Awhile back, the leather strap on my Hamilton watch finally broke off after years of use. To get that “officially” fixed, I was to send the watch to the Swatch Group’s service center. Weirdly, the website doesn’t list prices, but from what I can sleuth on the Internet, it’s about $300 dollars to recondition the watch. That price makes the situation slightly odd because that’s about how much I paid for the watch brand new, which means I can also do so again - buy another one new and save the hassle of shipping the old one in.
The nostalgia factor took over, however, and I decided it’s worth keeping my Hamilton watch going for as long as possible. I emailed the Swatch service center for instructions but then I never heard back! I guess they didn’t want to make money off me, and I sort of treat it as a sign that I should let my Khaki Field go to permanent rest.
It definitely feels weird to have an empty wrist after years of watch-wearing, so lately I’ve been hankering to (finally) buy the Apple Watch. I’m so entrenched into the Apple ecosystem that getting yet another device from Cupertino seems like the next logical step. Back when I still had a functioning Hamilton watch, it seemed irresponsible to splurge for the Apple Watch, but now that I’m free from those clutches, I’ve been eyeing the device on the Apple Store app frequently.
What the Apple Watch would be most beneficial to me - on top of telling me what time it is - is the heart-rate monitor. I’ve written before about my anxiety issues, and a clear sign when I’m having a case of it is an elevated heart-rate. Being able to set alerts on the watch to let me know when such an event is occurring would be fantastic, and on that reason alone I think I can justify the high cost. The Series 5 Apple Watch starts at $399, which is not cheap for a thing that is bound to be obsolete in a few years.
This past weekend I was desperately close to pulling the trigger, because there were discounts on the Apple Watch at all the major retailers (all except for Apple official, obviously). What stopped me from doing the deed? I remembered the yearly registration fee for the 911 GT3 is due soon, and being that the car originally stickered for ~$145,000, even five years on the fee would be quite hefty. I can’t justify spending over $400 on the Apple Watch when I have that looming over my head so soon.
Indeed, I got the renewal letter from the DMV just yesterday! For the privilege to operate the 911 on the road for another year in the eyes of California, I have to pay just over a thousand dollars. Honestly, that is still a shocking figure, even though I was wholly prepared for it. That’s one of the many consequences of buying such an expensive sports car, though ultimately I’m willing to pay the price.
But good thing I didn’t buy the Apple Watch!
In the still of the night.