The Rolex Forums   The Rolex Watch

ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX


Go Back   Rolex Forums - Rolex Forum > Rolex & Tudor Watch Topics > Rolex General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 1 December 2024, 04:36 PM   #61
John Doyle
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: US
Posts: 735
Amazing thing you did for your father-in-law and I'm certain he was extremely happy with the thought! I guess when you live a full and content life, these material things matter much less than before and although we believe it's great to make memories with a watch, what ultimately matters is the now and present regardless of what you are wearing - clothes, accessories or whatever.
Plus it's very possible that he wants to pass it down at some point, and prefers to keep it in pristine condition as opposed to wearing it.
John Doyle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1 December 2024, 06:44 PM   #62
EverCloserUnion
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2024
Location: United Kingdom
Watch: Rolex DateJust 41
Posts: 121
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobbyandy View Post
Late Late update to 2020 post as I now have the rest of the story and a pic (if I can upload it). Sorry if I should have just started a new thread and attached a link to the original story.

Dennis was on the city SWAT team and bomb squad and he hand carried a number of unstable/volatile gas cylinders away from a densely populated urban area to a place where they could be safely detonated. The city was grateful and the local “Hundred Club” inducted him as a member. He also got a medal of valor from the city. As I understand, the first inductee from a group would get a Rolex and subsequent inductees from the same organization would get a Tag Heuer.

After he wore the watch for 20 years and then put it away when it no longer kept good time, he never wore it again even after I had it serviced. He was grateful but it never saw his wrist again until I snapped this pic a couple days ago.

He now has dementia and his memories of the watch and adventures with it have mostly faded away. I’m glad he shared the stories of the watch when he did so I can cherish them. Thanks for reading this long overdue update. I just wanted some closure with it.

Thanks for sharing these incredible stories - what an absolute giant of a fellow. Credit to you too.
EverCloserUnion is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1 December 2024, 11:29 PM   #63
travisb
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
 
travisb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Real Name: Travis
Location: FL / NYC
Watch: Yes..
Posts: 33,449
Thank you for posting a great story and journey.
I missed this thread the first time around and enjoyed reading it.
All the best to your father-in-law and your family.
travisb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2 December 2024, 12:49 AM   #64
codecow
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Real Name: Louis
Location: Bay Area, CA
Watch: PP 5131R
Posts: 5,183
Great story and not even a clickbait title like, “I fixed my FIL’s Rolex and you’ll never guess what happened next!!!”
codecow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2 December 2024, 02:56 AM   #65
jo76
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Italy
Posts: 7
Thank you for sharing
jo76 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2 December 2024, 05:59 AM   #66
Boopie
"TRF" Member
 
Boopie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Beverly Hills, CA
Watch: Yachtmaster
Posts: 3,949
Thank you for sharing. Prayers also for strength on the journey ahead. Dementia is very, very tough.
Boopie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2 December 2024, 06:10 AM   #67
Robf52
"TRF" Member
 
Robf52's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Sunshine State
Watch: lots of Rolex
Posts: 5,060
Great story and thanks for sharing. I also think you did the right thing; now he just needs to wear it to make new memories.
__________________
126610LV//116508 Daytona YG Black/Champagne
116655 YM40 Everose Oysterflex//126622 YM40 Blue//126600 SD43
126710BLNR//126711CHNR
126334 DJ41 Rhodium/Diamonds//126331 DJ41 TT Wimbledon
124300 OP41 Green//126334 DJ41Mint Green
Robf52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2 December 2024, 07:57 PM   #68
Oxfordian
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Real Name: Martin
Location: England
Watch: Sea Dweller
Posts: 3,116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boopie View Post
Thank you for sharing. Prayers also for strength on the journey ahead. Dementia is very, very tough.
This is an huge understatement;

You watch someone you love disappear, day by day their memories get wiped, slowly but surely you get forgotten, you try to keep memories alive by having photo albums made up showing your loved one with you and other members of the family.

But, bit by bit, day by day, the knowledge of who these people are fades, their names forgotten, who they are is lost to your loved one.

Then it's you, your loved one asks who are you, I have no idea who this is they say, I'm not talking to them and they walk away from you.

I watched my mother disappear in this way, she went through all the stages I've described, I would turn up at the care home and in the end just be a friendly face to her, there was no point in saying who I was she had no idea that I even existed.

They say that someone with dementia can die many times as each part of their life fades away and sadly it is true. There is nothing that you can do, and to see your loved one leaving you in this way is heartbreaking.

OP I hope that your loved one retains their faculties as long as possible and you make the most of those moments, you and your partner will need each others support as you journey along this rocky road.
__________________
Martin

Small Rolex, Omega, Seiko and Oris Collection
Oxfordian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2 December 2024, 08:03 PM   #69
alphadweller
"TRF" Member
 
alphadweller's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Real Name: Vic
Location: Spain
Watch: SD43
Posts: 6,193
Such a good story, OP. Thank you. I really enjoyed it.

Your father-in-law might be overwhelmed with gratitude. Could he have decided to preserve the watch in top condition, wear it on special occasions only and pass it down one day? Whatever it is, I wouldn't inquire on his reasons for not wearing it. That would put pressure on him. Let him open up when he feels like it.

Looking forward to reading the stories of his accomplishments before being gifted his watches, if you feel like sharing them with us (say yes, please!).
alphadweller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2 December 2024, 09:22 PM   #70
Steph-paul
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Northeast
Posts: 453
Great story, thank you for sharing.
Steph-paul is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 3 December 2024, 04:41 AM   #71
GONZO2LR
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Real Name: Luis
Location: Texas
Watch: SS Submariner Date
Posts: 1,390
Great Story!!!...dude....wear yours and when you see him....talk him into wearing his and take a picture of the both of you, wearing your Rolexes....do this everytime you see him....heck...my son-in-law do that all the time...you got someone to talk watches with.
Hopefully, he will get excited. It's sad that his friends didnt get it...heck...it's still that way now...i just ignore those morons, i sometimes ask a few about his love hobbies and interest...cars...nice truck, a guy traded in to but a new truck costing HIM, 60k...i said ohhh really...and laugh...
have fun talking Rolexes....and you did a great thing....
GONZO2LR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 3 December 2024, 08:31 PM   #72
OG1982
2024 Pledge Member
 
OG1982's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2020
Real Name: Ollie
Location: UK
Watch: Sub41 OP36 & DJ36
Posts: 1,974
Sounds like you're all good people. Thanks for sharing.
OG1982 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 03:20 AM   #73
Dirt
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Brisbane
Watch: DSSD
Posts: 8,061
Maybe he enjoys it on some other level if he says he gets it out to admire it on occassion, so that's something of note.
Everybody changes on some level and goes through phases of some kind. I do that with my possessions as i imagine we all do.
It's a bit like going through phases of wearing one watch or another in preference to others when we have a collection also in my case with listening to particular albums on the hifi more than others when in a reflective mood remembering where i bought it and the time of life when things were different.

What you did for him with regard to giving the watch the full spa treatment was really great
I'm confident that alone gives him an appreciation for it on a deeper level.
It sounds like he well and truly earnt it.
Back in the day a waterproof watch was and in some ways a watch like a Rolex still is a big deal and i'd wager making a point of dunking it in the ocean wherever he travelled to was an acknowledgement of the bond he has developed with the watch and with all due respect to the watch
With the dementia, people still retain emotional connections with things as well, so on some level he may occassionally reconnect with a time in his life especially if it's engraved on the back of his watch, so in some ways it may be a small blessing as the gift that keeps on giving.
Thanks for sharing
Dirt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 03:56 AM   #74
topcat30093
"TRF" Member
 
topcat30093's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Real Name: Tony
Location: England
Posts: 5,450
OP, thank you for telling your story.
And though not an American, I thank him for his service.
I recently retired after serving in all 3 of our emergency services.
My FiL also has Dementia and its a real piece of work - to put it politely!
__________________
topcat30093 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 09:50 AM   #75
BroncoOne
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Boston
Posts: 1,335
What a nice story. You did nothing wrong. It was a very good gesture and he seems to deeply appreciate it.
BroncoOne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 10:00 PM   #76
garyk
2024 Pledge Member
 
garyk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Real Name: Gary
Location: USA
Watch: Daytona
Posts: 11,714
Wow, nice story!
__________________
garyk is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Asset Appeal

Wrist Aficionado

DavidSW Watches

Takuya Watches

OCWatches


*Banners Of The Month*
This space is provided to horological resources.





Copyright ©2004-2024, The Rolex Forums. All Rights Reserved.

ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX

Rolex is a registered trademark of ROLEX USA. The Rolex Forums is not affiliated with ROLEX USA in any way.