About 50 years between service...a son's story

[Kobayashi]

In 2011 I inherited my dads DJ 1601 and took it to Giovanni (RSC) in San Francisco. He opened the back of the case and showed me the serial number. I didn't know much about Rolex at the time and just wrote down the number and never gave it much thought. When I joined TRF I looked at potential manufacturing dates and placed it around 1961, which would coincide with my dads stories.

Growing up I rarely saw him wear it and I never knew him to have it serviced. He did replace the band at one point. This was a special purchase he made for himself after graduating from the US Navy's Submarine School as it was quite an accomplishment after living in poverty and growing up in poor conditions.

When I received the watch from Giovanni it looked just as shiny as I remembered on the rare occasion I saw my dad wearing his watch. It was absolutely amazing and there was a glow in my eye as I looked to the sky with a smile on my face thinking about my dad. I wore it for Christmas that year to remember my dad and to mark his presence with us.

I've since purchased a few more Rolexes but this is by far my most treasured and valued in my collection.

Thanks for listening!