The Rolex Dilemma: Should You Buy Your Son A Rolex?

I recently was flipping through Rolex Forums when I happened upon a heartwarming story of someone getting their son a Rolex. It was a great read and I thought it made sense to expand on the topic here. So, let’s jump into the topic of buying your kid a watch like a Rolex. I want to dig into the positives and potential negatives of such a gift and discuss why it could be a fantastic gesture.

Buying Your Child A Rolex

Image Source: Watch Gecko

Instead of paraphrasing the forum poster’s reasoning behind giving their son a Rolex, I figured it would make more sense to just use their words:

“I have three terrific kids, all fine young adults. Each one is approaching a significant milestone—whether it’s a big career move, a promotion, or finishing grad school. My wife and I thought a modest yet meaningful Rolex would be the perfect way to commemorate these moments—something they can treasure forever (we hope!).”

First off, is this the best dad ever, or what? Raising children is hard – tell me about it – I have three all under the age of thirteen. All I am hoping for is health and happiness while trying not to mess them up myself. I can see that these parents did a great job, and this post got me thinking. For me, I’ve noticed that putting a proverbial carrot in front of your child can be a helpful way to guide them. Maybe that carrot is a vacation, a gift, or an experience. Whatever the case, I believe that kids need a North Star to aim their actions and goals. I know I do. What better carrot than a Rolex?

Rolex Submariner on Everest Steel End Link Leather Strap

Now let me be clear: material items are not the best way to mold a child. As far as gifts go, I am a big fan of experiences such as trips and quality time, but sometimes the best thing to give is a physical gift. Maybe it's just clean clothes and a warm meal with family, but if they are twenty-five, college-educated, and killing it in all aspects of life, I feel that a Rolex (if you can afford it) will make them feel loved for sure. Another quote from this forum post showed it true in their situation:

“At first, I thought I might be more excited about giving these watches than my kids would be receiving them. Boy, was I wrong! Watching my son light up was an experience I’ll never forget, and it made the whole journey even more special.”

Image Source: The Watch Club

From a positive standpoint, I could create an almost endless list of reasons to gift a Rolex. The single most significant I can think of is that it will be something that they will treasure forever. When you are gone, they will (hopefully still) have this beautiful piece of craftsmanship that will forever be associated with your memory: something that they will tell your grandchildren about. 

From the negative side, other than the cost, there are not many downsides. Your child is going to love it. I do think if you decide to use something like a Rolex to fix or solve your crappy parenting, try something else first. I do see a huge negative in attempting to buy someone’s love. It will backfire for sure if you didn’t put in the effort while they were too young to rock a Rollie on their arm.

Rubber Straps for Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 126XXX

Overall, I think giving your child a Rolex is an extremely generous gesture with tons of benefits. Although it won’t fix years of being a poor parent, it will build on an already strong relationship for sure. So, I hope this article helps you with deciding to buy a Rolex for your child this holiday.