Rolex

Two months before my daughter’s college graduation, I began looking for a suitable gift for her. Syempre it should be something special, as special as the person receiving it and as special as the occasion it was intended for.

With a limited budget, I sought out to buy her a Rolex watch. Rolex has so many models and variations. I picked a simple one that’s more suitable to her young age and to her lifestyle. She was working in Manhattan at that time. A New York lifestyle is consists of walking miles and avenues, taking the subway train. Her watch must not be fancy.

I saw this cute looking Oyster-Perpetual date-just in stainless steel with white gold bezel. I went back a few times trying to imagine it on my daughter’s arm. If she would get to like that style. After haggling with the price, I finally bought it a few days before we were leaving for NY to attend her graduation.

Fast forward

After several months, we visited her again in NY and this time she’s renting a brand new two bedroom apartment with her friend in Elmhurst in Queens. She was working for Goldman Sachs.

On July 4th, while she was in the city for the independence day revelry, criminals broke into her apartment. Ransacked it and took away every valuable item there in.Including her box of jewelry and the ROLEX watch, plus some of her cash she was keeping in her drawer.
Oyen’s very heavy and five year old laptop didn’t interest the thieves.

My wanting to give her something special that she would remember really became something that she would remember. Kasi hayun, nawala, nanakaw.

What were stolen were valuable and expensive things which would take sometime to replace. But I just felt relieved that my daughter was not hurt because she was not yet in her apartment when it happened.

Reminiscing the Past

What happened reminded me of the gold-plated Citizen or Seiko watch my father gave me after graduating from college at UST. We bought it in Ongpin. My Chinese gold ring, earrings, bracelet and that gold-plated watch were stolen from the house of Justice Benjing Capili. It was all my fault. I left them on a tiny desk near the window. Even if the window had screen and grills, the criminal easily cut through the screen and grabbed my jewels. The window was inside the gated house and farthest from the road.
That was more than 30 years ago and I could still remember the sad expression on my father’s face when I told him of what happened. He was quiet for a couple of days. Hindi naman kami mayaman, those valuables could no longer be replaced. In retrospect, I should not have told my parents what happened to spare them of deep sadness.

Present Time

Rolex Brand Ambassadors
While we were watching Michael Buble’s concert in MOA Arena, talagang I was looking at his watch. Ang layu-layo naman but I knew he was wearing a Rolex.

It’s easy to find celebrity endorsers but the person must associate himself with the brand or else, he/she would not do justice to the brand-building. Michael Buble is a perfect choice to be a Rolex Brand Ambassador. They’re a perfect match.

Opera soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Dame Kiri

Rolex headquarters in Chene-Bourg, Geneva, Switzerland

100,000th Chronometer for Winston Churchill

Oyster Perpetual Lady-datejust with diamond set bezel and mother of pearl dial.

I can’t imagine how much this costs. I can’t even see the time, puro bling-bling.

Platinum with rubies

There are so many watch brands in the market today. The globalization and access to cheap production have inspired many companies to launch watches that look similar to the design of the luxury watch brands.

Despite it being too popular to the point that half of those attending Chinese Lauriat wears a Rolex, I still like this brand. It’s timeless and the watch retains its value.

Here’s my Rolex wish list for 2015:

Rolex Pearl master, Rose Gold, with mother of pearl and diamonds

President, Platinum with diamonds

Solid Yellow Gold

Rolex solid gold President

Rose gold with diamonds and mother of pearl face.

Did you notice my taste is basically the same? I like those with tiny diamonds. The illumination coming from the gems gives the piece a little bit of flash and shine. Mukhang masaya.