- Posts
- 16,307
- Likes
- 45,000
JwRosenthal
·I hate breaking bad news to people, I hate being a know-it-all, I hate being “that asshole”. Usually I just let people believe what they want to believe:
I’m so glad you think you look great in that outfit.
That was really well written, I think you had some interesting wording in that.
No, I can barely smell the litter box in your house.
But when it’s someone you care about, someone you respect, someone you think should know better- it’s hard to not express yourself.
One of my closest friends (who is a watch guy-but more modern that vintage) recently inherited his grandfather’s watches- found in a dresser drawer after his 106 year old grandmother past away. He sent me a picture of his new collection
I offered the usual platitude- “what a lovely heirloom of your grandfather- you should get them serviced and enjoy”.
Then the text dialogue started where it got harder and harder to keep from being that asshole.
Him: they are in pretty decent shape for their age.
Me: yeah, they aren’t bad,
Him: the Longines is very nice
Me: they made nice watches
Him: the dial design is really neat
….this is where it started getting really hard to keep it to myself
Me: it is unusual
Him: I looked online and couldn’t find another like it- perhaps it’s a rare dial?
shit….how can I dodge this
Me: have you taken a good look at it and compared against others of this time period?
Him:
Me: you should really look up some others from this time period and compare the fonts, the minute track, etc.
Him: I have and this is an unique design/ haven’t seen another like it.
….can’t….stop….now….
Me: well, it was redialed at some point in its life which is why you can’t find another like it.
Him: My grandfather owned it since new, I doubt he ever serviced it.
Me: he did, and it was redialed.
Him: I doubt that
Me: Trust me, he may not have realized it was redialed, it was SOP back then if you brought a watch to a watchmaker and it has moisture damage in the dial, they may refinish it and polish to case to make it “shiny”.
Him: But how do you know?
Me: I know.
Him: But how?
Me:
Him: Are you sure that’s not factory?
Me: No, Longines never would have let that out the door.
Him: I don’t know, man.
Me: That Eterna is a nice piece, let’s take a closer look at that!
We haven’t spoken about these watches since.
I’m so glad you think you look great in that outfit.
That was really well written, I think you had some interesting wording in that.
No, I can barely smell the litter box in your house.
But when it’s someone you care about, someone you respect, someone you think should know better- it’s hard to not express yourself.
One of my closest friends (who is a watch guy-but more modern that vintage) recently inherited his grandfather’s watches- found in a dresser drawer after his 106 year old grandmother past away. He sent me a picture of his new collection
I offered the usual platitude- “what a lovely heirloom of your grandfather- you should get them serviced and enjoy”.
Then the text dialogue started where it got harder and harder to keep from being that asshole.
Him: they are in pretty decent shape for their age.
Me: yeah, they aren’t bad,
Him: the Longines is very nice
Me: they made nice watches
Him: the dial design is really neat
….this is where it started getting really hard to keep it to myself
Me: it is unusual
Him: I looked online and couldn’t find another like it- perhaps it’s a rare dial?
shit….how can I dodge this
Me: have you taken a good look at it and compared against others of this time period?
Him:
Me: you should really look up some others from this time period and compare the fonts, the minute track, etc.
Him: I have and this is an unique design/ haven’t seen another like it.
….can’t….stop….now….
Me: well, it was redialed at some point in its life which is why you can’t find another like it.
Him: My grandfather owned it since new, I doubt he ever serviced it.
Me: he did, and it was redialed.
Him: I doubt that
Me: Trust me, he may not have realized it was redialed, it was SOP back then if you brought a watch to a watchmaker and it has moisture damage in the dial, they may refinish it and polish to case to make it “shiny”.
Him: But how do you know?
Me: I know.
Him: But how?
Me:
Him: Are you sure that’s not factory?
Me: No, Longines never would have let that out the door.
Him: I don’t know, man.
Me: That Eterna is a nice piece, let’s take a closer look at that!
We haven’t spoken about these watches since.
