This is my Fathers new Timex.
My Dad wore a gold Timex for as long as I can remember until he got a cell phone. I think that’s a familiar story. He loved that watch. He always wanted a Rolex but he would never buy one. First off, it didn’t fit into my Dad’s lifestyle and second his family came first. There was always something he thought we needed more. A Rolex was a luxury that wasn’t in the budget.
My Dad passed away abruptly last December. I, he thought we had more time. I had just rediscovered watches about 6 months before that. I also stopped wearing a watch when I got my first cell phone. My Dad thought it was the great and we had many conversations about time and watches. We talked about his Timex, about the fact that he took it off and put it away. He wanted to pull it out give it to me. Unfortunately that never happened.
A month or so later I’m going through his stuff with my Mom looking for some paper work and his watch. We found plenty of great memories and the paper work but not the watch. We are still looking for it.
One of my sons left California to go to college and never came home. My wife and I were visiting him 2 months after his grandfathers passing. My wife was shopping. So my son and I walked over to a Rolex AD and I bought a Rolex, just like that. l walked out of the store with an Explorer Il on my wrist. My watch of choice. Crazy right! It must have been fate.
Now, my Dad would’ve been happy for me and he’d have all kinds of questions. But he would’ve said something like. “I’m proud your doing well but remember where you came from and who you are because that watch doesn’t change a thing.” I’d be thinking to myself. “Ok Dad I’m in my 50s. I know, I know and I will.” Some things never change. Then he’d say “I woulda bought the Presidential, that’s class. No, that’s not me, I couldn’t pull it off but I could pull off the Explorer. No, let’s go find my Timex that fits me.” I think we’d still be looking for that Timex today.
I believe that Explorer ll was meant to be mine. A replacement to take the place of my Dads Timex which has never been found. When the Explorer ll is on my wrist, I get to check the time and I get check in with my Dad too.
Miss you Dad.
Can you share a comment about a watch that has a personal meaning or special connection?
Just a guy filling up a box with watches.
My grandfather's Timex. He passed when I was very young and it was given to me. I still have that watch and have posted about it.
My grandfather's Timex. He passed when I was very young and it was given to me. I still have that watch and have posted about it.
Nice. Hang on to it. It not replaceable. I’m still looking for my dads.🤙
Nice. Hang on to it. It not replaceable. I’m still looking for my dads.🤙
I have had it serviced as much is possible in hopes of keeping it running as long as possible.
A touching story, thank you for sharing something so personal. 🤝
My grandfather's Marcel & Cie stopwatch. I don't know what he used it for but he had one. Still works, and sounds great doing it!
I literally just wrote a post about my dad's Timex a couple of days ago. And how he got me into watches by accident. I keep that broke a$$ Timex because it's a piece of him.
I think my dad would have liked your dad.
I know how you feel. I’m going to find it. I know, hope I will. I have plenty of my Dads things. I just want the watch. You know, I want what I can’t have.🫣
Man I love that story because we all have or remember dads that taught us everything about the most important rules in life. My father was barely 5 ft tall and I was just 6ft before a traumatic head injury and old age altered the trajectory of my intended height. You can guess the comments my dad endured when father and son walked the neighbourhood. My father was an academic but willingly found work in Chinatown restaurants to support us, dad was also very capable fixing building things without any training. Predictably he bought a simple manual date Rolex OP when the family finances improved. He was not tall but his steel oyster bracelet never needed adjustment so much for the small Asian wrist myth. My nephew who does not wear any of the watches that belonged to his dad is also the keeper of the OP. I would love to have it to wear on occasion but that watch is also a sad reminder of my older brother to his widow so it is not a topic of discussion. I think that you may have stumbled onto a worthwhile practice to honour a family member or friend with some deeply personal gesture be it physical or symbolic. You wear your dad’s talisman watch well!
😪
Love the story and how you’ve honored your dad. Wear the watch in good health, with good memories and make even more to pass to your son!
Love the story and how you’ve honored your dad. Wear the watch in good health, with good memories and make even more to pass to your son!
Thank you! And that’s the plan.
Great story. I hope you will find the Timex.
And in 30 to 40 years you pass down your explorer and the timex.
I got into watches because of my step dad. My dad an I had never really a lot of time until some things changed and I moved as a teenager to him and his wife.
He wore at this time constantly the Chrono Swiss Kairo ( just a Internet picture) I was very impressed by the dial and the class of that Watch.
I hope one day far far in the future he will pass that down so I can wear that piece as well.
Even I am not owning that Watch it means a lot too me. Probably a bit strange😅
Thanks for sharing your story.
Great story. I hope you will find the Timex.
And in 30 to 40 years you pass down your explorer and the timex.
I got into watches because of my step dad. My dad an I had never really a lot of time until some things changed and I moved as a teenager to him and his wife.
He wore at this time constantly the Chrono Swiss Kairo ( just a Internet picture) I was very impressed by the dial and the class of that Watch.
I hope one day far far in the future he will pass that down so I can wear that piece as well.
Even I am not owning that Watch it means a lot too me. Probably a bit strange😅
Thanks for sharing your story.
It’s not. I get it. I have plenty of my father around me but there are a few things I don’t have a want. I believe it’s all part of the process.
I was given a 1978 quartz Seiko that was my Grandfather’s after he passed some 7 years ago and it certainly speaks of his frugality but it’s a rad watch. I still rock it.
Then a couple years ago, as I started getting into watches in earnest I told my dad, who is a Rolex collector, and he offered to send me his 90s Tag Pro200. 37mm I think. The bracelet is a tad too small for my fat wrists but it looks great on a NATO. It was his first ‘nice’ watch. I remember it from my teenage years, on vacations and what not.
That Tag and it’s bracelet are dinged and scratched up from a career in kitchens as a chef, same as me, and that watch links the kitchens and cooks and meals and work he has done with me and my work doing the same labors. My dad has gone on to some major successes in life since then (white gold Daytona…) but that Tag was the beginning of his fortunes truly turning for the better.
It’s not. I get it. I have plenty of my father around me but there are a few things I don’t have a want. I believe it’s all part of the process.
Hi,
Hope you don’t get me wrong.
I think it’s great that you share thoughts and your love for your dad with us.
Probably you right. I think that’s part of the process.
Interesting is how much we own as a individual but sometimes it just need one piece we connected with our loved ones and that’s the piece we like to keep too remember.
All the best for you and your family.
I bought this Aqua Terra for my Dad, he wore it for a few months then decided it was too expensive to wear so was going to sell it. So I bought it back from him .😂....but, bless him, he put that money towards a car for my Mrs.
My Seamaster 300, bought with inheritance from my Mum. Miss her everyday 😔
I bought this Aqua Terra for my Dad, he wore it for a few months then decided it was too expensive to wear so was going to sell it. So I bought it back from him .😂....but, bless him, he put that money towards a car for my Mrs.
My Seamaster 300, bought with inheritance from my Mum. Miss her everyday 😔
Sorry about your Mum. We men don’t get that many opportunities to wear a memory. My wife has a necklace from her grandmother and a ring from her Mom. We get watches. Wear them in good health.
Man, how did specks of dust get into my eyes just as I was reading this!
Man, how did specks of dust get into my eyes just as I was reading this!
That’s funny. I had the same experience.
I have broken quite a few timex, casios and seikos myself. Not sure about passing them on to my son, though..
I don't have any passed down watches yet, but I was able to pick up a (black dial) Explorer II 226570 in honor of my 50th birthday not very long ago. My father has always worn watches. Probably the nicest he had for a very long time was a Seiko Lasalle dress watch from the '80s, which was the first I'd heard of a watch having a sapphire crystal (I was a kid). It was still not even common then as Rolex had not even put sapphire across their whole lineup at that point. Anyway, my father did finally buy his first luxury watch a couple years back, a blue 38.5mm Omega Aqua Terra. It's a beautiful watch. He said it will be mine some day. He is in his late '70s, but I hope I don't get it for a long time! Thanks for sharing your moving story.