As a son, which would mean more to you?

[Scary Hat]

Here is a question that I want to pose to the group.

As a son, which would you rather receive from your dad (while he is alive and well!), a Submariner he bought new and has almost 35 years or a much newer Submariner of equal value?

Your thoughts and reasons would be greatly appreciated as this is a situation that I'm wrestling with.

Thanks!

Tom

[cruvon]

I would say let your dad enjoy his till is time to hand it over to you and you buy the new one. Alternatively let your dad use the new one you buy and you use his awesome vintage one, win win for both!

[RAZZELL]

If you're the Dad...as a son I think it would mean more to me to get your watch.


RAZZ

[Scary Hat]

Actually, I should clarify:

I am the dad. I bought a new (er) Sub recently thinking I'd give it to my son
who will be graduating from University soon.

Then I thought that as a son, it would mean more to me to have something from my dad that he has owned and carried on his wrist for many years.


I'm just curious what the rest of you all think?


Thanks!

Tom

[Rolexis]

Originally Posted by cruvon

I would say let your dad enjoy his till. Is time to hand it over to you and you buy the new one. Alternatively let your dad use the new one you buy and you use his awesome vintage one, win win for both!

As a son I buy a Rolex for my dad. My father never gave me one. My mother always had one. I bought him his first one. I have an 18038 and a 1977 5512
I let him wear the one I am not using. So he gets to use a 5512 or a Pres he is happy. I think buy a used President and tell him here dad give me the old stainless.

[Scary Hat]

Originally Posted by Rolexis

As a son I buy a Rolex for my dad. My father never gave me one. My mother always had one. I bought him his first one. I have an 18038 and a 1977 5512
I let him wear the one I am not using. So he gets to use a 5512 or a Pres he is happy. I think buy a used President and tell him here dad give me the old stainless.

That speaks volumes for you as a son!

[clay1680]

If he is the nostalgic/sentimental type (as I am) I'd say that the 35yr old watch, hands down (no pun intended). I'd just have it cleaned up a bit, not polished, and given a new plexi if needed. That's probably a 5513 or 1680 with a full history, what a great piece, post some pics!

[HERITAGE82]

I would give your son your Old Sub and you should wear the newer one.

The reason I say this is because when you give him "your old watch" that you have been wearing for the past 35yrs it will mean far more to him on his graduation day.

[Scary Hat]

Originally Posted by clay1680

If he is the nostalgic/sentimental type (as I am) I'd say that the 35yr old watch, hands down (no pun intended). I'd just have it cleaned up a bit, not polished, and given a new plexi if needed. That's probably a 5513 or 1680 with a full history, what a great piece, post some pics!

That is kind of the way I'm leaning, for the reasons you have stated.
I am very sentimental about things like this- and that is one of the really
great things about a Rolex Submariner (1680).

I'll try to post some photos of each a bit later.

[HERITAGE82]

Originally Posted by Scary Hat

That is kind of the way I'm leaning, for the reasons you have stated.
I am very sentimental about things like this- and that is one of the really
great things about a Rolex Submariner (1680).

I'll try to post some photos of each a bit later.

Your son will be out of his mind excited when you give him the 1680....

[mr500cm]

I have great memories wearing my dads watch when I was young. Now that he's gone and I'm a father, one day my son will wear his grandfathers watch.

[RC2]

As a son the one my father wore means much more

[GradyPhilpott]

As a son, once having left the nest, I never had any expectations for my father's possessions or assistance.

In the example above, I would prefer that my dad would have made that decision on his own and would have deferred to his decision, if asked.

[Beaumont Miller II]

I would want the one that my dad had spent the most time with. I would want the one that had been on your wrist for 35 years, if I was your son.

[Jeff77]

A watch with personal history is far more meaningful. I have a Sub-C that I bought new 4 months ago. Thinking of ditching it and going back to the yellow dial Seiko 6139 chrono I bought at Pearl Harbor in 1974 on a Midshipmen cruise. I wore it my last three years of college, was commissioned wearing it, wore at my wedding. Wore it during my navy submarine officer days, has been underwater in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and has been "deeper" under water (protected by HY80 pressure hull steel) than the wussy 300 meters/1000 ft my Sub can handle. The Seiko has tremendous meaning to me and I hope to my grandson. The Rolex, not so much.

[cyglee]

Hmmm, as a father...
Since you have already bought the newer Sub (intended for your college grad son), I would give him the newer one to have him blaze his own life trails with his own Rolex. But, he will always know that when the time comes, his father's Rolex, with all its history, will be there, too.

[liuk3]

Originally Posted by cyglee

Hmmm, as a father...
Since you have already bought the newer Sub (intended for your college grad son), I would give him the newer one to have him blaze his own life trails with his own Rolex. But, he will always know that when the time comes, his father's Rolex, with all its history, will be there, too.

I tend to agree. He'll get the one you wear one day. BTW, congratulations on the watch and your son's graduation.

[vmm]

The watch with the history is more meaningful. My PAM 113 will go to my oldest son who's 5 years old. He's a bigger, bulkier kid so I think the 44 mm case will go well with him. My 7 year old daughter will get my 14060m and my 2 year old will probably get my ceramic GMT. Of course, as I acquire more Rolex, I may change my mind. I think I will keep my vintage GMT 16750 for myself and maybe pick up another 1675. I think a ceramic sub may be what I wear into old age.

[03cobraa]

I would want my dads watch! You can buy any new watch, but there would only be one "dads" watch!

[clay1680]

Originally Posted by Jeff77

A watch with personal history is far more meaningful. I have a Sub-C that I bought new 4 months ago. Thinking of ditching it and going back to the yellow dial Seiko 6139 chrono I bought at Pearl Harbor in 1974 on a Midshipmen cruise. I wore it my last three years of college, was commissioned wearing it, wore at my wedding. Wore it during my navy submarine officer days, has been underwater in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and has been "deeper" under water (protected by HY80 pressure hull steel) than the wussy 300 meters/1000 ft my Sub can handle. The Seiko has tremendous meaning to me and I hope to my grandson. The Rolex, not so much.

great story, totally agree!

[Scary Hat]

Originally Posted by Jeff77

A watch with personal history is far more meaningful. I have a Sub-C that I bought new 4 months ago. Thinking of ditching it and going back to the yellow dial Seiko 6139 chrono I bought at Pearl Harbor in 1974 on a Midshipmen cruise. I wore it my last three years of college, was commissioned wearing it, wore at my wedding. Wore it during my navy submarine officer days, has been underwater in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and has been "deeper" under water (protected by HY80 pressure hull steel) than the wussy 300 meters/1000 ft my Sub can handle. The Seiko has tremendous meaning to me and I hope to my grandson. The Rolex, not so much.

That makes very good sense. Its all about personal history and having a bit of your "history" that is capable of surviving the events of life and being passed down.
Thanks for your service to our country!

[cedargrove]

Without a doubt the 35 year old Sub for me. The obvious reason is the sentimental value. But the secondary reason is the desirability of vintage Subs. A vintage Rolex Sub that is relevant and stylish by modern standards, but has been owned by my dad for the past 35 years - for me, it couldn't get any better than this. This is something that very few people will ever have.

[Scary Hat]

Originally Posted by cedargrove

Without a doubt the 35 year old Sub for me. The obvious reason is the sentimental value. But the secondary reason is the desirability of vintage Subs. A vintage Rolex Sub that is relevant and stylish by modern standards, but has been owned by my dad for the past 35 years - for me, it couldn't get any better than this. This is something that very few people will ever have.

Well said!

[STEELINOX]

The 35 yo SUB wuld be my choice

[Subfiend]

My 15 year old son has already answered this question: he wants my original 1991 Sub. Period. I have many watches, both new and old, but this is the only one he cares about.

[inspires]

My Dad has bought me several watches, none of which was a Rolex but I've kept them all. He has an Omega which was handed down to him from my Grandfather which I hope to receive one day.

For each of my Mom and Dad, when they turned 60, my brother and I bought them matching DateJusts with Diamond Dials. They haven't taken them off since.

[Scary Hat]

Originally Posted by inspires

My Dad has bought me several watches, none of which was a Rolex but I've kept them all. He has an Omega which was handed down to him from my Grandfather which I hope to receive one day.

For each of my Mom and Dad, when they turned 60, my brother and I bought them matching DateJusts with Diamond Dials. They haven't taken them off since.

What a wonderful way to honor your parents!

Tom

[moby33]

I would want the one my dad wore for 35 years. It's because of that desire, I ended up buying my SubC when my 1st son was born (he was born on the day the SS SubC was debuted at Basel 2010).

My vision is to wear this watch for the next 20+ years while raising my son...never telling him I intend to give it to him as a college graduation present. Once he graduates, I'm going to have it serviced and give it to him, and assuming I raise him correctly, I expect it will mean a lot more than any brand new Rolex I could buy at that time. My hope is maybe someday he will carry on the tradition and pass it along to his son in a similar fashion.

Good luck.

[Scary Hat]

Originally Posted by moby33

I would want the one my dad wore for 35 years. It's because of that desire, I ended up buying my SubC when my 1st son was born (he was born on the day the SS SubC was debuted at Basel 2010).

My vision is to wear this watch for the next 20+ years while raising my son...never telling him I intend to give it to him as a college graduation present. Once he graduates, I'm going to have it serviced and give it to him, and assuming I raise him correctly, I expect it will mean a lot more than any brand new Rolex I could buy at that time. My hope is maybe someday he will carry on the tradition and pass it along to his son in a similar fashion.

Good luck.

That is priceless "assuming I raise him correctly". The fact that you are thinking about the gifting of a watch 20+ years hence is a pretty good indicator that you will raise him well!

[moby33]

Originally Posted by Scary Hat

That is priceless "assuming I raise him correctly". The fact that you are thinking about the gifting of a watch 20+ years hence is a pretty good indicator that you will raise him well!

Ha, ha...thanks. Yeah, I definitely want to make sure he doesn't develop the "entitled" mentality I seem to see all too often in teenagers these days...I'm only 35 but feel like a grouchy old man when I constantly say to my wife, "These teenagers are so disrespectful & have no work ethic & think EVERYTHING should just be given to them..."

When I graduated from the Naval Academy I would have LOVED to have my father give me a watch he owned for 35+ years (regardless of the brand). The fact that my SubC was debuted when my son was born only makes it that much better IMO (another little history lesson I don't plan on sharing with him until he gets the watch).

In the end I think the sentimental aspect of any gift used by a parent blows any new purchase out of the water & that's why your 35 yr old watch should go to your son.