People should really think about getting their new child a birth-year watch when they are born, which would be much easier than thinking about it years later when the kids are older.

You have to plan ahead, or you'll have a harder time trying to find a birth year watch for your child later. It's too bad my father didn't think about buying a 1962 Omega Speedmaster or 5513 back in the day. It doesn't have to be an Omega or Rolex, but it should be be something that will last for generations (or at least decades).

Also, buying matching "father-son" (or father-daughter) birth-year watches makes it a lot of fun, even if you can't find a birth year watch for either of you. This idea has made a few "special occasion" watches more special. My son and I have a few matching or similar watches, and when we meet up during his breaks from college we like to wear them together.

My son's only watches as a teen were a PVD steel Luminox black out diver that he took to a few different countries with the Boy Scouts, and his Casio Protrek that also went on the trips. I bought a matching Luminox with white dial at the same time, so we had a Yin Yang thing going on there (I lost the wrists photo, will do another next time he's home).

I had not sought out a birth year watch yet, although that would have been nice for the milestone of Eagle Scout rank. In lieu of a birth year watch I gave him a milestone watch that was only a couple of years past his birthdate to celebrate. The watch was a mid-size SMP 2252.50 that turned out to be too small for him.

So, with his blessing (not sentimental to him as he never bonded with it, pun intended) I sold it to get him a bigger watch the next year - a new ceramic SMP chronograph to match mine. The upgrade was so expensive that he knew it might also be partly counted as his high school graduation watch too. (like kids born too close to Xmas may celebrate both together with one bigger gift.)


Then came his 18th birthday a couple of years later, and I surprised him with a "birth year" Bond Quartz 2541.80 to match mine (which is also his birth year). WatchVaultNYC was very helpful in making this endeavor happen.


With my son's love for the Bond Quartz, he decided that he really didn't want the "hassle" of a mechanical watch until he was older, and he was also coveting the X-33 Skywalker as his next "quartz luxury watch" (oxymoron). He traded his SMP chronograph to me in return for my favorite vintage speakers and several other items that he was coveting, as any impulsive youngster is prone to do.

I kept the Eagle Scout SMP chronograph for myself after the trade (for sentimental reasons). But I sold the other to fund a surprise at his high school graduation with the watch that he really wanted a lot more. The SMP chrono sale covered about half the X-33 Skywalker purchase after tax (bought at the local OB). So, he basically got everything back in a watch that he wanted more, and also got to keep my stuff from the trade (sucks for me).

We gave him his X-33 Skywaker the night before his high school graduation, which is a mate to my X-33 Solar Impulse LE. He wore it across the stage and to work the entire summer before college, and he loved that people noticed & commented about it.


He chickened out on bringing any Omega to college for fear of theft or being tagged as "rich" to be taken advantage of, and planned to take his old Luminox diver. Then he wanted something a little nicer for school, and we picked up a pair of Luminox blue sunburst dial watches. I let him pick his model, and he took the non-chronograph (on my wrist below) to his first year at college, since the "chronograph dial was too busy".

I was happy since I prefer chronographs (which he is wearing in the pic). They came on antique brown leather straps and to make him happy I had to order the bracelets - mine is back on leather though.


If he'd kept the blue chronograph it could also pair with my other Luminox Chronograph (we can still mix and match the watches when we hang out).


So, what is next?

My son says he'll be ready for a mechanical no date watch when he graduates from college - one that can be easily serviced by our local watchmaker for half the cost at Omega or Rolex. He'd like to avoid a fancy co-axial movement, and manual wind is just fine - he just wants to be able to wind it and set the time without worrying about the date. The Speedmaster Pro is currently the next watch on his personal wish list that isn't a Rolex Hulk or GMT.

So this summer I bought him a 1998 birth-year Omega Speedmaster Pro 3572.50, Hesalite Sandwich Moonwatch. He loves the sapphire display back with 1863 movement, but dislikes sapphire on the front of any Moonwatche. It ran great on arrival, but we put it in the safe until next spring when it will be serviced, so that we can give it to him at his college graduation next May. This was produced right after the transition to superluminova so it's lume is very functional, making it a good tool watch/every day wear watch that he can spruce up with a nice leather strap if needed.

I have a Speedy Pro 3570.50 black dial to match his Speedy when we hang out together, or I can wear my 3572.50 with Mitsukoshi dial and still "match" in a way (same case and bracelet style). The Speedy Pro may become my favorite father-son watches, but the X-33's and SMP Bond Quartz are also a treat to wear together. I also have a couple of my 1962 birth year Seamasters, and he's got his sights on one of them - maybe someday...

And, no, I'm not available to adopt any extra kiddo's out there at this time

 

Great read about father-son watches. I’ve thought about purchasing a watch for my sons (if God is willing to grant me some) upon graduation or some momentous event. I am not sure if I would prefer it to be something we pick out together or something I’ve predestined to give him. I like the idea of a birth watch, but I also tend to dislike the idea of buying new (particularly if I am buying new for the sake of storing it). Whatever I purchase I think I would like to engrave (to ruin the value of the watch) to add one more layer of sentiment to the gift.

Out of curiosity, what was your favorite watch to give away? Was it the ones he helped select?

 

Both - I knew he wanted a Seamaster Pro wave dial watch, but I didn't pick the one he wanted and so I let him pick the new SMP chronograph - he liked mine and always wanted to wear it around the house.

But through that experience I knew that a Bond Quartz had been what he wanted the 1st watch to be, so I was able to surprise him with a birth year Bond Quartz for his 18th birthday. Both the model, and the fact that it was a birth year watch were the surprise.

And then, when I knew he'd prefer an X-33 over the SMP chronograph (which he was afraid to wear and break), I found a way to get his away from him - which confirmed he wasn't attached to it and allowed me to use it to fund his dream watch (X-33), as a surprise again.

 

Absolutely great idea and great execution on the father-son watch theme @larryganz . My son is only 5 years old so maybe a bit early for a dad-son watch but your post gave me a few ideas for the future..

My son currently enjoys thoroughly starting-stopping and resetting my 66 CB Speedy. It's a game for him ,a he tries to stop the second hand at a specific point on the dial. Absolutely adorable.

When I am wearing a time-only piece he usually wants to hold it next to his ear and listen to the mechanical ticking.

I'll surely get him a watch when grows a bit (and learns to read the time)

 

Any old excuse to buy more watches Don’t worry, I suffer the same fate.

Great read (and watches)...thanks for sharing! Next on the list : pair of matching Moonshine Gold Speedies,,,

 

I completely agree! Great post.

Some might question my approach - but 50mims after my son was born, his first watch was on its way to him.

It took a lot of upfront planning, and some global thinking. Hard to buy a watch when it’s 9pm in your town.

It will stay in the box until a lifetime event. 21st is current thinking.

Am looking forward to sharing wrist shot moments like @larryganz

 

How in the world did you do that at 9pm? I imagine you maybe didn’t share the watch with us because you don’t want him to read this thread someday since you haven’t given it to him yet. But the purchase also still leaves you with a bit of planning:

Will it be a surprise for him, or will he know about it?

Will you wear it and regale him with stories of places where his birth year watch has visited? Or keep it safe to give him new?

If you save it to give as new, will you wind it every few months and service it every 5-7 years before the oils are all dried up and gum up the works?

I think 18 years old or high school graduation would be a good age (or a growing up/manhood milestone before that like a Tai Kwon Do black belt or Eagle Scout rank).

 

One memorable Christmas, I think it was my senior year in high school, my dad presented me and my mom C-cased Constellations in our preferred metals (mine is WG and stainless steel, hers is yellow gold plated) to match his. There's already a Connie in the works for when my fiance and I finally get around to tying the knot.

On a less sentimental occasion, my mom was admiring my bullseye Geneve Dynamic so I got her one for her next mother's day. A case of mother-daughter matching watches.

 

My original plan was to purchase from a US East AD. Was all lined up etc. he decided his entrance was going to be a little later so I was frantically searching online for West Coast dealers. It was getting close to their end of day - and they wanted to run the card a day later. I had to impress upon them it had to be now now, to get the birth date watch.

There’s a post somewhere here about it, so if he gets into watches before the gifting, he’ll already now. The plan is to leave in box, and take care of it semi frequently.
Edit : https://omegaforums.net/threads/new-moonwatch-store-or-wear.86239/


You make a compelling point on various milestones. I think it will ultimately come down to how he is as an individual. I’ll like to think he’ll demonstrate a maturity beyond his years.

My job is to now ensure I’ll be around for it! Its way to easy to get the DadBod.

 

I’ve been thinking about this since my son was born at the end of last year and always liked the idea of having a birth year watch myself however, being born in 1980 leaves me a bit limited in decent options.

Funds aren’t allowing just now but it’s something that I will definitely pursue in the near future hopefully picking up a decent pre-owned or NOS piece.

Just need to think about what will stand the test of time (no pun intended)

 

I had no interest in watches when my girls were born but my biggest dilemma as I steadily reduce the herd is what to leave behind for them when I go ?
I suspect Rolex or Omega on the dial would be acceptable