Watches for kids - to give them when they turn 18 or 21

pumpernikiel · Nov 23, 2021

Hi All, I just had this idea of maybe acquiring Omega watches for my 8 year old son and 2 year old daughter. Obviously, not to give them now, but to keep the watches for them until they turn 18 or 21 years old. I was thinking that since I always wanted to have a watch from the year i was born in (and still never did it), maybe my kids would appreciate that their old man thought of this and secured such watches. So here are a couple of questions relating to this and would be interested in your views:
1. Is this a bizzare thing to do or have others done something similar? After all it is pretty weird to get expensive watches and put them aside for 10+ years...
2. What would you recommend for the boy - birth year 2013?
3. What would you recommend for the girl - birth year 2019?

Your views appreciated - thx

99Tjadams · Nov 23, 2021

My first thought was why not consider a more affordable piece. Seiko? Omegas are amazing but to me expensive watches can be nice becuase if they go up in value you can sell them. Something more sentimental that is more affordable may be less likely to be sold down the road. This is coming from a cheapskate. I got my son a mint skx007, hoping to give it to him when he turns 12.

dsio · Nov 23, 2021

Used TAG Heuer is a great option, Aquaracers and whatnot can be bought fairly cheaply as can F1s. Omega Seamater 120M models from the early 1990s are also often available very cheaply and are great watches.

zygarde · Nov 24, 2021

I think it would be super cool to give your son a Batman.

Watch my Whisky · Nov 24, 2021

Patek Philippe Nautilus

ConElPueblo · Nov 24, 2021

Chances are that very, very few of the watches currently available are going to increase in value, so how about choosing a model from the current catalogue and then putting aside an amount of money equal to their cost? Put them in some sort of investment pool and give them the rights to the account when they turn 18 - have them choose a watch for themselves and spend the rest of the money on something that will get them started in life (furniture for their first apartment or similar).

At 18, your daughter may dream of becoming a fighter pilot and your son a flowerist.

Also, if they aren't looking for an 18 year old watch, going to the store and choosing a new one for themselves with you by their side would be make a very nice way of starting their own life's journey with that special watch on their wrist.

ConElPueblo · Nov 24, 2021

And BTW - tastes changes. Apart from a very, very few exceptions, most watches from my birthyear are absolutely terrible.

Omegafanman · Nov 24, 2021

ConElPueblo
And BTW - tastes changes. Apart from a very, very few exceptions, most watches from my birthyear are absolutely terrible.

..........!!
.

pumpernikiel · Nov 24, 2021

All very valid points, thanks a lot for that. If you could get a Batman or Nautilus then i am not so sure if i was strong enough to still keep em for the kids 😉

Seiko and Tag Heuer seems safer but then ConElPueblo got me thinking whether this is really worth it. Indeed maybe better to set the money aside and let them choose whatever. Afterall they may still think that it is an old man's hobby and completely not their thing.

Cheers guys a lot for your insights!

Omegafanman · Nov 24, 2021

pumpernikiel
All very valid points, thanks a lot for that. If you could get a Batman or Nautilus then i am not so sure if i was strong enough to still keep em for the kids 😉

Seiko and Tag Heuer seems safer but then ConElPueblo got me thinking whether this is really worth it. Indeed maybe better to set the money aside and let them choose whatever. Afterall they may still think that it is an old man's hobby and completely not their thing.

Cheers guys a lot for your insights!

A lot of people join the forum to look up parents watches and clearly inherited heirlooms like that can mean a lot to people as a source of comfort and / or maybe income.... so buy some nice watches for yourself and then pass them on when you kick the bucket.... that will mean more than a birth year watch...... and you get to wear them in the meantime ;0)

Dan S · Nov 24, 2021

I think it sounds like an incredibly thoughtful gift that I'm sure they would appreciate greatly. I agree on the suggestion of a good quality mid-tier watch that an 18 year old would feel comfortable wearing.

w@tcher · Nov 24, 2021

A FOIS and a Speedy Professional are waiting my little daughter...

She loves watches and all Nasa stories...

Until she will be 18yo, she has her own moonwatch

pumpernikiel · Nov 24, 2021

Omegafanman
A lot of people join the forum to look up parents watches and clearly inherited heirlooms like that can mean a lot to people as a source of comfort and / or maybe income.... so buy some nice watches for yourself and then pass them on when you kick the bucket.... that will mean more than a birth year watch...... and you get to wear them in the meantime ;0)

Ha! This way i get to eat the cookie and have the cookie at the same time. That is of course until i pass the cookies over to the young ones. Cool!

Dsloan · Nov 24, 2021

ConElPueblo
And BTW - tastes changes. Apart from a very, very few exceptions, most watches from my birthyear are absolutely terrible.

I've gotta agree with this. I figure, I'll keep buying what I like, and maybe our little guy will get a thing or two if he's interested when he's older.

I'd rather have the money invested for 15+ more years (or spent on a watch for myself 😁) than have a watch sitting in a box somewhere hoping that he even likes watches.

SkunkPrince · Nov 24, 2021

"Here ya go, kids, pick one from the collection for yourself... except that one. No, not that one either. Sorry, not that one."

SkunkPrince · Nov 24, 2021

ConElPueblo
And BTW - tastes changes. Apart from a very, very few exceptions, most watches from my birthyear are absolutely terrible.

No kidding. Born in 1965, stick hands, stick lugs, all the watches look pretty much the same... no thanks.

pumpernikiel · Nov 25, 2021

SkunkPrince
"Here ya go, kids, pick one from the collection for yourself... except that one. No, not that one either. Sorry, not that one."

Yep... I can see that coming... 🤦

thelinendial · Nov 25, 2021

pumpernikiel
So here are a couple of questions relating to this and would be interested in your views:
1. Is this a bizzare thing to do or have others done something similar? After all it is pretty weird to get expensive watches and put them aside for 10+ years...
2. What would you recommend for the boy - birth year 2013?
3. What would you recommend for the girl - birth year 2019?

Your views appreciated - thx

1: I don’t think it’s bizarre and have thought to do so myself.

Actually I convinced 😀 my wife picked up the originally limited only to women Seji Kurono… saying our now 8y daughter could wear it in the future.

I also have some bigger tool watches - that I can still pull off - in my collection in anticipation for my son… he’ll certainly have bigger wrists than me.

And as @Omegafanman noted wearing them will create the family history.

2, 3: We’re picking either classic designs, or like the Seji something rare.

For your daughter Cartier tank or Panthère.

For you son, my recommendation would be a dive watch. Also consider a rugged sports watch that is good bang for the buck like the Sinn 556 (2013).

Let us know what you end up doing.

Photos from RubyRoseOpal Watch Instagram,

Ruby.Rose.Opal-Cartier-Tank-Solo-Rose-Gold-Instagram.jpg

Ruby.Rose.Opal-Cartier-Panthère-Instagram.jpg

Ruby.Rose.Opal-Seji-Kurono-Instagram.jpg

Photos from Sinn Worn and Wound Review,

neilfrancis · Nov 26, 2021

My 20 year old son wears a vintage Certina DS-1 that I 'gave' him earlier this year. He's 21 next year and I have am giving thought to what might happen then... it has to be a watch, but which? Will keep you posted.

MtV · Nov 26, 2021

w@tcher
A FOIS and a Speedy Professional are waiting my little daughter...

She loves watches and all Nasa stories...

Until she will be 18yo, she has her own moonwatch

Same here - my godchild will get a Speedy Pro when he turns 18, finishes an apprenticeship / university, moves out, loses his virginity or something like that. We haven't decided on the milestone yet. Anyhow, his dad - my best buddy - and I thought about this long and hard and figured that yes, there's always the possibility he won't like the watch, but then so be it. A Speedy Pro is unlikely to be worthless in 16-20 years time, and if it's worth less than what we paid for it who cares. This isn't meant to sound arrogant, it's an expensive watch and all - but to us, this isn't an investment kind of present.
To make it even less so and for completely altruistic reasons, of course, we've also decided that the watch might be worth more to him if it's connected to memories, so we make sure to wear it all the time. There's already pictures from both of us holding him wearing the watch, we'll wear it on our annual trip to the Goodwood Revival, on holidays, etc. etc. And when the small dude will get the watch itself, he'll also get the better part of two decades worth of pictures of his dad and his godparent wearing it.

Also, should he decide to sell it regardless to purchase the Apple watch 4738743 I'll know I messed up my tutorship. 😁

Bottom line: I think it's a great idea. The only thing I wouldnt know for certain is the time of presenting it. I know at the age of 18 I wouldnt have been able to appreciate the gesture appropriately. At 21: different story.

Watches for kids - to give them when they turn 18 or 21

pumpernikiel

99Tjadams

dsio

zygarde

Watch my Whisky

ConElPueblo

ConElPueblo

Omegafanman

pumpernikiel

Omegafanman

Dan S

w@tcher

pumpernikiel

Dsloan

SkunkPrince

SkunkPrince

pumpernikiel

thelinendial

neilfrancis

MtV

Similar threads

Trying a local watchmaker - looking for some recommendations on which watch to give him first

Birth-Year watches for your kids, and even better maybe Father-Child matching watches?

Is it wise to give the Speedmaster another chance?