RoLeX

Hi Babe. Usually when you get up to go to the gym, I fall asleep again with no problem. Today I'm wide awake after less than 4 hours sleep. I woke up when you gave me back your watch.

I guess I've been a bit emotional since I noticed you weren't wearing your Rolex yesterday, in your cat video. I asked you about it last night and you said you were giving the Rolex a rest. But Rolex watches need to be worn for them to work properly, especially when they're over 22 years old. They work on kinetic energy from the movement of your arm.

I offered to wear it because you've been saying it's problematic. I know it's had issues even before I brought it in to be serviced the last time. Back then it was over 18 years old. Sure enough, the oscillator needed to be changed. That's why I brought it in to Dunwoody Diamonds, which was a licensed Rolex distributor just like Davidson & Licht, where we got your watch at Valley Fair Mall. I paid about $600 to repair that watch at Dunwoody Diamonds. It wasn't cheap. In comparison I paid $200 for my watch to be serviced at the Rolex Service Center when Belen dropped it in Manila.

Today, when you handed it back to me, I felt like crying. I don't know if you heard the tremor in my voice when I said "I love you" back, before you left the room. It felt like you were giving me back your wedding ring. It is, after all, your wedding watch. My wedding present to you almost 22 years ago.

But I will wear this watch. Until the time you want to wear it again. I'll get to know how annoying it gets that you would want to replace it with a Fitbit. I never replaced mine. I wear my Fitbit on my right hand. I learned my lesson the last time, when we got back from Florida and I discovered I wasn't wearing my Rolex and it wasn't in my purse. I chided myself for taking it off, as this is the best way to lose or damage it. I was afraid I had left it in our hotel room but there was one final hope. When we got home I hurried to look at the tray beside our sink and my heart sank. It wasn't there. I was devastated. I went out to the living room to tell you and you handed it to me. I have never felt such relief and joy in my life. Once again, My Hero came to the rescue.

So now I have adjusted the date, which stopped at April 30, and the time, so it's running again. At least your watch's date can still be adjusted the usual way, by pulling the stem once. Mine doesn't do this anymore. I have to pull the stem twice and rotate the minute hand, the old-fashioned way. But it's no biggie. I only have to do this every two months, when there is no 31st. It is, after all, over 25 years old so it's getting cantankerous in it's own way. But it's still going. It keeps good time. It very rarely runs slow now but when it does I just adjust it. I have thought about having it serviced but I'm afraid they will change it back to it's original face as I read somewhere before. And I can't bear to part with my diamond face because that's what makes it my wedding watch.

So I'm waiting to go back to Davidson & Licht, where we found your watch. A rare stainless steel Oyster Perpetual Date with an engine turned vessel that I had always admired and wanted for you because it resembles the faux one with the black dial I gave you when we first met.

Do you remember that watch? The fake Rolex I got in Hong Kong with Cece? I flew there to spend time with her when I sent you back for your birthday to be with Leo & Nas. I regretted it as soon as you left because I was so lonely from missing you so much. You wore that watch when you returned to San Jose for Christmas. Lucy wore it too. It had an automatic movement so it almost passed for the real thing. 

But even then I knew I wanted to replace it with something better. Because you deserved the real thing. I told you so, at Davidson & Licht, when we bought that watch before Christmas, 1999.

So let that be our first stop when we get back to San Jose this summer. We'll drop off your watch, and mine, for servicing.

I'll wear my Fitbit while waiting.