Rolex

This was my third love after wanting a GMT and getting a Submariner. I was in Rome on Holiday with my family on December 28, 1985. We were locked in the Vatican Museum because of a disturbance at the Airport. When we were finally released I only had an hour or so before the shops would be closing. I raced around Rome to a few jewelers. I finally found one that was open and would let me in after passing through a bomb proof casing. I asked the salesperson for the price. She looked at me as if to say as if........ we agreed on her price and the watch of my dreams was mine. I gave it to my dad after arriving back in the states. Just before COVID hit, my dad said he wanted to give me something. He flew across the country and took it off his wrist and handed it to me. I objected, but he insisted. I put it on my wrist for the first time today since that day in 1985. As the attachments will tell you it was a bittersweet day. The watch brings back a lot of memories. I suppose that’s what they are supposed to do. To me it is still elegant simplicity. It looks just as good as it did the day that it came out of the case. I am glad that I didn’t get an eccentric dial and stuck to the classic dial.

Be proud and enjoy from this time on.

No message body

No message body

This one is timeless in every way, a classic Rolex. So it doesnt even feel like 35 years

The stories about watches are recognizable.

When i ran trough a world city to get a desired watch on time before leaving. A more special souvenir is not possible.

You have the special story with your father, i with my mother.

Rome is a city i want to visit. A bucket list city for me.
I have not a particular watch in mind to buy in Rome, so i will let the surprise do the work.

Its what it all about actually.
Thanks sharing.

Thanks for sharing the story.

Cheers,
John

No message body

The story gets even more intense. In order to not have to pay VAT, I was told that I would have to meet “the Boy” at the airport at our departure gate. When I got to the airport, it was setup like the current day TSA. No one without a ticket was allowed past security or in the gate area.........I couldn’t find “the Boy”. I left the gate and went back through arrivals. I was greeted by the largest Italians with German Shepard’s and AK-47’s when I was trying to race back up to the Check in area. The nice Italian police officer asked me if was arriving to go skiing, I nodded and he let me through. I found “the Boy”, he was about 60 years old and 5ft tall wearing a suit. Thankfully, I recognized him from the corner of my eye when I was in the store. He had been cleaning the windows in the store when I was making the purchase. With a smile he handed me the watch box, I hugged him and ran back to the gate. It had never occurred to me that “the Boy” would be a 60 year old distinguished gentleman in a suit!! I saved the newspaper of that departure day, sorry the purchase must have been on the 27th, because that newspaper is from the next morning.

Seriously, even today (and even further North than Rome) I can easily see the term “boy” (“ragazzo”) being used affectionately in the way you described, to refer to the junior employee/assistant in your shop😉 Cheers.