There are two very different kinds of people in this world. One group feels naked without having a wristwatch when going out and about. The other group claims indifference because they always have their cell phone with them. I once had a costly collection of Swiss made wrist watches. Cartiers, Rolex, Omega, IWC, Tag Heuer, and others. I even slept with the one of the Cartiers on my wrist because it was so comfortable on my wrist. I fear that the other kind of people, those who depend on their cell phones are winning out. The most popular new watch that is truly trend setting is the Apple iwatch, now enjoying its fifth generation being worn by men and women everywhere. This, combination digital watch and mini cell-phone, iwatch is the final insult to the rest of us who take pride in our old traditional analog wrist wear. The only real challenge to this anti-wristwatch new wave and the digital crowd is the Richard Mille watch. The Mille is stunning to look at and the price is stunning too at about 200,000 Euros. Only the likes of Rafael Nadal can afford such luxury. Or perhaps Rafa gets his for free from Mille only to taunt his friend and fellow competitor Roger Federer, coincidently from Switzerland, who post tennis match slips on his Rolex.
The traditionalists in the world are retiring and a gold Rolex seems a bad idea for a retiree who will no longer have a 9-5, but will hang around the house in his pajamas. Wristwatches were great power symbols and added prestige to whatever the wearer was doing be it at work or at leisure.
The tradition of presenting a valuable watch to a son upon graduation has great merit but sadly speaks more of a past and forgotten world. Perhaps today's fathers will award their sons with Apple iwatches.
