I’ve been wearing a smart watch for the past five years. I like that I can change the watch face, track my steps, get notifications, and use it to find my phone when I put it down. I recently took a handful of “vintage” watches to be repaired. A few of the watches were mine that I’ve picked up over the years, but I stopped wearing them when the battery died or when the crystal broke. A few others were a little bit more important to me because they had been my father’s.
The Everyday Watch
The first of my father’s watches was the one that I remember seeing him wear when I was growing up. I can picture my father sitting on the corner of the sofa in the den, holding up the newspaper. I couldn’t see Dad behind the paper, but I could see the watch on his wrist and occasionally move to reposition the watch.
The Special Purchase
The second watch came later. I don’t recall the occasion, but I remember when my father brought it home. It was not like my father to buy something for himself unless it to replace something that had worn out or broken. This one became his daily watch.
The Dating-Era Watch
The third watch is the most meaningful to me. It’s the one he wore when he and my mother first started to date. When he gave the watch to me, many years ago, he told me that it was nothing special and he had bought it at a dime store. What made it special though was that he replaced the band with one that my mother’s high school Junior Achievement club was selling.
Why I Stopped Wearing My Smartwatch
The repaired watches are working again, and I’ve started wearing them in rotation. In fact, I’ve put my smartwatch away. There’s something about these old timepieces — the weight, the history, the quiet tick — that feels right. Every glance reminds me of my father, and that connection matters more than notifications.
Would you trade convenience for meaning?
If you own something that connects you to your past, maybe it’s worth bringing it back to life.