To Bling or Not to Bling?

My J is not a fancy man. $50 shoes are an extravagence for him, he buys dress shirts at Marshall's, he owns one jacket and two pairs of jeans, and the watch he wears is a $100ish present from a law school buddy. Which, of course, was an incredibly generous present!

Still, this last point is the current problem. We're getting married, and our parents are wondering what to give us as presents. They know we don't like a lot of clutter, we don't need a car, and we're not ready to buy a house. Traditionally, Chinese parents give money, but they want to give us something a little more tangible as well. Oftentimes these days, that comes in the form of fancy watches. So I understand their mentality. A watch is something relatively practical, that can act as a not-too-flashy status symbol, that is more tangible than money in the bank, and that can have sentimental value and be passed down in the future. In many ways, it's a perfect present.

Our parents, not having time to shop around, of course automatically thought "Rolexes." Now, that's all well and good, but it's way over the top. We don't hang in circles where Rolexes are common, the styles are very old fashioned, and it's just not necessary. J and I both agree on this. However, J doesn't want a watch at all! He doesn't think they are necessary, or that there's any value in wearing a beautiful timepiece. I strongly disagree on this point, and I present The Omega Seamaster Professional:


It's a beautiful watch. A lot of its appeal comes from its lustre and weight, which can't be expressed in a photo. Somehow, all that is lost on camera and it just looks like any plain $200 watch. Also inexpressible, of course, is the internal workmanship of a well-crafted timepiece. It's unnecessary to get into all the details. Suffice it to say Omega is a dependable brand with a solid history, and that the reasons I find it perfect for J are numerous:

• it's simple. This is not a flashy watch, and he is not a flashy guy. It's a watch that won't draw attention to him, but that will tell the careful observer that J has a little class and style, or at least that the person who bought the watch for him cares that he has a little class and style
• it's not a Rolex. In fact, it's not a Rolex, an IWC, a Cartier, a Patek, or any number of $5,000+ brands. He would kill me if I suggested our parents buy him one of those.
• it has everything J likes in a watch. There's a small, easy to read date display, a metal band, and a glow in the dark face that doesn't look like it belongs on a ten year old's Timex.
• there's nothing J doesn't want in a watch. It doesn't have a million features or faces, it's not oversized or very heavy, and it's not embellished
• it's called the Seamaster! I know, it's silly, but what better name for a watch worn by someone who loves the ocean so much?

I know the thrifty spender in him is balking at the idea of a watch costing "real" money. But it's no Rolex, and I think it's something classic that he'll enjoy for decades. Like a wedding ring, these kinds of watches are meant to last.