I’ve recently picked up a Milgauss GV V-serial in my son’s birth year.
It’s a full set and still stickered in as new condition. I’m in a quandary whether to just keep it in the drawer for him perhaps until I depart permanently or would it mean more to him if the watch has been ‘lived in’ by Dad. At the moment I’m happy wearing my Fenix 5 daily, which of course attracts zero attention.
Thoughts from the forum welcome!
Cheers
Rory
I would say wear the watch and over the forthcoming years make sure you capture moments in pics of you wearing the watch with your son, e.g. doing father and son stuff on holiday.Originally Posted by Rory
In my view this will have greater meaning when your son does receive the watch “Dad’s watch”, than ending up with an unused watch, that just happens to be from his birth year.
If you’re planning on passing on a watch make sure it’s one he’ll remember you by, so at least If it’s on your wrist until the moment you hand it over to him then it’ll be the perfect reminder of all your shared moments together. If it’s sat in a drawer it’ll never have any sentimental attachment, so kind of defeats the point of passing the watch on.
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Find it hard to understand this thinking. While I'm sure the gesture will be appreciated, said offspring may:
(a) not watch any watch
(b) not want Dad's knackered old hand-me-down (if worn)
(c) may well stick it in a drawer*
(d) regard watches as we might regard a pocket watch and prefer new tech (who knows what will be available at the time)
(e) may prefer to choose his own watch (if unworn)^
(f) may not be sentimental
^ The Milgauss is a bit Marmite
* I have my grandfather's gold Zenith and my father's Omega Seamaster. While I'm glad I have them, it feels a bit weird wearing them and I very rarely dig them out.
If you love the Milgauss, wear it and if he wants a watch when the time comes, both go together and choose something that he's every chance of wearing.
Do not buy a watch you won't wear
Do not buy a car you won't drive
Do not buy a sandwich you won't eat
Can you see a theme here?????
Definitely wear it. I have my grandfather's watch. He handed it down to my Dad who gave it to me when it broke. I had it fixed and still wear it now and then and its a keeper.
If I had no memories of the watch and only found it when they passed on I would feel no connection with it regarding them. I would then more than likely sell it.
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If worn by your father for the rest of his life it becomes more than just a watch.
If left in a drawer unworn then there's no emotional attachment and it's just a watch.
+1, I can never understand these gestures. If you've got that sort of money going spare you'd be far wiser investing it for him to receive when he reaches 18 or 21. Both my stepchildren were fortunate to receive a few £££ that their grandfather had invested on their behalf, in each case they used the money wisely to go towards a house deposit......far more worthwhile than a watch! Stepson's now got an interest in watches and bought a Seamaster Pro that suits his own taste, he's now in a position to buy such things, but when he received grandad's investment he certainly wasn't!
To be honest, buying watches in this manner is an indulgence on the parent's part, they're giving themself the warm feeling and it won't necessarily give the offspring pleasure.
Keep the watch and enjoy it yourself.
Paul
Hear hear.
Don't use your son and some vague sense of "heirloom" rubbish as an excuse to justify buying and wearing a nice watch ("oh, i'm only wearing this so it will have more meaning in 18 years time!!" - yeah right). Just wear it and consider it yours.
+1 Patek have based their entire branding around the idea of the worn and loved heirloom!
Wear it and see if you like it enough to continue to wear it the rest of your life.
Talk to your son about watches and see if he is interested (whenever he is old enough if not now). I talk to my 4 year old about watches and he likes them - he especially liked the yellow Breitlings!
If he is not interested and never appears to be interested, don’t bother as he may not enjoy it even after you are gone.
My dad has a gold omega he bought when he was 21. I may inherit it some day, but I will never wear it as my tastes are different and things have changed since the ‘60s when he bought it
Wear it 100% - atleast then when you do depart, it will hold memories for your son and fond memories. The year of birth in my opinion is a nice touch to make it all that more special
Thanks everyone, wearing seems like the right thing to do and see if he shows an interest in it as the years pass by. He’ll get it anyway and can do as he pleases with it at that time.
Cheers
Rory
I agree with everyone. Definitely wear it!
That way even if he has no interest in watches, it will always mean more to him than just a watch :)
^^^ everything he said
Definitely another for everything he said. My green rolex and Tudor will be handed down to my daughter and if she is unlucky she can hold onto the white dial milgauss, come to think of it the black dial will probably be hers when I'm gone as well.
About time we had a pic of the offending item I say...
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As said already. Wear the watch and enjoy it with him, like any other you may have in your collection. When he's of an age whereby you consider him worthy of ownership and appreciation, crack open your watch box and give him the pick of them.
Otherwise, if your intention is for him to have a beautiful timepiece to remember his Dad by, buy him a watch of his choice for a significant birthday/occasion.
Of the watch I meant; not the lad...
I hope you get years of enjoyment out of it. That way your son may bond with the idea of wearing it and you get to enjoy it in the meantime.
'Lived in watch' as our kids can look back on the fun experiences we shared whilst wearing it.....
Patek have actually assuaged the guilt of spending so much money on a watch, replacing it with an excuse/rationalisation.
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Id say don't wear it, write a letter and put it in the box with it, do it now and put it away, mint and boxed. Let it take on age as nos and it will be his watch and only his watch, but with special thoughts from you. Like finding a gem in the attic. Much nicer in feelings for me than something passed on from my dad. Something he bought with me in mind, recorded his feelings at the time and then put it away for me...blimey I wish dad had done that with the e24 635csi he bought new in 1980 rather than using it and giving it me with rusty wings in 1989 when i was 16...just saying...
Here is is, still need to take stickers off!
Cheers
Rory
IMG_8201.JPG
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Shocking photo resolution, I’ll try again later.
Cheers
Rory
Hopefully that’s better.
Cheers
Rory
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Very nice. Wear it and enjoy it.
When the day comes for the watch to be your sons it will have a attachment and memory to you and it will be worth more to him than the value if is has been sat untouched in a drawer.
None of us are getting out of here alive, it is all just stuff and objects.
I have already started giving my watches to my kids to wear and enjoy now.
Very cool watch.
I’ve noticed all my images are shocking as of late, something to do with the app.
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Hopefully this will be my first Rolex one day!
I agree with the consensus - wear it, build some memories and create an emotional link with the thing. I inherited my Dad's Seamaster when he died - it was a wedding present from my mother in 1971 and he wore it for most of his life. Even though the watch languished in a drawer for about the last 15 years, it was strongly associated with him in my memory and when it came to me I had it serviced and sympathetically restored, and it now forms part of my rotation. I really enjoy wearing it, and just having it makes me smile.
I'd also add that if it had been given to me when I turned 18, I almost certainly wouldn't still have it - or not in working order, at least!
Great to see it being worn, I have never understood having a watch and stashing it away, enjoy.
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