Do you have to purchase your own watch for it to count?

[Rolex_07]

My Rolex was given to me as a High School Graduation present. But some say that I may not appreciate it the same way as those who have saved up their hard earned dollars for. What do you think?

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Rolex_07

My Rolex was given to me as a High School Graduation present. But some say that I may not appreciate it the same way as those who have saved up their hard earned dollars for. What do you think?

If you made your parents proud then you did earn it.
dP

[Norm]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

If you made your parents proud then you did earn it.
dP

Well said. I agree 100%!

[HDHNTER]

Originally Posted by Norm

Well said. I agree 100%!

x2

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

If you made your parents proud then you did earn it.
dP

[Magik]

If you have an appreciation for fine watches such as Rolex, that's all that matters. If you look at it as just a watch and not a fine piece of equipment that brings you joy, you may as well sell it to someone who will appreciate it.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by Magik

If you have an appreciation for fine watches such as Rolex, that's all that matters

X2

Unfortunately, I buy mine

[seantk]

I would not mind getting a Rolex as a gift at all

Congratulations

Sean

[topcat30093]

IMO,if you appreciate a Rolex as a gift, then you are part of the family.
If you don't appreciate Rolex watches, I would be very surprised to see you on this part of the forum.
Unless you are just passing through or trying to get a price so that it can be flipped.

[rickyslam]

If you think that you've worked hard enough for it regardless if it was long hours of study, or hard earned cash then you've deserved it.

[East Bay Rider]

My wife gave mine to me. Same checking account so in a way I did pay for it myself. Somehow the gesture of her buying it makes it mean more than if I just went out and bought it for myself.

[Tombstone]

I bought all of my Rolex watches up to the last one which was a gift. A true first for me. A Rolex is nice a free Rolex is nice as well. I like them all after all it is a Rolex.

[DS/B MINI S]

Well, someone thought you earned it. Now, will you appreciate it as much as someone who saved for it? No, I don't think you will. I don't see how you could. You didn't do without something so you could put a few more dollars in the 'Rolex fund,' you never sold something to add to the fund, etc.

Congrats and Enjoy your new watch

[Ursa Major]

Many/most Rolex owners who bought their watches aren't enthusiastic about them; they're a tool or a piece of jewelry or a check-the-box status symbol. The fact that you're here makes you more a "part of the club" than they'll ever be.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Every Rolex counts!

Congrats on graduating!

[toph]

Three people voted that a rolex as a gift doesn't count! if you own a rolex -you own a rolex even if it is a gift.

[speicher1]

Well, I guess I'm one of the few who will beg to differ with the opinions in this thread. Let me propose an alternate--but essentially the same--scenario to you all.

Now then, let's say you're driving one day and you're at a stop light. This brand new 2008 Ferrari 599 GTB pulls up next to you. You glance at the driver and notice that it's a white-haired, older male. I'm sure most of us--myself included--could appreciate that this man probably worked all his life and made some good investment decisions along the way. Now he's enjoying the fruit of his labor and that is good for him.

Ok, let's turn that around and say that there was a 17 year old teenager sitting in the drivers' seat. Let's be honest. Who here doesn't secretly grumble, "that spoiled kid...daddy probably bought it for him." Does that 17 year old "deserve" that car? Do you guys respect him? Maybe...maybe not. If he was a prodigy who founded his own company, then sure, I'd say he deserved that car. But I think 9.9 out of 10 times, that's either NOT his car, or it was given to him as a gift.

But Steve, you can't compare a Ferrari to a Rolex! They're apples and oranges. They are the same in principle. Let's be real. A Rolex is a watch (a very nice one at that). Nobody "needs" a Rolex. We wear them because they're beautiful, exclusive, rugged, and expensive. Each and every person in here could have easily bought a $100 watch that more than adequately meets your time-keeping needs.

Now don't get my words twisted. I'm not advocating or even insinuating that Rolex owners should be in an upper-class of people just because they own one. What I am trying to say is that there is a very legitimate difference between putting in your hours to save up for buying your own Rolex as opposed to receiving it as a gift.

Furthermore, I think graduating from college would be a more appropriate occasion for receiving a gift like a Rolex. You think graduating from high school is a worthy achievement? Think again friend. First you bust your @ss to score well on the SAT, graduate from HS, then try to get in to a decent college. Once you get in, you become a caffeine addict and discover that Mrs. Parsons, your HS English teacher was lying to you the whole time when she said that you were a brilliant. Because the reality is, Professor Smith thinks your writing sucks...and yes, Calculus IV is tougher than Algebra.

Ok, so you graduate (congrats), now you have to buy a suit and get a job. Either way you cut it, mom and dad won't let you live with them anymore. You can either find a job, get married, and have a few kids like 90% of the population does. Or you can join the military. Once you get out of college, you discover like the rest of us that you are ill-prepared for the real world. If the job market is really lousy and gas hits $7/gal., you may have to pawn your Rolex to pay the bills.

You know what? I just had an illuminating moment. I'm sitting here typing this, and it occured to me that my father has worked his fingers to the bone for his entire life. He grew up in a poor family and went to America to live the immigrant dream. To this day, nobody has ever given him a Rolex. I have a SD and a Daytona. I was going to sell my SD, but I think it would be more appropriate if I were to give it to him as a gift. Maybe this is a sign from God.

Ok, let the bashing begin! I'm sure everyone in here (with the exception of 3 other people) will disagree with me

[Ursa Major]

Originally Posted by speicher1

Well, I guess I'm one of the few who will beg to differ with the opinions in this thread. Let me propose an alternate--but essentially the same--scenario to you all.

Now then, let's say you're driving one day and you're at a stop light. This brand new 2008 Ferrari 599 GTB pulls up next to you. You glance at the driver and notice that it's a white-haired, older male. I'm sure most of us--myself included--could appreciate that this man probably worked all his life and made some good investment decisions along the way. Now he's enjoying the fruit of his labor and that is good for him.

Ok, let's turn that around and say that there was a 17 year old teenager sitting in the drivers' seat. Let's be honest. Who here doesn't secretly grumble, "that spoiled kid...daddy probably bought it for him." Does that 17 year old "deserve" that car? Do you guys respect him? Maybe...maybe not. If he was a prodigy who founded his own company, then sure, I'd say he deserved that car. But I think 9.9 out of 10 times, that's either NOT his car, or it was given to him as a gift.

Steve, it's all a matter of attitude. My feelings hold true whether its a Ferrari or a Rolex in question - this is an enthusiast community, and while everyone here understands the "status" or "I've arrived" aspects of both, we're here for slightly different reasons. If a 17 year old drives a Ferrari around like a jackass, doesn't maintain it, doesn't care about it, it's just another toy until the next one, then I might roll my eyes and say "what a waste". If that same 17 year old starts posting heavily (and intelligently) on Ferrichat, learning the history of the marque, staying up late to watch F1, and generally showing signs of becoming a full-blooded Tifosi, then more power to him and welcome to the club - I prefer that kind of enthusiasm to a 60 year old who "earned it", but owns the car as one more toy that might be useful in pulling 35 year old women. It's the difference between Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld - both of whom are true enthusiasts who I'd love to sit down and talk cars/Porsches with over a beer - vs. Paris Hilton driving her Mercedes SLR or crashing her Bentley. The cars may be the same, but the attitudes are worlds apart. The former guys are part of the club, the latter, not really - nor would she care.

[RolexDaytona]

Originally Posted by speicher1

You know what? I just had an illuminating moment. I'm sitting here typing this, and it occured to me that my father has worked his fingers to the bone for his entire life. He grew up in a poor family and went to America to live the immigrant dream. To this day, nobody has ever given him a Rolex. I have a SD and a Daytona. I was going to sell my SD, but I think it would be more appropriate if I were to give it to him as a gift. Maybe this is a sign from God.

Ok, let the bashing begin! I'm sure everyone in here (with the exception of 3 other people) will disagree with me

Steve: You are one of the fortunate people to have your father with you. Gift him your SD, he deserves it most.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by RolexDaytona

Steve: You are one of the fortunate people to have your father with you. Gift him your SD, he deserves it most.

Couldn't agree more, give it to your Dad!

[colemanitis]

No matter how you got it, if you have a true appreciation for your Rolex then your part of the family.

[Rolex_07]

Are you trying to compare my YG DD to a Ferarri? Why, thank you very much!!!

But seriously, my Grandfather bought his DD (now mine) back in the 60's from Tiffany's. For my Dad's High School graduation, he gave it to him. And my Dad gave me that same watch for my High School graudation. I plan on doing the same to my son.

You meantioned a young kid driving a Ferarri and that he didn't really deserve it because his parents/grandparents are/were rich. Why does it matter where my Grandparents got their money from?

If you must know, my Grandfather was involved in printing ribbons and made "some" money off of that. And my grandmother invented the covers for trucks that way the stones don't come out and hit your windshield.

But that was then, this is now. I feel that I put in a lot of hard work in order to recieve my DD and obviously my parents thought the same. Plus, we're just keeping the tradition alive.

Yes, I am in college now, (freshman) and I'm doing very well. I actually think that recieving the Rolex after K-12 gave me a little boost and motivation for college. Basically my watch says to me, "Keep up the hard work, and there's more comming your way."

What's the problem of giving a Rolex to a High School graduate? You don't think that I worked just as hard or maybe even harder for my watch than you did for yours?

Let's see what others have to say here. Anyone agree with me?

[colemanitis]

Originally Posted by Rolex_07

What's the problem of giving a Rolex to a High School graduate? You don't think that I worked just as hard or maybe even harder for my watch than you did for yours? Let's see what others have to say here. Anyone agree with me?

You were in high school, PROBABLY living at home, and PROBABLY not working a full-time job, if you worked at all. I'd say you didn't work as hard for your Rolex as many others here on TRF. I KNOW you didn't work as hard as me. But it's all good! I'd take a free Rolex any day!

[highroller]

I think if you spend your own money it's a little different.. But say if somthing happend to it. You would be like dang..But if you buy it with your money and somthing happend to it I don't know......
My parents don't have money neither my grandparents..Whatever

I want a free ROLEX

[mcubed]

I think that creating "rules" about what Rolexes count and don't is a bit exclusionary. If you own and appreciate a Rolex, then you deserve to be part of the community of others who appreciate them.

And I think that categorically saying that someone who saved and bought it appreciates it more or somehow deserved it more is untrue.

Mine was a gift (Used, and I picked it out) for receiving My Ph.D. I have been a full time student working on this for 9 years ( And yes I own my own home, my wife and I buy our own cars etc on our relatively small salaries)..I would find it a bit offensive if someone said that I did not earn it, or did not deserve it as much as someone else.......

[etp095]

my mom bought me a used tt date for my hs graduation present.i wore it every day for about 8 years and i know i didn't take care of it as much as if i bought it myself.i baby the rolexes that i paid for so much.you appreciate things much more when you have to work for them,i had to give up lots of weekends and 12 hour days to buy my rolexes.my moms a beautician and she had to cut lots of hair to buy me that watch.moms the best,i love her dearly.

[GoldenBear]

You appreciate the stuff you buy (earn) more than the stuff that is given to you. I waited until I was 30 to get my first Rolex and worked like hell to get it. Until you really work hard for something you don't value it as much as you do when you realize the effort that went in to getting it. It still holds true for the things I have today.