I’m not a big jewelry guy. I don’t wear necklaces, bracelets, charms, or earrings. The one thing I do wear all the time is my watch. Believe it or not, in my life, I’ve had only four watches, and three of them I still own. The funny thing is, I never bought a single one – they were all given to me as gifts.
My watches sit on my night stand next to my bed. They are usually the first thing I put on after getting out of the shower in the morning, and if, for some reason, I leave the house without a watch – when I do realize it’s not there I feel like I’m naked. I feel like I’m missing something
My first was an Incredible Hulk watch, analog with a picture of the hulk on it. Unfortunately, it was thrown away with the incredible hulk blow up muscles I got a few months later. The picture to the right wasn’t my actual watch, that’s just something I found on Ebay for display purposes – but it’s very close. (side note: having an incredible hulk watch is another way to know you are a child of the 80′s)
My second watch was a gold pocket watch which was given to me by my grandfather. I took that thing with me wherever I went. I must have looked like a dork in third grade telling time from an old man’s pocket watch. For awhile it didn’t even work right because the winder got stuck and I didn’t know how to fix it. At least it told correct time twice a day, right?
My third watch was a digital Timex watch my dad bought me. I’ve had it for almost 20 years. That sucker takes a licking and keeps on…well you know. It’s now covered in paint splotches and used only when I go running – which lately, has been rare – unless I’m running to the fridge to get ice cream.
Then there’s my most recent watch – a more dressy piece – a Ken Cole that my brother got me for Christmas. Simple silver body, analog face, black leather band. I’ve had it for years and wear it almost every day. It goes well with jeans and a t-shirt, but it also looks great with a suit and tie.
Because they were gifts, every single one has sentimental value to me. I think that’s pretty common for alot of people – to feel that kind of connection with something like a watch – especially when it was given to you by someone you love.
Of course, I can’t make a phone call on my watch like Dick Tracy, but in a time when cell phones seem to include functionality that replaces just about every other piece of technology in our lives, it still feels comfortable to rely on the old standby – my analog watch.
Sure you need to wind them every now and then, and every few years they need an adjustment. But in my opinion, as far as quality is concerned, the technology is a thousand times better than the crappy cell phones we have now which seem to break every year just as the warranty is running out.
And in a few years I might even be able to hand one of them down to my kid. I just hope it doesn’t happen like this:
Of course, if you’re not into hiding uncomfortable pieces of metal up your ass for two years, you can always just run out and buy one.
Pay attention ladies: Your man can always use a good watch, and as we get closer to the holidays mens watches get more expensive. I suggest searching online first. The online marketplace for watches has evolved over the years, and you can find just about any style and in any size, and at lower prices than in retail stores.
If your man is anything like me (short, italian, and overly sarcastic), he’ll think of you fondly whenever he wears it. Unless of course, it’s the only thing he got in the divorce, in which case he’ll just think of you and the pool boy. Why did it have to be the pool boy?
Do you have an heirloom watch? Tell me about it in the comments section below.
