Did You (Will You) Get/Receive a Retirement Watch?

[pdxleaf]

What a freaking depressing thread!

I had a similar catalog of cheap crap to choose from. Picked a crappy quartz watch because it had a mesh bracelet that looked decent. I bought myself a Speedmaster, which I love.

On a more positive note, I have friend in town who has a watch shop. A local Toyota dealer contacted him about giving all his managers a new watch worth up to 5k for Christmas. My friend asked me to help, as the plan was to set up tables in the dealership before they opened and let the managers choose their own watch. He needed help to work with so many people at once.

There were about 20 managers and only a couple wore watches. There were some Breitlings, Bell & Ross, Panerai, Omega, etc.. It was a lot of fun helping them chose a watch. Surprisingly, only two folks picked the same watch. Lots of different tastes.

Not a retirement story but one instance where some companies still give watches. Even for non-watch people, it was a meaningful gesture and well received. Hopefully a little uplifting.

 

[wagudc]

pdxleaf

There were some Breitlings, Bell & Ross, Panerai, Omega, etc..

No Apple watches?

 

[pdxleaf]

wagudc

No Apple watches?

Not even a Swatch

 

[wagudc]

pdxleaf

Not even a Swatch

Feeling guilty about my cynical comment. It is really a cool story you shared. Hopefully you inspired some to appreciate watches.

 

[Duracuir1]

@pdxleaf

Edited: Apr 7, 2023

 

[MRC]

pdxleaf

What a freaking depressing thread!

As a friend of mine says "Life's a bitch and then you die."

 

[Walrus]

My pops was similar. He headed up a major US foundry moving operations to Asia. They were still using technology we were using in the 1800’s so it was a big job. Spent at least half the year traveling if not more. He made it to the cover of metallurgy magazine when he was picked to study the metals after 9-11. Now we were separated by miles and communication but the only thing I verified he received was this bulova

 

[pdxleaf]

Duracuir1

@pdxleaf

Okay, i deserved that.

Maybe not the whole thing is depressing. Just several folks who didn't get the recognition they deserved and many companies resorting to an impersonal cheap catalog, mine own included.

A retirement watch is a great way to recognize a big achievement. I wish more companies comtined the tradition.

Better? 😁

 

[Duracuir1]

pdxleaf

Okay, i deserved that.

Maybe not the whole thing is depressing. Just several folks who didn't get the recognition they deserved and many companies resorting to an impersonal cheap catalog, mine own included.

A retirement watch is a great way to recognize a big achievement. I wish more companies comtined the tradition.

Better? 😁

Who loves you PDX? Even though I got two Bulovas my real retirement watches are the one from my wife and the one that I paid for, my FOIS. So I am in the same boat as most. I did get a 6% raise to my pension on January 1st! So no complaints.

 

[TexOmega]

Self-employed 8 years while in school then self employed 35 years thereafter.

Very rewarding in many ways, monetary ones were always down the list for me.

Fantastic employees (for 28 of the 35 years).😁 Took me 7 years to figure THAT part out.

I would say this was a minor reward, considering I was treating 4th generation members of families when I retired, and nothing tops that honor.

A386 MKIII Zenith

 

[Pastorbottle]

Now that I get to think about it…….considering some of the absolute bastards I’ve worked for…….. I would be vary wary of anything they gave me that ticked, lest it was a bomb!

 

[ErichPryde]

TexOmega

Self-employed 8 years while in school then self employed 35 years thereafter.

Very rewarding in many ways, monetary ones were always down the list for me.

Fantastic employees (for 28 of the 35 years).😁 Took me 7 years to figure THAT part out.

I would say this was a minor reward, considering I was treating 4th generation members of families when I retired, and nothing tops that honor.

A386 MKIII Zenith

That's a beautiful watch- and it inspired me to do a little bit of research. I didn't know Zenith's history and wow, what a story!

 

[Turpinr]

I ordered these in 2019 and after a 4 months wait picked up my BB58 which was a retirement present to myself.
I dropped lucky as I was juggling my pension figures when redundancy came along at the Xmas.It wasn't a huge sum but tipped the scales
Arthritis in both knees and hips that 45 years of manual work did nothing to help forced me into an early finish at 61.

 

[TexOmega]

ErichPryde

That's a beautiful watch- and it inspired me to do a little bit of research. I didn't know Zenith's history and wow, what a story!

My work is done here......see you on the dark side of the moon.

 

[Jones in LA]

Not at retirement, but after 25 years of continuous employment. Last year I received this noteworthy memorandum from my employer:

"As a part of our service award program, we have customarily provided our employees with the option of receiving a Rolex watch or a Grandfather clock to recognize 25 years of service. Our service award provider was recently notified by Rolex that it would be discontinuing its corporate programs as of December 31, 2022. We are obviously very disappointed by this decision as we know our employees have come to look forward to this significant milestone award. We and our service award provider have challenged Rolex on various fronts in an effort to continue the program, to include leveraging retail options and pre-ordering for 2023, without success. It is with regret that we announce that effective January 1, 2023 we will no longer offer Rolex watches for the 25 year service award."

So it was Rolex itself that pulled the plug, aggressively and decisively. I've seen one of these watches on a colleague's wrist - it was a 36mm No-Date Oyster Perpetual, white dial. Probably the least expensive watch in the Rolex catalogue, but to my eyes quite attractive.

The Memorandum continues:

"With this unfortunate change, our service award vendor has worked to identify options and they have done a great job in securing other heirloom quality watches. We are excited to announce that effective January 1, 2023, employees achieving 25 years of service will have several high-end watch options to choose from including Bulova, Breitling, Cartier, Longines, Movado, Omega, Tag Heuer, and Tudor. These watches have a retail value that is the same or higher than that of the current Rolex. In addition, we will continue to offer six different grandfather clock options."

 

[MRC]

peatnick

I got nothing except a foot in my back at 58 after 20 years, software is a young man’s job I suppose. . .

50+ years go when I was in my late 20s covering on-site software support across the USA and Canada we had a large customer who had someone working there nearing retirement who had got into the software business in the 1950s. Each time I went there I would try to get my work done with enough time to go and have a talk with him. He had somehow avoided the push into management and was employed simply to give advice from his experience. Talking to him was absolutely fascinating.

He once starting laying into "support monkeys", so I said "Hold on Jake, that's what I do for a living." "Oh no," he said "you're a scholar." I treasure that more than any corporate compliment, award or attaboy I've ever received.

Sadly by 50 I was trapped in management, at which I didn't think I was any good and didn't enjoy at all.

 

[kohster]

Jones in LA

We are excited to announce that effective January 1, 2023, employees achieving 25 years of service will have several high-end watch options to choose from including Bulova, Breitling, Cartier, Longines, Movado, Omega, Tag Heuer, and Tudor. These watches have a retail value that is the same or higher than that of the current Rolex. In addition, we will continue to offer six different grandfather clock options."

What's your company's HR web site with job listings? 😀

 

[hen]

No I, but I inherited one. Will I ever get one? Flowers more likely, the cheap SOB`s.
What would I like to get? Globemaster, yeah!!!

 

[Watch my Whisky]

The point of retiring is that you don’t have to wear a watch.

I planning on throwing my modest collection into the sea when the day comes.

 

[Jones in LA]

kohster

What's your company's HR web site with job listings? 😀

https://www.vulcanmaterials.com/careers