Dilemma

[Greg5512]

Hi everyone. I’ve been through many Rolexes vintage, new, transitional etc.

Right now I have an awesome red sub from 1972. But all I do is worry about damaging it etc. it will lose significant value if water gets in. It was a grail. But I’ve reached a crossroad at 54. My son is 10 and I will hand down any watch I have when the time comes...be it death or other reasons.

I am debating whether to hang onto this or get something new abd be able to pass something more durable and which has my life scars on it. I’ve had the seadweller 43mm recently and Hulk. Both are gone but helped me get to the red sub.

Despite the adage that I should just wear it and enjoy it...I feel too much pressure on myself worrying about damage.

I’m just wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation and how you dealt with it. I’ve thought about selling it abd re-acquiring the 43mm or a seadweller 4K.

I should add I just got a Tudor black bay blue...not really bonding with it so I’ve considered trading that towards a sub c and thus having a vintage and modern version.

[Chiboy]

I would get something that you can enjoy. FWIW, I wore my TT DJ for 31 years doing everything you can do in a watch (working in an office, working out, playing tennis and golf, in a steam room/sauna/pool/ocean/lake) without incident. Now I wear my Daytona every day (although not exercising since I don't go straight from an office). I enjoy the heck out of the watches. It sounds like you don't enjoy the heck out of your Sub just looking at it in a safe or on your dresser, and are uncomfortable wearing it. You need to figure out what you will be comfortable wearing and enjoying, or find a different hobby.

[Sal_UKSheffield]

If you dont wear it sell it
Use the money for something special - travel around the world with family
And with whats left buy a modern sub and wear it every day without any hesitation

[HNIC]

If wearing the watches in your collection is important to you, it’s an obvious decision, replace it. The SD43 is a work of SS art and is capable of a few lifetimes worth of wear and tear.

Tough decision but what’s a material possession worth, especially if we can’t have it along for the ride in life?


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[Lol-x]

Definitely get a modern diver or GMT and wear the Red Sub when you feel comfortable to do so.

[Greg5512]

Thank you all for great advice and after serious thought I’ll keep it!

[sunnygps]

I was thinking of passing along my Explorer Polar 40mm to my son. It was bought the year he as born, but not the month/day he was born in. I recently traded that watch.

I know that all my watches will be inherited by two sons - when they go to college or after they graduate from college. I seriously think that my sons will enjoy my modern watches which see me wearing as they grow and create their own memories with me. They joke about how I take care of watches, etc. No sense in keep a watch in the safe that my sons can’t relate to....

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Definitely get a modern diver or GMT and wear the Red Sub when you feel comfortable to do so.

Good advice.
I agree with this

[Allinthegame]

Do not sell the Sub they are only going up in value. Wear it on a special occasion and keep it in the safe just to look at. Buy another model that’s not as expensive that you can wear daily like the EXP1 EXP2 or datejust. I repeat DO NOT SELL THE SUB.

[Fort Rolex]

My view is that if you mean to keep it in the fam and enjoy it then don't worry about the value. Go get it serviced with new gaskets and enjoy until it's his

Call me crazy i just have fatigue with the focus on value rather than enjoying life with them on and I was guilty of it myself at one point

[Rocket_Man]

People people people.... My father had a 1976 Explorer I. He had bought it nearly new. He wore it mostly when I was younger. As he got older and I moved away I didn't see it much. He got dementia later in his 80's and passed away just shy of 95. As we settled his estate and went through the few remaining belongings he had, the watch was nowhere to be found. He disposed of a lot of his belongings as he got older because he didn't want to burden us kids with having to deal with it all. One of my siblings told me he had sold it. I'm sure whoever bought a 1976 Rolex Exp I in original condition from an elderly man with dementia gave him a "good" price on that. But that is not the point, it would have been one of the only things of his that he left behind. He wore it for years. Now it's gone. I have a Casio World Time 'Atomic' watch I bought him so he would always know what day it is, but he didn't like it and didn't really wear it.

So it doesn't really matter what you think you want to leave behind for your kids. They just want whatever belonged to you. The watch they saw you wear when they were young. So just keep it and let them know they will inherit it someday. They may not appreciate it when they are young, but they will when they are older and you are just a memory.

[Dilemma]

Yes?

[tyler1980]

do you really want to pass down a watch you are afraid to get wet? I know nothing about vintage watches, but cant they do something to it to make it a Sub again?

[danwang0520]

hang onto the red sub.......considering its collectibility and value
maybe get an everyday watch instead, a 5 digit sub date or no date would be fine

[jsausley]

A watch that you don't wear is just an investment. If you're not going to wear it often then you need to look at it in the same way that you'd look at a handful of Amazon shares.

Is it overvalued and you think it will come down in value soon? If yes, then sell. If no, then keep it.

A watch is made to be worn. The minute you stop wearing it because you're worried about value, it stops becoming an accessory and becomes an investment. There's nothing wrong with that, just something to keep in mind. I think when people make mistakes is when they start thinking about sentimental value.

For example if my grandfather had a Paul Newman Daytona and passed it on to me, I'd look at it as a piece too expensive and fragile to wear. It is now an investment. If I think the price will continue to rise, I'll insure it and store it and hope for it to go up in value. But if I don't, I'd sell it and pay off my house. I'm sure grandpa would like me to keep his Daytona, but I'm also sure he'd be very excited that his $350 watch in the 1960s paid off my mortgage too.

[Greg5512]

All really great insight thank you so much

[Spoonage]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Definitely get a modern diver or GMT and wear the Red Sub when you feel comfortable to do so.

Best recommendation.

[rich_harris]

If your not wearing it then sell it. Get something you don’t have to worry as much and enjoy


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[R!$]

Get something new
You'll get top dollar right now
if you think you'll damage it...just think of what your kid will do to it

[Greg5512]

Dilemma solved...keeping the watch...bought a new speedmaster and while not totally waterproof can handle tougher days...

[Goodwill63]

This x 100!! Very well said.

Originally Posted by Rocket_Man

People people people.... My father had a 1976 Explorer I. He had bought it nearly new. He wore it mostly when I was younger. As he got older and I moved away I didn't see it much. He got dementia later in his 80's and passed away just shy of 95. As we settled his estate and went through the few remaining belongings he had, the watch was nowhere to be found. He disposed of a lot of his belongings as he got older because he didn't want to burden us kids with having to deal with it all. One of my siblings told me he had sold it. I'm sure whoever bought a 1976 Rolex Exp I in original condition from an elderly man with dementia gave him a "good" price on that. But that is not the point, it would have been one of the only things of his that he left behind. He wore it for years. Now it's gone. I have a Casio World Time 'Atomic' watch I bought him so he would always know what day it is, but he didn't like it and didn't really wear it.

So it doesn't really matter what you think you want to leave behind for your kids. They just want whatever belonged to you. The watch they saw you wear when they were young. So just keep it and let them know they will inherit it someday. They may not appreciate it when they are young, but they will when they are older and you are just a memory.

[Greg5512]

Agreed

[jenedla]

Originally Posted by Greg5512

Dilemma solved...keeping the watch...bought a new speedmaster and while not totally waterproof can handle tougher days...

Not a bad choice. Congrats on being decisive!

I passed my Speedie to my son several years back and it makes me happy to see him wearing it.

[Greg5512]

Thank you! The comments and insight helped me look at things more clearly and with better perspective!