different kind of luxury — one built on integrity, craftsmanship, and family. He’s a man who has mastered the art of building both machines and memories.
“I don’t love cars. I respect them. You can’t take any of it with you — only the memories.”
For those who see watches and wheels as extensions of identity rather than status, Robbie’s story is a reminder: success isn’t about what you own. It’s about what you build — and who you build it for.
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