What Owning Wearing a Rolex Should be About

[padi56]

Many years ago back in the late 1970s my Father always wanted a Rolex watch so he took on two jobs and saved for just over 5 years to get his watch.Now he always wanted a Submariner so when he had saved enough money at this time just over £950,so off he went to the AD to buy his watch.And I am sure he did not go with a Lupe to examine every minute detail of the watch or worry if this or that will go up in value or worry over a few seconds.In those days you just bought a Rolex watch knowing that watch would last a lifetime and beyond.Back in those bygone days you bought a Rolex not to try or hope it would go up in value, but to wear hopefully in good health for the rest of your life.Now when my Father got to the AD they showed him the sub,but tried to sell him a 6263 Daytona instead, in those days they were very very poor sellers.And they even offered him a discount off £25 of the price,now the Daytona was almost then a £100 retail cheaper than the sub so with the discount plus the cheaper price he bought the Daytona 6263.Now with the money saved he bought my mother a new washing machine,now sadly my Father did not live a lifetime to enjoy his Rolex he died at the age of just 56.

Now IMHO WW11 did play a part in his short life Dad was in the navy on aircraft carriers dad lied about his age and as a coal miner in a reserved occupation he did not have to go to war but he lied about his age and was just 17 years old just still a boy but joined the navy to fight. He was on aircraft carriers HMS Furious and HMS Glorious.Now the Glorious was attacked by the German battle-cruisers, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and a direct hit in her magazine caused her to sink.Out of a complement of of around 1500 men there were only 39 recorded survivors.My Father was reported missing,presumed killed in action.But was picked up by a Norwegian fishing boat, after being in the sea for almost 32 hours. returning from war back to working in the coal mines shortened his life I am sure.The Daytona now belongs to me but in my lifetime I would never sell it at any price. It just means to much to me, so when I look at the watch, in my mind I see my Fathers face with the proud look admiring his watch.Rolex watches are not always about £££$$$$$$ but something to enjoy and wear hopefully for a very very long life.Myself now in very poor health and today it saddens me how Rolex watches are thought of today as mostly nothing but £££$$$$