Getting Dad to love his Rolex again

[bobbyandy]

Warning- long post.

My wife’s dad received a Rolex back in the early 90s. It was a gift from a grateful group in the city where he lived, given for something heroic and selfless that he had done (an exciting story for another time). The watch was a Stainless Steel Datejust inscribed on the back with his name, date, and some details of the gift.

Some people in his social circle gave him a bit of grief, ribbing him about such a large sum of money spent on a watch (about $3-4k at the time) that could have been spent on something “useful and practical” if he had only been given the choice between a check and a watch.

I think he was initially thinking the same thing because he considered selling it back to the AD where it had been purchased. Someone (not me) told him that it couldn’t be sold once engraved so he shrugged, kept the Rolex and started wearing it.

It soon became his daily companion and he grew to cherish it over the years. When he and my mother-in-law were able to travel abroad a few years later, he made a point to dip it in several oceans (not sure exactly why but it was quite a big deal to him) even once lowering it on a rope from a pier so he could dip it in the ocean where there was no easy beach access to the water.

Things like this added to the growing story of his life adventures and I enjoyed every time he shared a bit of his story with me. He never babied his Rolex but fearlessly wore it doing everything life could throw at him and he never had it serviced, adjusted, or even inspected.

Some 20+ years later when it finally started losing minutes per day, he quietly put it back in the original Rolex box and kept it in a drawer. I think the ribbing about the expense years ago along with his old school “useful and practical” mindset kept him from spending any money fixing such a luxury item. He switched to using a quartz watch that he received while helping USA athletes at the Winter Olympics (another great story).

A few years later, I convinced my very gracious mother-in-law to bring the watch to us on one of their visits to see the grandkids – a secret mission done without my father-in-law’s knowledge. Once we had it in our possession, my wife and I took the watch to the local Rolex AD and they sent it off to the Dallas RSC for a long-overdue service.

It came back in amazing shape a few weeks later and, as they had since returned home, I mailed it back to him hoping that it would once again become his daily wrist companion.

We got a phone call when he received it and at first it seemed like we lost the connection. There was a long pause on the phone as he could hardly get the words out, he was so choked up with emotion. He thanked us for the kindness we had shown him in getting his Rolex fixed and I truly believe he was genuinely pleased with the result. He seemed very glad to have his Rolex working again. Mission accomplished - wear it in good health I thought.

Come to find out, he put it back in the box and put it in a drawer and never wore it as far as I know. I saw it last year after they moved to our city (a blessing to have them so close now) and it’s still in the original Rolex box looking brand new, as it did upon its return from the RSC.

My father-in-law told me recently that he occasionally takes his Rolex out of the box to admire it and reminisce and thanked me again for getting it fixed. I have yet to see it back on his wrist.

Occasionally in a quiet moment, I have thoughts second guessing myself and wondering if I overstepped with my clandestine RSC mission. Did I ruin it for him getting it fixed? I don’t think so (I certainly hope not) and I don’t regret that we got it fixed, but I just can’t shake the thought of that beautiful watch sitting in a box when it had been on his wrist for so long. He could be making more memories with it now. A Rolex like that with such a cool story is meant to be worn and loved and used in the course of a life well lived…just like it had been for over two decades.

At the end of the day, it’s his watch and I should be glad that he fearlessly wore it for as long as he did and respect that he continues to enjoy it in his own way and on his own terms. Maybe it’s not about getting him to love his Rolex again. Maybe it’s about me finally embracing the way he now chooses to remember and cherish the journey and all the life experiences and adventures he’s had with it over the years. Perhaps I’ll convince him to get it out next time I’m over and he can share more life stories with me. I would like that very much.

If you made it all the way to the end, thank you.

[Rags]

What a wonderful story. You did a beautiful thing for your father in law. My guess is he will leave it to you when he goes to meet the Lord.

[Blueline226]

Very nice story, I enjoyed reading the journey. Have you thought of asking him why he doesn’t wear it now?

[Muxi]

You did a fine gesture. I hope your father in-law to wear it and continue building memories with the watch.

[LarsFS]

Very nice story indeed. I wouldn't worry about overstepping, seems from his explicit feedback to you that that's certainly not the case.

Of course I'm curious about the other story...

[Scott Cali]

I made it to the end, wonderful story :)

[herts9]

I think you did well and it brought him back to a time when the watch was new, all those years ago, and it must have hit a reset button for him. Looking at it in the pristine condition now harks back to a time where life's journey set forth a path he navigated through with his timepiece at his side.

If only our bodies could be so lucky to get the same treatment to get a service to turn back the hands of time.

[danyvw]

Beautiful story, you did the correct thing. Now it's up to him to do whatever he want to do with his watch, I'm sure he will be eternally grateful to you.

[jnkay]

Touching story. You did your part, and some could let it go at that, but I would also want to know that he was wearing and enjoying the possession that means so much to him. Feel free to post the origin story!

[Bybybmw]

Enjoyed the story. I think as we get older, certain things, not just watches, earn a special place in our life and they sometimes get saved instead of used. That preserves the item so it isn't lost, stolen, broken, etc. That way we can bring it out occasionally and relive the memories contained (attached) to them.

[Yuri.Popov]

Great story! Always enjoy ready the journey of our watches.

[JParm]

What a great gesture - I think you did an amazing thing, and I'm sure your father-in-law feels the same way.

Watches help to create bonds, and maybe talking Rolex will help to get him wearing it again.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

What a great gesture - I think you did an amazing thing, and I'm sure your father-in-law feels the same way.

Watches help to create bonds, and maybe talking Rolex will help to get him wearing it again.

Very well said

Well done OP

[Jackie Daytona]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

What a great gesture - I think you did an amazing thing, and I'm sure your father-in-law feels the same way.

Watches help to create bonds, and maybe talking Rolex will help to get him wearing it again.

I agree with this as well.

I’m sure so much of it has come down to just habit and what he has gotten use to after not wearing it for years. Just conversing about it and making feel like something fresh and exciting mentally now that it looks that way physically will go a long way I think.

My father had gotten similar once upon a time when he couldn’t get his serviced. He still loved it, but just got use to quartz. It was just habit essentially.

[Phooi]

Thank you for sharing this story. Don’t have any second doubts about your kind deed. From your story, I believe he was truly touched.

As with most journeys, there must be an ending. When his watch stopped keeping good time, he put it away for practical reasons. It was the end of that journey. When he received the watch back in its renewed form, maybe it’s new journey is to remind him of days past when that watch was new. Maybe it’s his new way of appreciating his watch.

Thanks again for sharing.

[joli160]

Thank you for sharing, you and your wife made the best move you could think of. Hat's off.

The watch now is a small treasure for your father in law and cherished. Don't we all like that.

[mr. rpm]

I think its very possible that he loves the watch so much that he is concerned that it could get lost, stolen, damaged etc.....he cherishes it so much that he wants it safe which is more important to him at this stage in his life vs wearing it....that was a very nice gesture on your part....feel good about it! Great story!

[Shan77]

Great story

[csfischer20]

Awesome story. Super great thing you did for him.

[vesnyder]

Good luck getting him to wear it again! Great story and he deserves to put it on and make more memories. Perhaps he feels his current life does not compare to his past life? Sometimes I feel that way looking at my watch that I wore for 37 years and recently handed it over to my son.

[173rdabn]

Great story. You did the right thing getting it overhauled.

[SemperFi]

Beautifully touching story. You and your wife did the right thing and I’m sure that he has his reasons for not wearing it now.
It might be as simple as that he regards it as new and now awaiting further life adventures someday ...on your wrist.

[crazycarlitos]

U did a good thing.

I m sure he appreciates what u did very much.

Let him enjoy it anyway he likes.
(I have a feeling he may be keeping it pristine for someone else later..)

Now, let’s hear the “heroic and selfless” story behind it.

[WatchGuy1966]

Stories like this are the best part of TRF

[dba]

Great story, and I'd really love the hear the origins of him receiving the watch. That said, the 90's were 20 plus years ago. It may be that the watch doesn't fit him as well as it used to or perhaps he just doesn't like the feel of something that heavy on his wrist.

I'd approach him gently about this and certainly not remind him of who got it serviced in the first place. Very best of luck to you.

[Max7857]

Great story and thanks for sharing. I had a similar situation surprise outcome from my own father. He as owned a Pepsi for 45+ years and although he has some other nice watches this has always been his favorite and daily wearer. A couple of years back it stop keeping accurate time. We both went together to the AD and when he heard how much the service was he said he didn’t want to spend the money. I was surprised as he could easily afford it. Instead he bought some $100 no name quartz watch.

Periodically over the next year we would discuss his Rolex but still he was never willing to get it serviced. I had never really been a Rolex guy but my wife was about to retire and she always wanted a Rolex so I bought her one. In the process I stumbled across this forum. I got interested in a couple of watches for myself which I bought and in conversation I told the AD the story about my father and his Pepsi and how I would like to buy one for him thinking he certainly couldn’t refuse that!

Well the AD was sympathetic to my story and after a two month wait I had a brand new BLRO in January of this year to present to my father for his birthday. Much to my surprise my father told me how much he appreciated the gesture and enjoyed the story of how difficult they are to obtain but that I should keep it and think of him when I wear it. Kind of anti climatic and not really the way I wanted to obtain a Pepsi. In fact I wasn’t really in the market. I haven’t really brought myself to wear it yet but I’m sure I’ll come around. The good news though is that it has brought us countless hours of conversation on all brands of watches and looking at them on the internet. he especially likes some of the Bell and Ross models.

I guess certain watches must be like certain songs. Specific to certain points in our lives and then archived to our memories only to be played in our minds.

[CalSRQ1]

Great story. One suggestion- many who are not WIS think that a service or restoration is something rare, very special, or maybe even “can only be done once”. I’ve actually heard that from someone in my family. He probably really enjoys seeing the watch in its renewed pristine state....

In the end whatever makes him happy. You’ve done a great thing connecting with him over the watch that obviously represents a great life moment in his past. As he appreciates it - it’s a great example of accomplishing the purpose of the people who made the original gift.

[SLWoodster]

beautiful story.

[FreshPrince14]

I made it all the way to the end and I want to say, thank YOU. Stories like this are the best part of this forum. Far better than any "incoming" posts, complaints about wait lists or "Is it safe to...?" posts.



Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[dchernikoff]

Touching story, good for you for getting it fixed for him. Don't know why he's not wearing it, but as you said it's his decision. And the fact that he gets it out occasionally to look at and reminisce means he did appreciate it. We all go thru periods in our life, maybe to him that "Rolex wearing" chapter is over, and now the watch serves as a nice reminder of "what it was like then".

-Dan