A wait of 15 years in the making

[MikeHendrick1978]

So back this week in 2005 I bought my first and only Rolex Submariner non date at the young age of 27 having saved up money for it. I enjoyed the watch immensely and ended up giving it to a gentleman on a trip to England in November 2006 that I had met on the trip. He was a minister who had gone through many challenges in life and didn't have a lot of extra money to his name. Little did I know at the time, his car was needing to be replaced as his wife had a bad hip and they needed some extra cash to buy another car. The watch helped him pay for the car and I enjoyed a friendship with this gentleman from England. Over the years we would talk on the phone and over email and he always would remind me how my gift was so thoughtful and allowed him to get a good vehicle for him and his wife.

Fast Forward to this week. I got an email Tuesday morning that my Tudor watch had arrived.. Back in January before the pandemic really hit, I ordered a Tudor Black Bay 36mm with a blue dial on steel bracelet. At the time of visiting them, I was told by my AD that they would not know when it would arrive as Rolex couldn't give a timeline. That was fine with me.

Also this week, I just felt a inner prompting to call the gentleman I had given the Rolex Sub to. I called him and got his wife. She sounded emotional when answering the phone. Her husband had recently passed away about 5-6 weeks ago and she was so needing a call of encouragement. I was shocked as the last email I had received from him was he was going in for surgery .

It's funny to see how timely this watch is...I would have never guessed 15 years ago buying my first Rolex, giving it away just over a year later to someone....then after 15 years getting another Tudor the same week that I bought my first Rolex and finding out that the man I gave mine to had passed....Life is sure interesting.

I'll post pictures once I get the watch on Saturday.

[macrowatch]

Congrats! Props on the discipline and milestone.

[MikeHendrick1978]

thanks :)

I wished I could get a Rolex....but the price point is too high for the one I would have liked to get....

[Chester01]

That's a great story and very very kind of you, in an era where kindness is hard to come by. Watches and wearing them remind me that life is indeed limited and no one is owed another day on this planet. You story reminded me of the importance of making the moments we do have meaningful not just for ourselves, but others.

Wear in good health and if I was in the market for a new watch, it would be a tudor and not a rolex. They are simply putting out more interesting watches than rolex these days to me.

[MikeHendrick1978]

absolutely....As a good friend told me there is no U-Haul behind a hearse....I love giving time to people and a good proverb tells me a generous man will prosper and he who refreshes other will he himself be refreshed...

Thank you for your note.

[harvey]

...nothing else to say but you’re a good man.

hope you enjoy your new watch in memory of your friend.

[MikeHendrick1978]

Thanks Harvey.....I appreciate the comment...I will indeed...

[emersm]

That was very kind and generous of you. Speaks a lot about your character.

My best to you, sir.

[MikeHendrick1978]

thank you...

Just love being a giver....nothing like it...

[alex.cicollo]

Originally Posted by MikeHendrick1978

Also this week, I just felt a inner prompting to call the gentleman I had given the Rolex Sub to. I called him and got his wife. She sounded emotional when answering the phone. Her husband had recently passed away about 5-6 weeks ago and she was so needing a call of encouragement.

You’re a very special person Mike. This had me tearing up. What a beautiful story, from a beautiful person. Thank you for sharing. x


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[slimboy1974]

Originally Posted by MikeHendrick1978

absolutely....As a good friend told me there is no U-Haul behind a hearse....I love giving time to people and a good proverb tells me a generous man will prosper and he who refreshes other will he himself be refreshed...

Thank you for your note.

Love your story lovely gesture and restores a bit of faith that there are truly selfless and kind people as by the sounds of it your gift to him meant so much to him and his family, well done you should be very proud of what you’ve done and the outlook you have on life

[valjoix7750]

Now that had me teared up, you are a great person

[Doc Savage]

That's a great story, Mike! Bittersweet to hear that your friend passed, but nice that you could offer his wife some encouragement.

Congrats on the new Black Bay! Tudors are great watches.

[abozz]

I read many wonderful stories in this forum, but I have loved your story, your humanity and humility. Besides the transcendent background of the synchronicity of both events, I love those magical touches of life that make me dream that we are more than a mass of flesh and blood, you deserve to enjoy your Tudor for many years in health and with your family.

Enviado desde mi SM-G975F mediante Tapatalk

[synrrgy]

Congrats! Post pics when you can!

[tally]

you gave your first rolex to a guy you met on a trip?

you sir are one of the good guys

[winst]

Lovely watch the BB36 Blue - I have the 41 and even though I got my dream watch Explorer 39mm last week I still keep going back and wearing the Tudor.

Enjoy it and keep hold of it for yourself - bless you for the kindness with that Rolex though.

[-dustin]

Wonderful gesture, sir. Lovely story.

[MikeHendrick1978]

Thank you very much all for your thoughts on this.....It brings me great joy to be one who loves to be a giver. There is nothing quite like it. And if I felt I needed to give the Tudor to someone, or prompted to do it, I'd do it in a heart beat.

The most interesting part of the story of this I forgot to post. i had heard about this man several years before I had met him in person. He had been hurt by someone in my life. The day I gave it to him, he told me a story of a famous american who waved a gold rolex in his face one day a few years prior saying if you had more faith you wouldn't be struggling and have one of these on your wrist.

Thank you for letting me share my story. I don't like tooting my own horn but I just thought it would make a positive impact on this forum in a difficult season.

Have a wonderful evening everyone and when I get my Tudor on the weekend, I will post pictures of it.

[MikeHendrick1978]

Maybe one day I'll get another Rolex...It would be nice to get one but it's not a need. There are way more priorities though than buying myself one at this time in my life. If I did, buy one, one day, I always liked those Milgauss with a z-blue dial or a Yachtmaster 37mm with the rodium dials. Oh well, I am content with getting that Tudor Black Bay.

I looked into getting a Rolex when ordering my Black Bay back in January but I don't have the budget to buy all these bundling deals and the AD I deal with couldn't promise on any watch as they have other customers who have bought way more than I have.

[PatekSF]

Just maybe a very wealthy and generous participant on TRF will return the generosity you showed back in 2005 ... never know ...

[Earsti]

Thank you for sharing. Yours is a beautiful story of being led by your heart, and following through with your gift. There are many that about giving, but most don't have the courage or conviction to do so.

You, had both. I wish there were more like you in the world.

It's nice there are still some good folks out there.

[CaptT]

Inspiring. Congrats on your new Tudor, a fine watch with some real meaning behind it.

[lastshotkid]

Originally Posted by MikeHendrick1978

absolutely....As a good friend told me there is no U-Haul behind a hearse....I love giving time to people and a good proverb tells me a generous man will prosper and he who refreshes other will he himself be refreshed...

Thank you for your note.

+1 This


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[Vishy26]

Sorry to hear about your friend’s loss. Generous of you, Mike. Best wishes

[broham84]

Amazing story, Mike. I am truly touched by it. I am no one compared to the whales that are on this site, but I am friendly with an AD that might be able to help if you are ever in the market for a sub again.

[MikeHendrick1978]

Originally Posted by PatekSF

Just maybe a very wealthy and generous participant on TRF will return the generosity you showed back in 2005 ... never know ...

Man that would be a surprise if that would happen to me as right now the Rolex is out of reach as they are way too pricy for me but my purpose for sharing the story was not to do that in any way. Just thought I wanted to be an inspiration to people when I would read stories of people mentioning they had to be on a waiting list for a watch or not able to get a submariner or some other because their AD didn't allot them one yet. You all have encouraged me also realizing I made a right decision in following my following my intuition about another more difficult decision that has happened a few years later, not involving giving a watch away, but forgiving someone who deliberately scammed me out of money.

I had shared the story of giving away my Rolex with the dealer and same salesman I bought my Rolex from and it is the same one I am getting my Tudor from as they asked what happened to the old Sub as I wasn't wearing it when I ordered the Tudor. You could have heard a pin drop and they gathered a few other salespeople around to hear the story of giving the watch away. They had never heard of someone doing that. Especially with knowing they have doubled in price since or tripling in price since I bought it in 2005.

[MikeHendrick1978]

Originally Posted by broham84

Amazing story, Mike. I am truly touched by it. I am no one compared to the whales that are on this site, but I am friendly with an AD that might be able to help if you are ever in the market for a sub again.

I don't think I will be in a place for several years before I could afford a Sub. Thank you for your thoughts. Pardon my ignorance I see people refer to whales on here. I know you are not referring to the animal but what is a whale?

[MikeHendrick1978]

Originally Posted by CaptTed

Inspiring. Congrats on your new Tudor, a fine watch with some real meaning behind it.

Thanks.....By the way, noticed you were from the Bay Area....Love that part of the world so much...Many good friends live there.

[MikeHendrick1978]

Originally Posted by winst

Lovely watch the BB36 Blue - I have the 41 and even though I got my dream watch Explorer 39mm last week I still keep going back and wearing the Tudor.

Enjoy it and keep hold of it for yourself - bless you for the kindness with that Rolex though.

I had actually wanted to get the Explorer 39 before putting the Tudor order in, but the AD I was dealing with couldn't guarantee if they could place an order for it, and I didn't think I could afford it after I had learned the price point. I had other priorities and the Tudor I knew I could afford. I love the arabic numbers on it and especially now with the chroma light lume. That would be a beautiful piece to own.