A Total Loss
A few days ago, I told you that my 14 year-old had an accident. He is well. The bruises and abrasions healed. But look at his watch. When he bought it three months ago, he put on his suit when we went to the dealer to ensure, that the colours of the watch are in line with the colours of his fine attire. He paid with his own money and he built a bond with it.
If you look closely you will see, that the crystal isn't damaged on the outside but on dial side. Today the Citizen service called, that the movement is soaked in glass dust. It is a total loss. They can repair the watch by changing the movement, cleaning everything else, putting in a new crystal and resealing the watch. If they repair it it will be three-quarters of its original price.
So I sat down to talk to my son. He decided that he wants this watch to be repaired, because it his first watch, that he bought himself, he celebrated his confirmation in it and he had great summer holidays with it. I can relate to this. So it may seem to be nonsense but this watch is going to be repaired.
I have been there, when the first Lamy Safari fountain pen hit schools. I have been there, when the first G-Shock came into the classroom. I have been there, when the ticking of my classmates' first S...
Sorry to hear of your sons accident, and glad he's OK. Even though it makes no sense from a financial perspective to repair the watch, I think I would do the same if I was in his position. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for both your son and his watch.
I don’t think that is really totally nonsense. His first real watch that your son bought on his own is meaningful.
Where are all the people that talk about case marring being a story to remember? In most instances this is nonsense, but it applies here.
There is nothing wrong with that. Even if the repair was more than the watch, the sentimentality makes it worth it
I was not careful at a construction site, tripped over some scaffolding, damaged my Baume & Mercier Chronograph badly made worse since the watch was a gift from my wife and two daughters, appreciation for a hard working dad and husband, lol. This October marks 20 years that I have owned the watch but I rarely wear it out anymore. I intend to pass it on to my grand kid who makes her entrance in October! The watch was repaired by B&M in Switzerland, was worth every dollar.
I hope that your son is well, watches can be repaired, just mechanical objects. 👍
Great story..Let him enjoy the hobby...glad he is okay..
I'm sordy. That must hurt.
Not nonsense. He's bonded with it, it's cheaper than replacing it, AND it now has an awesome backstory!
Sorry to hear about your son but glad he’s doing well. Let’s be honest, we would all do the same if we had a sentimental connection to a time piece.
Upgrade him to something else, and tell him how proud you are of him, his achievements, and purchasing his watch on his own. Then not only will the new watch be a reminder of his accomplishments but the appreciation of them by his idol (his father) something mine lacked in.
My prayers are with you and your family brother 🙏🏽🙏🏽
I am glad to hear your son is ok.
I completely understand. Irrational as it is, items worn during life events have sentimental value and that doesn't have a price.
And as others have said, now those case marks have a story!
Watches don't just tell the time. They tell a story, they hold memories and they mark moments. Your sons first watch holds it them all. Let him wear it with a smile.
Great to hear he is ok. Repair the watch and leave the marks on bezel to be yet another reminder about life and the journey/memories with the watches that accompany us
Definitely not nonsense. If you just replace the watch, then you throw away the connection to the old memories in a way. Now this thing has some real character and a bigger bond with him. He’s healed and now the watch.
Also, it’s cheaper so… financially also practical lol
Sorry to hear about his accident and I wish him a speedy recovery!
For me, sentimentality trumps all. There are cheap watches worth the world to me and less cheap watches that I wouldn't mind giving up.
Upgrade him to something else, and tell him how proud you are of him, his achievements, and purchasing his watch on his own. Then not only will the new watch be a reminder of his accomplishments but the appreciation of them by his idol (his father) something mine lacked in.
I talked that option through with him. There is an automatic watch that he likes very much. But he doesn't want to get it now. On the one hand he saiys, that another watch isn't connected to his confirmation, not to his first concert, not to his achievement, that he got it, not to our father and son cycling tour and not to the joy of rhis summer. It is like this watch is charged with positive energy and with kind of father and son vibes On the other hand he said something that impressed me: "If I cannot afford it on my own, it doesn't feel right. I want more expensive watches and I'm going to get them some day. But for the moment being this watch is what I can do and what feels like the right tier that I can proudly wear."
However I kind of upgraded him. I didn't replace his watch by a more expensive one, but I closed the gap until his Citizen is going to be repaired by adding a Casio AE-1000W to his collection. Leather straps for this watch are on the way to us. Without s doubt he prefers the Citizen but he thinks that the Casio is cool and at least a must have. Plus growth in variety, he says, is a good thing.
I talked that option through with him. There is an automatic watch that he likes very much. But he doesn't want to get it now. On the one hand he saiys, that another watch isn't connected to his confirmation, not to his first concert, not to his achievement, that he got it, not to our father and son cycling tour and not to the joy of rhis summer. It is like this watch is charged with positive energy and with kind of father and son vibes On the other hand he said something that impressed me: "If I cannot afford it on my own, it doesn't feel right. I want more expensive watches and I'm going to get them some day. But for the moment being this watch is what I can do and what feels like the right tier that I can proudly wear."
However I kind of upgraded him. I didn't replace his watch by a more expensive one, but I closed the gap until his Citizen is going to be repaired by adding a Casio AE-1000W to his collection. Leather straps for this watch are on the way to us. Without s doubt he prefers the Citizen but he thinks that the Casio is cool and at least a must have. Plus growth in variety, he says, is a good thing.
Perfect solution.
And I still have a present from my Dad - Christmas 1986 - a Jules Jurgensen 34mm dress watch. Quite a looker then and now.
The incident and previous stories/memories will live on...!
Glad to know your boy is okay. Probably feels traumatic now but in a few years, this will be a cool watch story.
I talked that option through with him. There is an automatic watch that he likes very much. But he doesn't want to get it now. On the one hand he saiys, that another watch isn't connected to his confirmation, not to his first concert, not to his achievement, that he got it, not to our father and son cycling tour and not to the joy of rhis summer. It is like this watch is charged with positive energy and with kind of father and son vibes On the other hand he said something that impressed me: "If I cannot afford it on my own, it doesn't feel right. I want more expensive watches and I'm going to get them some day. But for the moment being this watch is what I can do and what feels like the right tier that I can proudly wear."
However I kind of upgraded him. I didn't replace his watch by a more expensive one, but I closed the gap until his Citizen is going to be repaired by adding a Casio AE-1000W to his collection. Leather straps for this watch are on the way to us. Without s doubt he prefers the Citizen but he thinks that the Casio is cool and at least a must have. Plus growth in variety, he says, is a good thing.
You have a very intelligent well guided son. All I wanted I to do at 14 was smoke weed and try to get laid. It’s very wise of him to have an appreciation where he is in his life, and wanting to be genuinely himself. Some grown men even have trouble with that.
I totally understand his sentiment on this issue
Dedication and commitment, he's going to be a great father and husband 👏🏾👏🏾
Repair for sure. Still a tough time now but it’ll be a great story soon he can tell when he wears it
Nope, getting it repaired makes perfect sense to me.
I would repair it as well, it's holding sentimental value. Heck, I'd even pay extra.
I still have the first watch that I bought and I’m 61. It is a Seiko Sports 100 chronograph with a moon phase complication. Quartz of course.
So i did with my 'new' monster. The movement was busted. I went to my watchmaker eho says 'it s cheaper to dump it and get a new one. But as this is my grail, it was clear it s gonna get repaired. Sometimes it needs to get heartblood. I totally respect ya boy s wish, and you to get along with it!👍
He will have a nice restored piece with history now lol. Right on