The Best Holiday Story About a Watch that I Know

I’ve always enjoyed giving gifts, especially watches, for selfish reasons. It makes me feel good about myself, that I’m the type of person who is generous at heart and in action. I don’t always buy the most expensive gifts but I try–really try–to give a thoughtful gift despite my limited resources. I take the expression, “It’s the thought that counts” seriously. Yes, it’s the thought. So I ask, what am I thinking?

Some time ago I met this amazing woman who completely turned my world upside down. Smart, down-to-earth (in her own way), articulate, abrasive (at least to me), and funny. We got along great, like a house on fire. There had been nonstop bantering. There’s just one problem. At least, it’s a problem from my end. Yes, I’m pulling the “it’s not you, it’s me” card. But in this case, I really was the one with the problem. See, she’s richer than God and I’m dirt poor. She doesn’t have a problem with my financial situation but I have a problem with hers.

This is not a dramatic movie from the 1950s but it might as well be.

I told her that it didn’t bother me that she’s rich. It only bothers me that there wasn’t anything I could possibly pull out of my hat that might surprise her or something she couldn’t possibly get for herself. I’m not just talking about material things here. I’m talking about experiences and the joys life has to offer. I could take her out to a nice fancy dinner and the chef might pull out all of the stops but she probably had something better before. She assured me that it won’t be a problem. And so far, it hasn’t been. Like I said, she was down-to-earth (in her own way) as many people with real money tend to be. The more grounded ones know that money does not make people any happier.

Still.

She knows that watches matter to me. They matter a lot. She could care less about them. But at least she acknowledges that watches spark joy. She tried to engage me by asking what my favorite brand is. I told her it was Jaeger-LeCoultre. She was familiar with the brand. Of course she was. That’s what make her awesome.

Because we’re at the early stage of a budding relationship, I had no expectations that we would be spending Christmas together. She had her family plans. I had mine. But I did see her two days ago. I picked her up from her house and we stopped for one quick smoke. Yes, she smokes. I asked her what she was wearing. She proudly dangled a large 42mm, maybe 44mm Fossil Chronograph. I mocked and poked fun at it. She told me to fuck off (among other equally less-ladylike expletives). Here was the conversation that followed next:

“Do you know why Jaeger-LeCoultre is my favorite brand?”

“Tell me.”

“It’s not because they make beautiful watches, they do. It’s not that they’re luxury, they are. They are an elegant, sophisticated brand with a deep history. But beyond that, they are also the watchmaker’s watchmaker. They have built a reputation of being one of the finest watchmakers in the history of watchmaking so much so that the trinity (Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet) have used JLC’s calibres in some of their most iconic pieces.”

I took out a watch, would it. She stared at it. “What are you doing?”

While I wind, I continued, “I prefer JLC over Rolex. Because you see someone wearing a Rolex and all it tells you is that this guy has money. Anyone with money can get a Rolex. Remove your Fossil.”

She did as instructed. I then gently put the JLC on her wrist.

“This is, obviously not new. I didn’t buy this to give to you. I’ve had it a while. But it’s 80 years old, looks great, and it fits you. Whenever I wear JLC, I feel good about myself because I chose what’s valuable to me as opposed to what’s valuable to others. Wear this one and everytime you look at it, know that I think you’re awesome and great. Merry Christmas.”

Yes, I gave her my 1940s JLC rectangular art deco branded as just “LeCoultre.”

She was in disbelief and overjoyed. She claimed she loved it. And I was elated.

Still, that’s not what makes this is the best holiday story about a watch I know. This does:

After we enjoyed each other’s presence, hanging out, and after she complained about the strap and we got her a new one with she loved, after I took her home and I myself got home, she sent me a message. She wanted to call, it was about the watch.

Oh no. Did she break it already?

During the call, she told me that she’s forgotten about the watch while talking to her mother. her mom noticed the watch. “What’s that?”

She explained that she was gifted it by someone she was seeing. Her mom examined the watch. And how it was described to me was that her mom got very excited and almost hysterical. Apparently, this was the exactly the same model that her mom’s father (her grandfather) wore for the rest of his life. He only had one watch and it was exactly this. That watch was destroyed beyond repair because, well, life. Her mom kept that remnants of that broken watch somewhere because she could not bear to throw it out. Her mom said, “It came back to us.”

It came back to us.

Of all the watches to get from me, it had to be this? I told her it was serendipity. She jokingly asked if I had planned all of it from the beginning, like I was some James Bond villain manipulating events. I told her that, yes, I went back in time, stalked her grandfather, took note of his watch, went forward in time, looked for and bought the same model, stalked her, made her go out with me and, bam!, gave her her grandfather’s watch. Classic romantic move.

Her mom borrowed the watch to wear, at least for the night.

Yes, other men could probably buy her a yacht. But which one could give her a piece of her family’s history as a Christmas gift?

Merry Christmas to all you watch nuts. Enjoy the holidays.