Is 15 too young for a Rolex?

[Anonymous]

An expensive watch, such as a gaudy Rolex, makes the wearer a target for thieves. (Used to be organized theft rings where attractive young ladies would go to bars looking for Rolex wearing guys, drug the guy's drink, go home with the guy & steal the watch when he passed out.)

In my view, a Rolex watch is an inappropriate gift for a teenager. The young man should be developing social skills and values based on something other than showy wealth. Nevertheless, buy the watch & keep it as an investment or as a future gift--such as for his 45th birthday during a midlife crisis.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:About a month ago I stopped into the jeweler our family does business with to put my name on a list for a Rolex. The plan was to give it to my son on his 16th birthday in March of 2027. Friends told me it can take a while to get one. Out of the blue I got a call this weekend. The watch arrived Friday afternoon. Am I crazy to give it to him for his 15th birthday?

Rolex screams parvenu, my dear, but you are free to do whatever you want. Your son probably relies on his phone, but if HE wants a watch, and of the Rolex type, why not? Maybe you should ask him first.

I’m certainly not buying him a Nautilus or Royal Oak. His group of friends have all developed an interest in mechanical watches suddenly.

His friends have the interest but does he have an interest? I’ll play along, on the chance this post is real. My kids wouldn’t want this so I say no. They would want a car.

I’m not opposed to expensive gifts if you can afford them. We bought our oldest a car and will buy our second kid one at 16. We would never spend thousands on a watch.

He’ll get a car when he gets his license. I’m talking about a birthday gift specifically.

You didn’t answer my question. Does he want this? Does he actually want a Rolex? If he does, get it. If he doesn’t and won’t appreciate it, you are wasting your money. We could afford it but my teen would prefer a pizza than a Rolex.

He specifically mentioned a Rolex.

Then there is your answer. Get your child the gift he wanted.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:About a month ago I stopped into the jeweler our family does business with to put my name on a list for a Rolex. The plan was to give it to my son on his 16th birthday in March of 2027. Friends told me it can take a while to get one. Out of the blue I got a call this weekend. The watch arrived Friday afternoon. Am I crazy to give it to him for his 15th birthday?

Rolex screams parvenu, my dear, but you are free to do whatever you want. Your son probably relies on his phone, but if HE wants a watch, and of the Rolex type, why not? Maybe you should ask him first.

I’m certainly not buying him a Nautilus or Royal Oak. His group of friends have all developed an interest in mechanical watches suddenly.

His friends have the interest but does he have an interest? I’ll play along, on the chance this post is real. My kids wouldn’t want this so I say no. They would want a car.

I’m not opposed to expensive gifts if you can afford them. We bought our oldest a car and will buy our second kid one at 16. We would never spend thousands on a watch.

He’ll get a car when he gets his license. I’m talking about a birthday gift specifically.

You didn’t answer my question. Does he want this? Does he actually want a Rolex? If he does, get it. If he doesn’t and won’t appreciate it, you are wasting your money. We could afford it but my teen would prefer a pizza than a Rolex.

He specifically mentioned a Rolex.

Then there is your answer. Get your child the gift he wanted.

Hmmm. A bit odd as most 15 year old boys would prefer something else.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:About a month ago I stopped into the jeweler our family does business with to put my name on a list for a Rolex. The plan was to give it to my son on his 16th birthday in March of 2027. Friends told me it can take a while to get one. Out of the blue I got a call this weekend. The watch arrived Friday afternoon. Am I crazy to give it to him for his 15th birthday?

Rolex screams parvenu, my dear, but you are free to do whatever you want. Your son probably relies on his phone, but if HE wants a watch, and of the Rolex type, why not? Maybe you should ask him first.

I’m certainly not buying him a Nautilus or Royal Oak. His group of friends have all developed an interest in mechanical watches suddenly.

His friends have the interest but does he have an interest? I’ll play along, on the chance this post is real. My kids wouldn’t want this so I say no. They would want a car.

I’m not opposed to expensive gifts if you can afford them. We bought our oldest a car and will buy our second kid one at 16. We would never spend thousands on a watch.

He’ll get a car when he gets his license. I’m talking about a birthday gift specifically.

You didn’t answer my question. Does he want this? Does he actually want a Rolex? If he does, get it. If he doesn’t and won’t appreciate it, you are wasting your money. We could afford it but my teen would prefer a pizza than a Rolex.

He specifically mentioned a Rolex.

Then there is your answer. Get your child the gift he wanted.

Hmmm. A bit odd as most 15 year old boys would prefer something else.

Typical around here -- people thinking that what their kids would want is what every kid would want, or, more often people just having a random opinion based on nothing.

Culture varies. Not just from country to country, but from community to community. From school to school. From friend group to friend group. Folks around here are constantly revealing themselves as too narcissistic to see that. Or maybe people are just soooo desperate to run their mouths anyway?

There are some kids who would want a Rolex. There are some kids who would prefer something else.

The bigger issue is whether or not to buy it (and that is the question OP asks) -- and again, that's going to be cultural. But in the US at least, the position that it isn't reasonable to buy a 15 year old boy a Rolex for their birthday because they are young for that expensive of a watch is pretty defensible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I can tell you is that when I was in college, there were no dudes less f$&able than the ones wearing big watches their dad bought them.

It’s unfair gender norms, but the look of “daddy’s princess” is worse for boys.

Lol. Brutal.

[Anonymous]

If he specifically mentioned it give it now while he still wants it. If he loses interest by 16 you are stuck with an unwanted watch.

[Anonymous]

I would have a talk with him that it's an important and expensive thing but ultimately just a thing. Teenagers lose things and things get stolen. I lost a priceless (both value and sentimental) piece of jewelry as an adult and still wake up in the middle of the night sometimes. It's a lot of pressure for a teen to have such a nice item.

[Anonymous]

If you don't think 15 is too young to be mugged, who am I to argue?

[Anonymous]

I totally get the cautiousness I see from a lot of parents here. But the kid is 15. Let him play Roblox

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All I can tell you is that when I was in college, there were no dudes less f$&able than the ones wearing big watches their dad bought them.

It’s unfair gender norms, but the look of “daddy’s princess” is worse for boys.

Lol. Brutal.

It sounds like the guys with Rolexes avoided getting VD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents gave me a fake Rolex from Tijuana at that age. Girl. This was in the early 90s. I loved it.

I got a fake Rolex in an auction lot. It's hilarious.

I can't even sell it. Apparently it's illegal to even list it on Ebay or Marketplace because it's counterfeit. (I'd point out that it's counterfeit in the listing -- not looking to scam anyone. But surely someone might pay $25 or $30 for it lol)

What if you don't mention the word "Rolex"? Surely you can sell a watch without citing a brand name?

[Anonymous]

I got one at 18. No idea what happened to it over the years. It is a wasted gift IMO, unless you are strictly going to monitor it.

Get him a skateboard or something he can and will actually use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About a month ago I stopped into the jeweler our family does business with to put my name on a list for a Rolex. The plan was to give it to my son on his 16th birthday in March of 2027. Friends told me it can take a while to get one. Out of the blue I got a call this weekend. The watch arrived Friday afternoon. Am I crazy to give it to him for his 15th birthday?

Rolex screams parvenu, my dear, but you are free to do whatever you want. Your son probably relies on his phone, but if HE wants a watch, and of the Rolex type, why not? Maybe you should ask him first.

I’m certainly not buying him a Nautilus or Royal Oak. His group of friends have all developed an interest in mechanical watches suddenly.

Watch person here. Rolex is like the McDonald's of decent watches. They sell 1.1 million watches a year and pretend to be "exclusive". People buy Rolex because it's the only brand they know.

Get him an IWC, Grand Seiko, or even a Blancpain for 1/3 of the price of the Rolex.

IWC invited us to their F.A. Jones Portugieser release years ago. They make excellent watches. If he wanted a pilot’s watch they’d be our choice. He wants a diver and the Aquatimer isn’t exciting.

Grand Seiko is meh. I know, hi-beat movements and their Spring Drive are popular with the watch nerds. I appreciate the discipline of Zaratsu polishing more than their designs. Their divers are pedestrian.

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms is just ugly.

I’d prefer to buy him a Sinn diver for a third of the price but he expressed an interest in a Sub.

Sinn is a great choice, and a good "starter" watch. See if he can manage not to lose it.

[Anonymous]

OP.

Sigh.

Rolex is crass, OK? Rolex is for ignorant, not-actually-rich people who want to flaunt their not-wealth, or for people with more money than sense. It's pathetic.

If he's in a group that suddenly is interested in Rolexes, then tell him that his friends lack discernment and taste, and that Rolex is not a signifier he wants to show off.

You need to educate your children about what their appearance signals to others. I know youth is the time to make style mistakes. But come on - he can buy his own Rolex and make his own style mistake when he makes his own money!

Do your research and suggest something more tasteful.

My kid is a musician and wished ardently for a better sounding instrument. Since she plays well, I bought an 85K instrument with great sound. She plays every day, and I hear my investment every day. Hence, I'm not opposed to spending large sums on kids, not at all! But come on. Exercise a little taste, why don't you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP.

Sigh.

Rolex is crass, OK? Rolex is for ignorant, not-actually-rich people who want to flaunt their not-wealth, or for people with more money than sense. It's pathetic.

If he's in a group that suddenly is interested in Rolexes, then tell him that his friends lack discernment and taste, and that Rolex is not a signifier he wants to show off.

You need to educate your children about what their appearance signals to others. I know youth is the time to make style mistakes. But come on - he can buy his own Rolex and make his own style mistake when he makes his own money!

Do your research and suggest something more tasteful.

My kid is a musician and wished ardently for a better sounding instrument. Since she plays well, I bought an 85K instrument with great sound. She plays every day, and I hear my investment every day. Hence, I'm not opposed to spending large sums on kids, not at all! But come on. Exercise a little taste, why don't you.

What instrument?