The article discusses the emotional and financial weight of a vintage Rolex inherited from the author's grandmother. Though a beautiful, symbolically rich item, the watch was non-functional and left the family struggling to find repair options. Two jewelers expressed doubt about servicing it, with suggestions to wear it as a bracelet instead. The Rolex brand holds significant market power, accounting for 30% of luxury watch sales, and is often viewed as a family heirloom or investment. This reflects on how luxury items carry both monetary and sentimental value, complicating their lifecycle.
"If you bring a vintage piece to a Rolex service center, it's not uncommon to be turned away," Greg Petronzi, a watch expert, explains, highlighting the challenges of servicing older models.
"Rolex watches are often considered investment pieces or family heirlooms, a hefty purchase justified by the idea that they could later sell for a lot more or be passed down to future generations."
"When my grandmother passed away last year, my mom inherited her Rolex: a dainty ladies' watch... a lasting, physical reminder of the beauty and class that my grandma, the matriarch of a large Lebanese family, exuded effortlessly."
"They also told her that when this happens, some people simply think of their watch as a bracelet instead, underlining a shift in perceived value for non-functioning luxury items."
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