Deluged with Rolex and Cartier advertisements...

[athena53]

Years ago I won an award at work that included a Movado watch. It sits in the drawer because paying a fortune for a battery that last only a year didn't sit well with me. My Timex weekender battery lasts for years...

I worked for a company that gave you a Rolex watch after 10 years- didn't matter whether you worked at the reception desk or as an executive. I lasted 18 months, so it was a good thing I had my own! They paid for a standard version (the 18k/stainless) but if you wanted to upgrade on your own dime you could. I wonder how many of those are sitting in drawers because of the expense of regular maintenance. Eventually they quit working or they're perpetually fast/slow if you don't send them in every couple of years or so.

 

[USGrant1962]

I worked for a company that gave you a Rolex watch after 10 years- didn't matter whether you worked at the reception desk or as an executive. I lasted 18 months, so it was a good thing I had my own! They paid for a standard version (the 18k/stainless) but if you wanted to upgrade on your own dime you could. I wonder how many of those are sitting in drawers because of the expense of regular maintenance. Eventually they quit working or they're perpetually fast/slow if you don't send them in every couple of years or so.

My megacorp gives everyone a gold Rolex at 25 years. Mine runs about one minute fast per week, and I've hardly worn it since ER in March. At 30 years I got a "winder" which is a wood box with a motor that rotates the watch to wind it when you are not wearing it.

In addition to the cost of 5-year maintenance (which I have not done), when I was wearing it every day I had an insurance rider on it. That cost more per year than any other watch I've ever bought. I'm thinking of dropping that now that it mostly sits on my dresser in the winder.

 

[Scuba]

Years ago I won an award at work that included a Movado watch. It sits in the drawer because paying a fortune for a battery that last only a year didn't sit well with me. My Timex weekender battery lasts for years...

Really? I've had my Movado for over 15 years and can only recall a couple of battery changes.

 

[rayinpenn]

Ok I poked around Facebook and found you can block advertisements by company; which means going forward I'll eliminate a lot of crap.. when I hit why am I seeing these it said "Face Book thinks you are rich..." target net worth over 3 million.

Is that an estimate? Based on what? My age? Education? Zip code? Or some combination algorithm?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

IMHO Rolex is all about re-sale value, not a particularly good timekeeper when compared with a digital or a phone. Most Jewelry (That me or DW would buy) is a lost cause and mostly overpriced by 300% - 500%. I am with a lot of folks here, that I rarely "Divest" in any Jewelry of any kind and never will. But I joke with DW. I got her a Ladies Rolex on her 40th Birthday, we never got it engraved as I explained the value would depreciate proportionally if we did. It is now worth 3 x what we paid maybe more. I joke with her and say if we are ever short of cash we can sell our Rolexes and eat for a couple of years till we get back on our feet. Plus I do like the look and feel of the watch, I miss it when I do not wear it.

 

[ikubak]

I was given an 18k presidential by an uncle who has since passed away. He wore it for several decades. It's a beautiful watch but my ipod keeps time better. I also have a cheapy watch that I wear when traveling abroad. For some reason, in poorer countries, an 18k Rolex catches a lot of eyes. Around my hometown, I'm not sure anyone notices. DW was given a gold/stainless Rolex from my mom who has also passed. We have spent more $ maintaining (they need to be serviced every 5-7 years) those watches than we would have ever spent on watches in the first place. With that said, I do like the 18k presidential. I'll give it to my son when he is old enough to take care of it.

 

[W2R]

I don't even wear jewelry now. If I have to pay to wear something it wouldn't be a Rolex.

+1 I don't wear jewelry any more either.

Up until a few years ago I couldn't imagine going without a watch, having worn one every day from age 8 forward. A watch was just part of me and I was never late.

But then, I started reading about how so many younger people just look at their phones instead of wearing a watch. What a luxury, to never wear a watch and never really think about being late. If a Millenial who is still working can do it, then so can I in retirement. So, when my 20 year old Timex Ironman Triathlon watch broke, I didn't fix it or replace it. After some time for adjusting, I don't feel any need for a watch any more either now that I am retired.

1-2 years later, my left wrist still has a dented ring around it where my watchband was for 60+ years prior.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Ok I poked around Facebook and found you can block advertisements by company; which means going forward I'll eliminate a lot of crap.. when I hit why am I seeing these it said "Face Book thinks you are rich..." target net worth over 3 million.

Is that an estimate? Based on what? My age? Education? Zip code? Or some combination algorithm?

Well that explains why I'm seeing kitty litter--Facebook thinks I'm poor.

DH has an engraved gold Omega with a strap that was a megacorp award for longevity--probably the last year they did it. He always wears an inexpensive watch instead. I'm sure the Omega will go to DS one day and be sold immediately (and why not).

I have inexpensive watches but have never worn a watch, just don't like the feeling of it. I do have four very nice precious stone rings, and four granddaughters....

 

[Fedup]

I'm not a millennial and I don't wear a watch for years. I mean if you drive and work, there is always a timer somewhere. The only time I might need to know the time is when I'm in Las Vegas, it seems like they don't want you to know how long you are there.

 

[Amethyst]

I love jewelry with a passion, but have never owned a gold watch. I knew it would get dented and scratched. Now I don't wear a watch at all.

Funny (or not) I only see ads for a) the latest thing I just bought and b) old folks' homes. I can't get rid of the OFH ads for some reason. Very unappealing. The latest batch has 80-something models with captions like, "I'm not a senior. I'm an adventurer!"

 

[atmsmshr]

I'm seeing an ad for kitty litter. Don't have a cat, never had a cat, 100 percent dog person, never looked up cat anything. Google ads, you're killing me!

The universe is telling you to get a cat.

 

[CRLLS]

I've got various high end knock-offs (Rolex, Breiting, Patek-Philippe) from when I started travelling to Asia. I have had a bit of fun with them. I don't think I paid more than 38 USD for any one of them. They all look good and keep reasonably good time. However, I don't generally wear a watch. On those very rare occasions that I do, I wear a 15 yr old stainless Armitron. It looks are classic, is so much lighter and doesn't get caught on my shirt/coat sleeves like those with mechanical complications.

I do know of someone who buys the VERY high end watches as an investment. He keeps them in a safe for a few years and then resells them. At any time he has several.

 

[marko]

I have had 3 Rolex Watches in my Life, my wife has had 2. Currently I have a Sub and she has an oyster ladies, the ones we have sold in the past to make room and help fund the ones we have now, we sold for around 35-45% more than what we paid for them New.

Same here. Turned in my deceased uncle's Cartier's and a Patek Philipe and got about 25% more than what he had paid.

I could never buy a Rolex, as I would never know if I was getting a fake.

That's why people go to a trusted jeweler.

 

[Sue J]

DH doesn't have a Rolex but he does have an Atmos clock. It was a presentation thing given to his father. He found it in his Mom's basement, it had been laying on it's side for a decade or two and does not work.

An Atmos clock operates without winding or a battery. From Wikipedia - "It gets the energy it needs to run from temperature and atmospheric pressure changes in the environment, and can run for years without human intervention."

DH paid over $100 to ship this home from Denver with special packing and insurance.

It's correct twice a day, at 5:18. And it takes up space in the china cabinet.

 

[rayinpenn]

Well that explains why I'm seeing kitty litter--Facebook thinks I'm poor.

Thank you for a great belly laugh!

 

[athena53]

DH doesn't have a Rolex but he does have an Atmos clock. It was a presentation thing given to his father. He found it in his Mom's basement, it had been lying on its side for a decade or two and does not work.

<snip>
It's correct twice a day, at 5:18. And it takes up space in the china cabinet.

I'm sure you could find someone to get it running again for under $500!

 

[Out of Steam]

I get ads from fuelly.com all the time here.

 

[audreyh1]

In my quest to shed X pounds in advance of ERing, I bear a fitbit. In addition to counting distance and elevation traveled, it tells me the current time.

Ten thousand steps a day, with only 20 months and X-15 pounds to go!

My Apple Watch - which I wear for the same reason you wear your Fitbit - costs way less than a Rolex. In addition it sends me all sorts of useful reminders, tracks my heart rate, runs timers and alarms, responds to spoken commands, pays at checkout via Apple Pay and gives navigation taps to help me follow directions.

 

[Rambler]

I don't have a Rolex. Megacorp used to give them to senior execs after 25 years. I was almost there when this practice was stopped during some rough times. During a subsequent administration, it was restarted but with a very nice IWC that cost on the order of $18,000 at the time. I was presented with one after the fact, as were all 20 or so sr execs who'd been passed over during the rough times. I still have it, sitting in my nightstand, and rarely wear it for fear of scratching or damaging it. So it is probably just sitting there dying. I wear a Fitbit Blaze all day every day, and add a Garmin 235 running watch on the other arm during my runs (the Fitbit doesn't have GPS capability, but is great for all day tracking and syncing...the Garmin tracks all day but is a finicky syncer and doesn't play well with many 3rd party apps).

Would I ever spend enough money on a Rolex that could have been spent on a car for one of the kids, or a the small travel trailer I want? No way! I'm just not interested in the sparkle.

 

[audreyh1]

Did anyone have to pay taxes on these hugely expensive Rolex watches given out as prizes at work?

 

[aja8888]

No jewelry here as I am allergic to gold. It makes my skin blister.

DW likes the stuff and that makes up for me, although this year, so far, I have bought a lot of porcelain (does that count?).

 

[USGrant1962]

Did anyone have to pay taxes on these hugely expensive Rolex watches given out as prizes at work?

Nope, I always wondered about that. And my mega was very conservative on tax reporting so I can only assume it was legit.

 

[REWahoo]

Did anyone have to pay taxes on these hugely expensive Rolex watches given out as prizes at work?

Not on a fancy watch but my old company was fond of giving out cruises or trips as incentive prizes for meeting annual goals. An IRS audit revealed the company hadn't been reporting them as income, so the IRS audited everyone who won trips and we all had to pay up...

 

[Danmar]

We have lots of jewelry and nice watches. However, I have to admit that Rolex watches have never appealed to me. Just not very stylish or elegant in my view. Now a classic Cartier tank? That's a beautiful watch.

 

[athena53]

During a subsequent administration, it was restarted but with a very nice IWC that cost on the order of $18,000 at the time. I was presented with one after the fact, as were all 20 or so sr execs who'd been passed over during the rough times. I still have it, sitting in my nightstand, and rarely wear it for fear of scratching or damaging it.

When I bought my Rolex, DH was with me and he noticed a man's 18K gold version. It was $9,500 at the time. It became a running joke between us- on a good day in the market he'd say, "Can I get my Rolex now?" We both knew that it would live in a drawer because he wouldn't want to wear it and have someone rob it from him at gunpoint- and bling wasn't DH's style anyway.