What does your wife say?

 

Lol she seemed slightly offended by the thought of swapping it out for something. She said something along the lines of “what if I wanted to trade in my engagement ring for something else?”

 

I wouldn't ask strangers on the Internet for this kind of advice.

Discuss it with your wife, period.

 

Ultimately the decision is my own to make. Just looking to see if there are others out there (which I’m sure there are) who have been in similar situation. And if so, what did they do.

 

Personally, my in-laws feelings would carry a thousand times more weight than my wishes.

 

You clearly don't have the makeup to be a collector. These people do. They will all say "Keep it".

 

Yes, but - it was a wedding gift from his in-laws...I think he should tread lightly...could get tricky.

Putting myself in your shoes...I would keep it.

 

Threesome? Have the Tudor and Speedy at the same time?

Not sure if we are talking about watches here or "Tudor" is a figure of speech.

 

It’s an option. Just have to save up and I know I’d hardly ever wear the Tudor if I got the speedy. Maybe on vacation or pool/ beach season. I prefer a tighter collection but If given the opportunity to have both without feeling guilty that’s ideal.

 

It was a wedding gift AND you got married in it?
Oof... keep it.
Watches have memories attached to them, adventures you went on, major events in your life.
Too much sentimental value.

 

I'd just save for that other something I wanted. Sounds to me like you'll miss the watch. Plus, my wife would remind me forever of that one time when I got rid of that watch her parents bought me 😂.

 

I would absolutely keep it and be sure to wear it at family occasions.

 

Lol I did but now I just wear what I want. And I can tell my mother in law takes notice when I wear the OP or something else. Such is life.

 

Save it for your kid. He'll treasure it when he's old enough to understand.

 

Was gonna say the same, if you have kids, or someone tremendously important to you that would appreciate the watch, maybe it would be a nice gesture to let them enjoy it. However, you'd still have to save for the speedy. like others have said, I just couldn't even think of getting rid of it.

 

I am in a similar situation. Gifted a watch by my mother I rarely wear and don't particularly enjoy wearing. Ultimately I would never sell it and hope to be able to pass it on to a family member at some point in the future.

 

Out of curiosity did your mother buy it for you on a whim or did you pick it out? I had the choice when I picked the Tudor, just feel like I picked wrong.

 

Park it. Think of it more as a keepsake than a watch.

 

Is selling the Tudor worth likely upsetting your wife and in-laws? Will you miss the watch if it's gone? Also, how comfortable is your couch?

 

LMAO we’re already saving up for a new couch so well played.

 

I’m probably overly sentimental about stuff, but I wouldn’t consider it.
You’ve got a great watch that cost you nothing and has been with you through some large milestone. If you had purchased it yourself I’d say do what you want, but it was a gift for a pretty big day.

plus you’d probably never get to wear what replaces it because you’ll get heat for it everytime…

 

I’m probably overly sentimental about stuff, but I wouldn’t consider it.
You’ve got a great watch that cost you nothing and has been with you through some large milestone. If you had purchased it yourself I’d say do what you want, but it was a gift for a pretty big day.

plus you’d probably never get to wear what replaces it because you’ll get heat for it everytime…

Valid points. I’d be able to wear what I replace it with but not without feeling the heat even if nothing is said.

 

She should just be happy her daughter married a dude with rolex money!

 

It was a different time and pre children!

 

Who spent the money on the watch?
OP,
It's your wedding watch,
it was a gift to you,
You wore it 3 years straight!

If you want the Speedy, get the Speedy, but don't go sell the Tudor as a shortcut.

 

In-laws bought the Tudor for the wedding. My wife got me the Rolex a few years later.

Appreciate the advice!

 

Keep it. You'd regret getting rid of it.

 

I keep sentimental gift watches no matter what.

 

I love chronographs and wear one nearly every day.

Nearly.

For the days I don't wear what I love, I'm usually pulling something out of the box of "Sentimemtal Keepers." A Wittnauer presented to my grandfather when he retired in 1969. An Elgin A11 that belonged to the other grandfather. My step-dad's Bulova. A character watch with Charlie the Tuna my mom gave me. An Omega Geneve that the priest who married my wife and I, gave to me when he found out I liked old watches (he hadn't worn it since he bought the Seiko he wears today). And my wife's gifts: a Cartier on my 40th birthday, a Bedat No. 8 when our daughter was born, and a Hamilton Viewmatic Jazzmaster she bought when our then 9-year old daughter picked it out knowing I like Hamilton.

The watches that belonged to my grandfathers are worn on the anniversaries of their birth and passing. My step-dad's Bulova on his birthday. My Charlie the Tuna on my mom's birthday. Omega on Father O'Reilly's birthday. The Cartier on my birthday, the Bedat on my daughter's birthday and the Hamilton on Christmas Day. And guess what...sometimes I wear them in between. Sometimes I don't.

But I will never sell/trade them. The gestures and memories are worth way more than the money those watches would bring, and that Cartier could net me another chronograph all by itself. No deal, the Cartier stays.

I'm not telling you to keep the Tudor. It's yours, do what you want with it but understand how it will possibly affect you, affect your wife, your in-laws. Honestly, the fact you're saving for a couch but looking to trade one watch toward another suggests to me that, just maybe, watches have taken a priority that doesn't really suit reality?Apologies for making generalizations and not fully knowing your situation. But as I (hope I) illustrated, I would keep the Tudor. Wear it on your anniversary. Or don't wear it for a year. But keep it at least until you are absolutely certain what you want to do with it.

 

Appreciate it! The couch comment was merely a joke. Just waiting for my wife to pick one out she likes (we recently bought our first house).

You’re right (all of you!). If I sell it I’d regret it. Even if I never wear it again it has irreplaceable sentimental value. Thank you.

 

If it were me I'd keep it.

 

I would not sell it. Tuck into the back of the watch box. The sentimental value is simply too high. Eventually, you’re going to feel the need to wear it.

 

I will keep it.

 

Looking for some advice!

I have a Tudor BBB (ETA) that I chose as my engagement / wedding gift from in-laws 6 years ago. Their tradition has always been to buy their son-law-to-be a nice gold dress watch (think Baum&Mercier) but that wasn't for me. I wanted something more practical. At the time I was working at a company that was right on top of a Tourneau so I spent pretty much every lunch break for 4 months in their, learning everything there is to know about watches. Between my daily visits, reading Hodinkee, watching YT videos and diving through forums I landed on either the Tudor Black Bay ETA or Speedmaster Professional. The end result was the Tudor but to be honest it was the sheer fact that that Tourneau does not (or at least at the time) carry Omegas. So I was only able play with Speedy once or twice whereas I was wearing the Black Bay for hour everyday for 4 months. That being said I was more than happy and content with my choice and wore thats for 3 years straight.

Skip forward and I have loved my Tudor. I got married in it. Went on my honeymoon with it, traveled the world. It has been good to me (me to it not so much, pip marker is long gone!). A couple years later my wife surprised me at a local Rolex AD and I had the chance to purchase the White OP39 that I have be eyeing. Since then that has really become my daily driver while I still do wear the Tudor every so often, but when I do I quickly get bored of it. It just feels too big, bulky and looks like it does not fit as a watch should on my wrist. I've played around with different straps (not leather, yet) but I still get bored. I'm not sure if it's the style of the watch or just the bulky heft but something does not work for me anymore, at least not for the better part of a year or so. Additionally, as a result of the OP and just diving deeper into the hobby my interests and taste have changed and I can't get that Speedy out of my head.

The question I pose and the advice that I am is seeking is: Is it better to keep a watch that has so much sentimental value though every time you look at it it makes you think of the watch that could have been? Or should I sell and risk regretting it as well as potentially offending my wife and in-laws : )

I am truly on the fence. Part of me just wants to move on to the next one as for me this journey is purely a hobby. But the other side of me is a softy and feels it may be something I regret and better save up for the Speedy to mark a new special moment and save the Tudor in a safe for my son when he's old enough to appreciate it (he's two so I have a long way to go). If I decide to keep it, what are your thoughts on getting it engraved? I'm thinking that would be a reminder of how sentimental and special it is to me. Plus they will always make Speedmasters but Tudor will never back another ETA Black Bay with Rose logo (I hope!).

Looking forward to hearing what you all have to say!

Does it spark joy when you hold it? Keep it.

Does it not spark joy? Sell it...

I voted sell. I've acquired a lot of stuff over the years, the reality? It's just a material object. Sounds like it doesn't spark joy, the memories you had with it will still be there when you see the watch elsewhere. You will in turn remember again, likely making those moments more personal. You can buy a watch for your son later that will be more relevant to him as you learn more about who he is, hell if you really want to you can take that money you would spend on a watch for your son now and invest it then get him a nice treasure watch.

Move on, be free.

 

I voted sell. I've acquired a lot of stuff over the years, the reality? It's just a material object. Sounds like it doesn't spark joy, the memories you had with it will still be there when you see the watch elsewhere. You will in turn remember again, likely making those moments more personal. You can buy a watch for your son later that will be more relevant to him as you learn more about who he is, hell if you really want to you can take that money you would spend on a watch for your son now and invest it then get him a nice treasure watch.

Move on, be free.

I suspect you're either single or divorced? 😉

 

If it were just about your sentiments I would say lose it, but if you wife wants you to keep it you need to keep it.

 

How much would you even get for it? My guess is Jack. So unless one watch clutters up your entire place if you don’t wear it , keep it. Lol And if one watch clutters up your entire place you have bigger issues. Sentimental reasons after need is one of the only valid reasons to hoard.

 

IMO, not all of your watches will have sentimental value, if it does have sentimental value, I would argue that you keep it! Even if you really want another watch and it'll help fund, that new watch doesn't have any sentimental value immediately-- it just has monetary value-- something any watch can have!