Too much too young

My oldest daughter just turned 11 and I’ll tell you she doesn’t care about analog watches. She would love an Apple Watch or some device to gamify her activity. I’d be worried about Rolex Rippers if a 10 year old was wearing it.

My annoyance with flex culture is with people who aren’t aware that they’re flexing. For example, someone who posts a behind the wheel shot of their luxury watch in a supercar, then get annoyed about why people are not appreciating it. Just because you post something, doesn’t mean folks are obligated to respond.

When I was 10, I had a Casio C-80 calculator watch, but I'd already been through the Timex mechanical and Texas Instruments LED digital era. I had no idea what a Rolex even was.

Nowadays there are some people buying their children luxury watches and posting them on Tik-Tok. It annoys me.

I have no problems with younger people enjoying wristwatches, but I would never give a 10yo a Rolex.

If I could talk to 10yo me for five minutes about the history of GShock and give myself a 5610 10yo me would think that's the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

As for flex culture, I hate it. Anytime anyone buys anything (gifts aside) to impress someone else, in my opinion they've missed the point. Doesn't matter if its a Longines, Omega, Rolex, Seiko, AP, Patek, or a 1 of 1 FP Journe, if I ask you why you bought it and you tell me anything other than "because I love it" you've missed the point.

Nice platitude, but it's simply not true. Ask anyone who has ever been bullied, assaulted, or robbed. Also wait until someone you know dies. Let's see how you don't feel any grief, shall we?

If a dad has access to and can afford to waste his money on giving a 10yo a luxury watch, I'd be a happy salesman to allow it.

As a watch enthusiast, I shall paraphrase my response to the 11 Hulks question of yesterday; "As someone who will likely never own an actual luxury watch, why would I be outraged at some rich prick wasting his money on giving a 10yo a luxury watch?"

Look at this madness!

https://www.gq.com/story/watches-of-the-week-5-25-19

and this!

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3227303/6-celebrity-kids-extravagant-luxury-watches-cristiano-ronaldo-jr-and-kylie-jenners-daughter-stormi

My 4yo loves her f91w, but only because it lights up. My 8yo chose a San Martin SINN homage because she can tell the time on it and my 16yo seems to have taken my dad's old DateJust. I wonder why 🤔

Seems we have another bug in WatchCrunch again. I blocked "Ice Cream Man" ages ago, yet he still managed to comment on this post even though I can't see it. 😢

Oh, it's actually a troll account. He's already changed his user name 3 times. Prior to this he was "StonedApe". Please report this account for impersonation of another user: https://www.watchcrunch.com/IceCreamMan

Here's his previous comment and my reply:

Apparently he's edited his comment now though. And fortunately, he's blocked me. Saved me the trouble of doing it myself. I love it when the trash takes itself out. 😀

The core market of the watch nerd is the FOWG (fat old white guy) though obviously there are other demographics. When I see people under 30 cooing over Omega or Rolex or "holy trinity" stuff, it is as alienating as seeing the same people wanting a Buick or Cadillac (or Harley or Gold Wing). Be young and enjoy this old person stuff later.

I'm amused by luxury watches, particularly luxury sport watches. The idea of luxury is antithetical to antiquated timepieces, especially ones that are for diving or something. Then again, the idea of luxury cars amuses me because real luxury is having a driver.

Real luxury would be paying someone to follow you around who has legally changed their name to "Rolex", and when you want to know the time, you just ask them, "What time is it, Rolex?" and they tell you.

Of course, you can do that with Siri already, I suppose. 😉

While I agree 10 years old is far too young, I think once a person is old enough to appreciate what they have, they’re ready for it.

My son is 2 and already loves holding and playing with my watches. I’ll buy him a ‘luxury’ piece when I think he’s able to handle the responsibility.

My brother in law and his wife are notoriously careful with their dollars, they have often mocked, playfully my watch affectation and my wife’s collection of designer handbags and runners from the same companies. Our spending habits harm or benefit nobody but ourselves. Recently my wife’s sis in law arrived at her January birthday celebration wearing a brand new rose gold diamond bezel Patek Philippe dress watch. The other dinner guests felt the frugal couple were flexing at a elegant but still modest party. I was delighted and understood perfectly that they were finally in agreement with my plea to live life because it can be brutally short.

lol! When I first visited my wife’s family in Taiwan after marriage to the youngest daughter, did noticed that all of my father in law’s friends and colleagues employed drivers but my wife’s dad was one of the few who didn’t own a dark German sedan was also a topic that employer and driver often discussed. My father in law used to joke that he would be delighted to be driven around in a Mercedes if his longtime driver would also buy the auto. I was more comfortable chatting with the hired help and would often hang with some drivers who socialized when their bosses were lunching or golfing. One fella said my father in law’s driver was sorta special because he also carried a weopon didn’t need to drive a Mercedes to impress. Traffic in downtown Taipei was so heavy that drivers often dropped off their bosses and drove around if the planned events were not overly long.