Why not.
Was talking to a doctor friend who said he'd heard that one of his patients who sadly passed away from cancer was quite the watch collector and had requested to his family that he be cremated with one of his favourite watches on - said watch was apparently a very rare Rolex issued by the Omani Sultan in the 70s for services rendered to the country.
That's a lot of money literally up in flames!
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Call me cynical, but my money's on the undertaker opening the casket, then whipping that watch off his wrist before he gets anywhere near the flames.
Why wouldn’t you just leave something like that to your family? Makes me wonder how many people have been buried with their favourite piece like some sort of horological pharaoh
Why not, his property his choice.
Think i’ll take my PP’s with me, the next generation can look after their own watches.
It's been going on for thousands of years, not surprising. I'll be leaving mine to my daughters and charity.
A family friend who was an Funeral Director years ago, before he retired always said to buy gold as there will always be a demand for it as a lot of it is buried every year with people who die. How much to affect the demand of gold I’ve no idea.
I thought I had heard all metal was removed before cremation including casket handles
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some Japanese art collector has ordered a Van Gogh to be burnt when he dies apparently 😳
Seems very wasteful given the temperatures involved in cremation don’t get hot enough to melt metal implants, for example, so would expect a rather sad looking watch to remain in the ashes.
Metal objects used to be collected and buried however, due to environmental reasons, they are now sent for recycling by many crematoriums.
Used to include the wife. I guess this is an improvement. (I’ll get my coat)
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
I have visited a working crematorium and whilst the subject of a wristwatch wasn't specifically mentioned I was made aware that there's a lot of rules about cremating items other than the casket and the human body.
Given the process of how the skeletal bones are processed post-cremation I would be surprised that a watch would be allowed tbh.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Interesting reading here:
The Musings of a Crematorium Worker: The £6,500 Rolex
https://kjemm.wordpress.com/2017/03/04/the-6500-rolex/
“Most things do burn away in a cremator. For instance, the handles of the golf clubs went, watch straps burn away, metal pendants melt into unrecognisable forms, gold is just blobs but some things do remain, charred, but still present. Like a £6,500 Rolex.”
Last edited by williemays; 9th May 2021 at 18:48.
It does seem wasteful rather than leaving to family or selling/auctioning for charity.
Lucky day for the folk loading the casket...
As I understand it (got a mate in the death business ) all left over metals are removed after cremation as all the remains are then ground into dust before ashes are handed over to any relatives etc
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See also The Standard Cremation Process - 2021 for:
What happens to objects that are not combustible e.g. metal nails or jewellery?
A magnet removes the ferrous parts (ironware) and other metals (which now fused with other material and not recognisable) are removed. These traditional[ly] have been buried at the crematorium grounds. However many now send them off for recycling.
Note: the best advice would be not to leave jewellery on the deceased as it won’t be part of the ashes you receive back and it can’t be retrieved.
IMO the issue is 'How best to recycle a Rolex?'
I think Rolex are missing an advertising opportunity here.
"Rolex: the only watch that is still recognisable after it has been cremated."
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
I call this as BS.
The watch won’t be burned fully and will be thrown away after the cremation so what would be the point? Being buried with it I can just about understand, although that would still be ego-driven idiocy.
You’ll be dead, why bother? What possible significance would it have?
Bloody idiot!
Smacks of “If I can’t enjoy it anymore, why should somebody else?”
I know it's stretching a point but one could argue that by destroying an existing watch, he is in his own little way, doing his bit to push up residuals by reducing availability.
At the end of the day, it is his watch to do with as he likes.
Anyone who wants a watch like that destroyed is not a lover of watches, he just wants one last flex.
This must be the oddest thread I’ve ever read on TZ, and there has been a few odd ones
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In all seriousness who cares it’s only an object to do with what the owner wants
I FEEL LIKE I'M DIAGONALLY PARKED IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE
If i'm being buried with a watch it has to be a fully charged 4G enabled Samsung Galaxy watch because you never know I suppose. Doctors get things wrong sometimes :-)
I am thinking of being buried surrounded by 23 toasters and 2 kettles. That'll confuse the Archeologists when they dig me up in 800 years time.
Will leave the watches to my kids but the warranty cards are coming with me.