The Cost Behind Earning Gold Watches

For the longest time, tradition had it that gold watches represented a gesture of thanks to long-serving employees, who were retiring from a company. The tradition paved the way for an old joke, whose clincher went; “…and all I have to show for it is this gold watch.”

Gold watches indeed mean a lot, as watches meant more than just a piece of modern culture then. Watches were seen as functional devices, which aided people with their day to day schedules. These days, with the integration of time-telling capabilities into newer “essential” gadgets (Personal Digital Assistants, Personal Beepers and Cellular Phones, to name a few), a watch doesn’t actually hold that much use as before.

The giving away of gold watches to retiring employees meant gratitude for the years of service the employee had served. Society equated a person with a gold watch as someone who has earned wisdom through the years, and that respect should be given.

Rolex SA is among the most popular “gesture of thanks” gold watches. Aside from the status of Rolex as a watch brand, Rolex gold watches did play a major role in the history of watches, thus its preferred status as a retirement watch.

Rolex was the first to come up with a waterproof watch, a historical milestone in itself. Rolex was also the first to come up with watches with a date indicator, another milestone in watch history. The first watch to have a chronometer was a Rolex too.

Hundreds of corporations, governments, associations and other relevant entities grant Rolex gold watches to their retirees. Rolex gold watches aren’t exactly the most expensive “retirement watches” in the world, but with Rolex’s significant history, particularly in the development of watches, meaning and symbolism is truly the best that Rolex gold watches give out.

Breitling, another watch brand, is also popular as a “retirement watch.” With 14 karat gold timepieces, and the Swiss trademark of precision and accuracy, Breitling gold watches ideally fit the bill as retirement watches.

Breitling watches have been labeled as “navitimers’, as most pilots use Breitling watches. Rugged, fashionable and highly precise, the brand boasts some of the most expensive watches in the world. One hundred years after its original founding, Breitling watches are among the best luxury watches in the world. An ideal as retirement watches.

Of course, one doesn’t need to retire in order to get a gold watch. Gold watches could be easily purchased, should one have the money for it.

But one thing remains, gold watches are pretty much part of the tableau that is our society’s history, and owning one earns one more than just a timepiece, but a part of history as well.