Ep. 57 - "You're Never Broke When You Own a Rolex" and What That Means to You

I wore a Rolex as I recorded this episode. Not to impress anyone, but because I had a certain memory, and a revelation a bit earlier in the week that is wrapped up in the Rolex brand, so I thought I would share it with you in today's podcast.

Certain possessions in our lives, especially the ones we’ve earned, or that were given to us from people we have a strong affection for or a bond with, have great meaning and significance. Not just now, but later on down the road, when we least expect it.  

Maybe you absentmindedly unlock the front door and enter our home, or decorate a tree for Christmas, or even write and record a podcast, and then BOOM...you see a ring, or a cherished necklace, or a watch that once belonged to your father, and then? A memory or a feeling flashes to mind of who that person is, and what they mean to you, or meant to you, if they are no longer on this earth.
 
I noticed the weight of the watch as I took it off and set it down beside my keyboard so I could type out this episode without it getting in the way. And in a flash, I thought about my dad, and how much he LOVED Rolexes. He was a legitimate watchmaker, and for whatever reason, Rolex struck a chord with him like nothing else.

Almost every time I talk about Rolexes I find myself repeating what my dad told me all those years ago, when I couldn’t understand how he would spend so damn much on a watch…even though I was working for him at the time and knew that they were revered and sought after, and had real value in terms of the workmanship, their quality standards, and the materials they use.  (Yes…Rolexes actually are some of the finest timepieces a person can ever own.)

My dad was a character, and quite honestly he didn’t care what most people thought of him or what he said, or did. His words were a tad BOLD as my brother would say, but they had a tendency to cut through the “bullshit,” as my dad used to say, and get right to the heart of the matter.

He said simple things, directly…that upon further reflection…after the unintended shock value wore off…turned out to be true on more than one level. 
I think deep down, my dad was a teacher, even though we didn’t know it at the time. 

I’ll never forget the day he came back to the jewelry store, after a long lunch, wearing a 2 tone Rolex Submariner. I couldn’t believe it! We didn’t even sell Rolex at the time. That meant he paid retail to one of our competitors, to get that watch. That’s how much he loved Rolexes! I asked him, “Why would you spend so much money on a watch, and from a competitor for god's sakes?”

I’ll never forget his answer.  He looked at that watch, and then at me and said, “You know Andy, you’re never broke when you’re wearing a Rolex.” Even now I laugh at that flippant but true response to my question. (Which I admit was out of place and unnecessary on my part.) 

I was too naive, and too full of my own ideas about what was valuable in this world, so  I didn’t quite understand that he earned that watch, and he was talking as much about the monetary value as he was about what was behind him getting the watch. Yes, he was talking about the monetary value…listen if you’re broke, and you have a Rolex, you can sell it for real money in most cases. 

He was also talking about a value that is far deeper than those dollars and cents.  He knew there is more to a possession than what we can sell it for. That is more true for jewelry than just about anything I can think of.

These Rolexes, diamond rings, bracelets, or any number of pieces of jewelry that are valuable in dollars and cents, are valuable in another way…a higher way. A way that allows us to say what's in our hearts, because there isn’t enough money or words to communicate how we feel about important people in our lives.

Jewelry that we give and receive conjures memories, stories, and feelings that connect us to the people we love the most. The ones from our past, the ones in our present, and while this may be hard to get our brains around, people we may never meet because they are in our future.

You may be wondering why I’d share an episode like this one. It’s quite simple actually:  I wanted to remind you that when you buy and give jewelry, that act has meaning beyond the exchange of your money for diamonds, gemstones, precious metals…or watches.  The giving of these treasures is not only a gift to the people you love, but to yourself as well. 

In the process of buying and giving jewelry you and the person who ultimately receives it, transform it into something more valuable than the materials it is made from.It turns A ring into HER ring.  A pair of earrings into "Mom’s earrings," and maybe a watch into "Dad's watch."  They become touchstones to people and sentiments and legends that walk with us through our lives, whether they are here with us now, or not.

Remembering that we have certain people in our lives...our parents, spouses, children, and special friends...whether they are walking the earth with us now, or not, and remembering them, and knowing they love us back is the most important thing there is. When we have them in our life, we are never broke. We are rich beyond measure, and that is what buying and giving fine jewelry, and yes, Rolexes, is all about.