Father’s Day Stories From The 1916 Company
As this Father’s Day has come and gone, the 1916 Team reflect on stories about Dad’s and watches.
My dad wasn’t a “watch guy”. There was no sentimental timepiece to be inherited from him or any of my grandparents for that fact. But that does not mean he did not wear a watch. He had an old Timex, model unknown. One that he replaced the strap on after long bouts with the family cement mixer more times than I could count. It was beat up, rarely set, but was a piece of him. Ever present, and a fixture in my childhood memories, I remember him wearing it proudly from work to the yard to late night weekend gigs at the local pub.
If it was set, it was always 5 minutes fast — why? So, he would never be late, he would tell me.
As I grew up, I always thought about what happened to the watch. I am sure it’s long gone like the missing baseball glove from my middle school days. However, once my dad retired the idea of a watch disappeared as quickly as his daily work schedule. No longer was time as integral in his life as it was when he worked. No more trying to catch a meeting, or needing to know when football practice ended to come pick me up.
So as my journey into the horological world continued to evolve as I got older, I knew my dad needed a watch. I wanted to share with him the love and comfort I found in the silence between the tick and the tock. Nothing fancy. Something that could stand up to the saw dust of his wood shed but also suitable for playing long gigs in the ocean breeze and afternoon boat rides along the intracoastal.
I wanted it to be from me but not for me, which is a fine line to toe when gifting. I wanted it to say thank you for being the man he is. For leading the way and helping me navigate this too big and too crazy world.
My father likes nice things, but if I walked in the door with a Patek Philippe, one he probably would have no idea what it was, and two the minute he found out the cost he would scoff at me and tell me to pay off my student loans instead. He is about function, form, good design, and always — the value proposition.
It was then I saw an LL Bean Field Khaki and knew it was the perfect watch for my dad. It was not the cheapest watch but was definitely not breaking any bank. Had a blue sunburst dial for a pop of color needed in his retirement, durable to withstand his back yard escapades and came from a brand which he has been purchasing from (sometimes even secretively to circumvent the watchful eyes of my mother) for the past 50+ years.
I bought him that gift for Father’s Day the year he retired and he now wears it every day. It didn’t send him on some long horological journey the way it did me, but it made him appreciate the art around time keeping. He knows how much watches mean to me and he cherishes it because of that.
It brought him into the quirky world I have dedicated my career to. The simple task of timekeeping that has dictated every cultural and societal move since the dawn of man is something I take seriously and I think having a watch from me, a small part of him understands this. Maybe that is reading too much into it, but I don’t think so.
However, as this Father’s Day has arrived it made me think about all the Dad’s and all the watches. The watches passed down, the watches lost to time, the watches that shared a connection between father and child. Some purchased with the idea of handing them down one day and some purchased to say thanks to the man who helped raise them, teach them, and care for them.
So this Fathers’s day we wanted to highlight the stories from within our company. The stories of Fathers and watches.
Vara Ghajendren — Senior Repair Administrator
My first summer (2020) I bought this James Bond Omega Seamaster for my Dad. Not the exact model but appraised by Tim Mosso as a rare combo “Don’t change it” were his exact words. I handed it over to my mom to give to my Dad in 2022 after enjoying it for 2 years. Since then I haven’t stopped thinking about it.
I just returned from seeing my Dad after 7 long years with the intention of taking the watch back, however, I discovered that he never wore the watch. When I put it on his wrist, was the first time he had it on. I taught him about the watch, wound and set it for him, and watching him wear it after all these years felt like I accomplished a personal milestone. My Dad got me into watches and James Bond, and now, he has a James Bond watch. As much as I wanted it for myself, I wanted him to enjoy it more. Love you Dad.
Ryan Smith — Senior Repair Administrator
For me I am a new dad with only 1 child right now, but the plan is to have at least 4 kids and to have a big enough watch collection to give each of my children a couple parts of me to keep with them and their future children for a long time after I am gone.
I want to introduce them to what I do for a living. Watches are something I fell in love with but am also equally proud of that I work in. I think being able to hand down a watch to each one of my kids is one of the greatest gifts I could get them. I know the first watch I am going to give my child will be my Frederique Constant. It was my first luxury watch and I wear it everyday. It has become part of who I am, my daily routine and something I cherish. To think that a watch I give them could be handed down from generation to generation makes me excited to know I did that. I started that.
Matt Parker — Senior Client Advisor
My son is 10 months old and in his short life so far he has a real habit of when I hold him and when I am close to him he will grab onto the watch on my wrist. He holds on to my watch and that is one of the ways he holds onto me. It is something I notice and a memory I will have. Especially my Submariner. He is fascinated by it. He doesn’t even know what it is, but he is still attracted to it.
When my son was born I sold my whole collection except for my dads watch. I got the warranty card dated for his birthday. As a watch collector and dealer, I really figured out a lot of what I like and the watch I chose had all of the elements that I appreciate. I use the dive bezel every day. I love the brushed finish of the Submariner. The green bezel makes it just a little different. But to get one that was just a little different was the perfect choice.
What is even cooler is that the watch he is grabbing onto will one day be on his wrist. He puts his little fingers around the bracelet and holds onto it and it’s sort of powerful for me to see him do that because I know that watch will be his some day and he will wear it on his wrist and hopefully think of me. It was the same thing my dad did for me when he gave me his watch. And the fact I get to hand down one as well means everything to me.
Advice for soon to be parents looking to buy a watch that they will one day give to their child — When you are a dad buy a bracelet watch. You don’t want to be wearing a precious dress watch while changing diapers and your kid is throwing up on you. Generally I think it should be whatever sport watch you don’t have to worry about scratching or getting literal shit on.
Kaleb Schmidt — Senior Client Advisor
My maternal grandfather was a watch guy. He wore a Timex from the Basic cigarettes company that he received from sending in cigarette packs. He wore the same watch every day for 30 years. When he passed away he gave that watch to me. It’s beat up and has a crack in the crystal and needs a battery replacement. That’s what kicked off my love for watches was seeing him wear that everyday and it became a goal of mine to do the same when I became a father.
When both of my kids were born I bought them watches. I purchased a Tudor Black Bay GMT for my daughter and a Tudor Pelagos when my son was born. For each of them I had their names and birthdays engraved on the back of the watch. I typically buy watches for special occasions, one for when I was engaged, married, and now when my children were born. It is cool to wear and experience both of those watches and be able to eventually pass them down to them.
What I enjoy even more is that I wear them when I play with them outside and I get excited when I get scratches on them. Watches are meant to be worn, to be loved, and knowing that scratch, that ding, that dent came from a moment when we were together makes it even more special.
Originally I wanted to buy them a Grand Seiko. I am a huge Grand Seiko fan and in general a major fan of Japanese watchmaking, but they don’t have casebacks you can engrave. Tudor is that entry to luxury watches that provides a great tool you can wear every day and they are just fun to have and wear.
It’s fun to see them start to enjoy watches too. My daughter wears a watch every day. She has a Baby G-Shock and she will come up to me and want to play with my watches not knowing that they will be hers one day. Also doesn’t hurt that I can give her something she won’t be able to break too easily.
Alex Lazarus — Senior Client Advisor
Time keeping has always been prevalent within my family. From my Grandfather, to my Father, to my Brother, we’ve always had a watch on. When I think of the men in my family, I think of the watches they have worn. I will always imagine the ref 806 Breitling Navitimer my Grandfather wore. These memories and images stick with you. My father, for example, loved his jubilee bracelet, which is why I put a jubilee on my Tudor Black Bay 58. Its a nod to him.
Watches are symbols of milestones, tradition, and heritage; They all have sentimental value and each bring personal stories. We share a passion for collecting which can bring generations together and have continuously brought my family together.
Time with family is precious and the watch symbolizes that for me.